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Li H, Yuan H, Yang ZP, Song Y, Wang JJ, Wen Q, Zheng YX, Zhang XX, Yu M, Yuan ZG. Differential transcriptome study on the damage of testicular tissues caused by chronic infection of T. gondii in mice. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:252. [PMID: 38858789 PMCID: PMC11165745 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06247-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that is widely distributed in humans and warm-blooded animals. T. gondii chronic infections can cause toxoplasmic encephalopathy, adverse pregnancy, and male reproductive disorders. In male reproduction, the main function of the testis is to provide a stable place for spermatogenesis and immunological protection. The disorders affecting testis tissue encompass abnormalities in the germ cell cycle, spermatogenic retardation, or complete cessation of sperm development. However, the mechanisms of interaction between T. gondii and the reproductive system is unclear. The aims were to study the expression levels of genes related to spermatogenesis, following T. gondii infection, in mouse testicular tissue. METHODS RNA-seq sequencing was carried out on mouse testicular tissues from mice infected or uninfected with the T. gondii type II Prugniaud (PRU) strain and validated in combination with real-time quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence assays. RESULTS The results showed that there were 250 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (P < 0.05, |log2fold change| ≧ 1). Bioinformatics analysis showed that 101 DEGs were annotated to the 1696 gene ontology (GO) term. While there was a higher number of DEGs in the biological process classification as a whole, the GO enrichment revealed a significant presence of DEGs in the cellular component classification. The Arhgap18 and Syne1 genes undergo regulatory changes following T. gondii infection, and both were involved in shaping the cytoskeleton of the blood-testis barrier (BTB). The number of DEGs enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway, the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, and the JNK signaling pathway were significant. The PTGDS gene is located in the Arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, which plays an important role in the formation and maintenance of BTB in the testis. The expression of PTGDS is downregulated subsequent to T. gondii infection, potentially exerting deleterious effects on the integrity of the BTB and the spermatogenic microenvironment within the testes. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our research provides in-depth insights into how chronic T. gondii infection might affect testicular tissue and potentially impact male fertility. These findings offer a new perspective on the impact of T. gondii infection on the male reproductive system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxin Li
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
| | - Hao Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
| | - Zi-Peng Yang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
| | - Yining Song
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
| | - Jun-Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
| | - Qingyuan Wen
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu-Xiang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiu-Xiang Zhang
- College of Plant, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
| | - Miao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Oral Medicine, Guangzhou Institute of Oral Disease, Stomatology Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510140 People’s Republic of China
| | - Zi-Guo Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642 Guangdong People’s Republic of China
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Yeh YT, Del Álamo JC, Caffrey CR. Biomechanics of parasite migration within hosts. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:164-175. [PMID: 38172015 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The dissemination of protozoan and metazoan parasites through host tissues is hindered by cellular barriers, dense extracellular matrices, and fluid forces in the bloodstream. To overcome these diverse biophysical impediments, parasites implement versatile migratory strategies. Parasite-exerted mechanical forces and upregulation of the host's cellular contractile machinery are the motors for these strategies, and these are comparably better characterized for protozoa than for helminths. Using the examples of the protozoans, Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium, and the metazoan, Schistosoma mansoni, we highlight how quantitative tools such as traction force and reflection interference contrast microscopies have improved our understanding of how parasites alter host mechanobiology to promote their migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Yeh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
| | - Juan C Del Álamo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Center for Cardiovascular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 93093, USA
| | - Conor R Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0657, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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A. PORTES JULIANA, C. VOMMARO ROSSIANE, AYRES CALDAS LUCIO, S. MARTINS-DUARTE ERICA. Intracellular life of protozoan Toxoplasma gondii: Parasitophorous vacuole establishment and survival strategies. BIOCELL 2023. [DOI: 10.32604/biocell.2023.026629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
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Role of Host Small GTPases in Apicomplexan Parasite Infection. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071370. [PMID: 35889089 PMCID: PMC9319929 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The Apicomplexa are obligate intracellular parasites responsible for several important human diseases. These protozoan organisms have evolved several strategies to modify the host cell environment to create a favorable niche for their survival. The host cytoskeleton is widely manipulated during all phases of apicomplexan intracellular infection. Moreover, the localization and organization of host organelles are altered in order to scavenge nutrients from the host. Small GTPases are a class of proteins widely involved in intracellular pathways governing different processes, from cytoskeletal and organelle organization to gene transcription and intracellular trafficking. These proteins are already known to be involved in infection by several intracellular pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoan parasites. In this review, we recapitulate the mechanisms by which apicomplexan parasites manipulate the host cell during infection, focusing on the role of host small GTPases. We also discuss the possibility of considering small GTPases as potential targets for the development of novel host-targeted therapies against apicomplexan infections.
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The type three secretion system effector protein IpgB1 promotes Shigella flexneri cell-to-cell spread through double-membrane vacuole escape. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010380. [PMID: 35202448 PMCID: PMC8903249 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
S. flexneri is an important human pathogen that causes bacillary dysentery. During infection, S. flexneri invades colonic epithelial cells, hijacks the host cell cytoskeleton to move in the cytosol of infected cells, and spreads from cell to cell through formation of membrane protrusions that project into adjacent cells and resolve into double membrane vacuoles (DMVs). S. flexneri cell-to-cell spread requires the integrity of the bacterial type three secretion system (T3SS). However, the exact role of the T3SS effector proteins in the dissemination process remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of the T3SS effector protein IpgB1 in S. flexneri dissemination. IpgB1 was previously characterized as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that contributes to invasion. In addition to the invasion defect, we showed that the ipgB1 mutant formed smaller infection foci in HT-29 cells. Complementation of this phenotype required the GEF activity of IpgB1. Using live confocal microscopy, we showed that the ipgB1 mutant is specifically impaired in DMV escape. Depletion of Rac1, the host cell target of IpgB1 during invasion, as well as pharmacological inhibition of Rac1 signaling, reduced cell-to-cell spread and DMV escape. In a targeted siRNA screen, we uncovered that RhoA depletion restored ipgB1 cell-to-cell spread and DMV escape, revealing a critical role for the IpgB1-Rac1 axis in antagonizing RhoA-mediated restriction of DMV escape. Using an infant rabbit model of shigellosis, we showed that the ipgB1 mutant formed fewer and smaller infection foci in the colon of infected animals, which correlated with attenuated symptoms of disease, including epithelial fenestration and bloody diarrhea. Our results demonstrate that, in addition to its role during invasion, IpgB1 modulates Rho family small GTPase signaling to promote cell-to-cell spread, DMV escape, and S. flexneri pathogenesis.
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Parapini S, Paone S, Erba E, Cavicchini L, Pourshaban M, Celani F, Contini A, D’Alessandro S, Olivieri A. In Vitro Antimalarial Activity of Inhibitors of the Human GTPase Rac1. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0149821. [PMID: 34723630 PMCID: PMC8765435 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01498-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria accounts for millions of cases and thousands of deaths every year. In the absence of an effective vaccine, drugs are still the most important tool in the fight against the disease. Plasmodium parasites developed resistance to all classes of known antimalarial drugs. Thus, the search for antimalarial drugs with novel mechanisms of action is compelling. The human GTPase Rac1 plays a role in parasite invasion of the host cell in many intracellular pathogens. Also, in Plasmodium falciparum, the involvement of Rac1 during both the invasion process and parasite intracellular development was suggested. The aim of this work is to test a panel of Rac1 inhibitors as potential antimalarial drugs. Fourteen commercially available or newly synthesized inhibitors of Rac1 were tested for antimalarial activity. Among these, EHop-016 was the most effective against P. falciparum in vitro, with nanomolar 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) (138.8 ± 16.0 nM on the chloroquine-sensitive D10 strain and 321.5 ± 28.5 nM on the chloroquine-resistant W2 strain) and a selectivity index of 37.8. EHop-016 did not inhibit parasite invasion of red blood cells but affected parasite growth inside them. Among the tested Rac1 inhibitors, EHop-016 showed promising activity that raises attention to this class of molecules as potential antimalarials and deserves further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Parapini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvio Paone
- Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela Erba
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Loredana Cavicchini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche e Odontoiatriche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Celani
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Contini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Sarah D’Alessandro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Olivieri
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Liu Z, Geng X, Zhao Q, Zhu S, Han H, Yu Y, Huang W, Yao Y, Huang B, Dong H. Effects of host vimentin on Eimeria tenella sporozoite invasion. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:8. [PMID: 34983604 PMCID: PMC8729122 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05107-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chicken coccidiosis is a parasitic disease caused by Eimeria of Apicomplexa, which has caused great economic loss to the poultry breeding industry. Host vimentin is a key protein in the process of infection of many pathogens. In an earlier phosphorylation proteomics study, we found that the phosphorylation level of host vimentin was significantly regulated after Eimeria tenella sporozoite infection. Therefore, we explored the role of host vimentin in the invasion of host cells by sporozoites. Methods Chicken vimentin protein was cloned and expressed. We used qPCR, western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescence to detect levels of mRNA transcription, translation, and phosphorylation, and changes in the distribution of vimentin after E. tenella sporozoite infection. The sporozoite invasion rate in DF-1 cells treated with vimentin polyclonal antibody or with small interfering RNA (siRNA), which downregulated vimentin expression, was assessed by an in vitro invasion test. Results The results showed that vimentin transcription and translation levels increased continually at 6–72 h after E. tenella sporozoite infection, and the total phosphorylation levels of vimentin also changed. About 24 h after sporozoite infection, vimentin accumulated around sporozoites in DF-1 cells. Treating DF-1 cells with vimentin polyclonal antibody or downregulating vimentin expression by siRNA significantly improved the invasion efficiency of sporozoites. Conclusion In this study, we showed that vimentin played an inhibitory role during the invasion of sporozoites. These data provided a foundation for clarifying the relationship between Eimeria and the host. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05107-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiangfei Geng
- Beijing YuanDa Spark Medicine Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing, 100088, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiping Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Shunhai Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenhao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Yawen Yao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Bing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Dong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Minhang, 200241, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 targeting host cell S100A6 for parasite invasion and host immunity. iScience 2021; 24:103514. [PMID: 34950858 PMCID: PMC8671940 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii surface antigen 1 (TgSAG1) is a surface protein of tachyzoites, which plays a crucial role in toxoplasma gondii infection and host cell immune regulation. However, how TgSAG1 regulates these processes remains elucidated. We utilized the biotin ligase -TurboID fusion with TgSAG1 to identify the host proteins interacting with TgSAG1, and identified that S100A6 was co-localized with TgSAG1 when T. gondii attached to the host cell. S100A6, either knocking down or blocking its functional epitopes resulted in inhibited parasites invasion. Meanwhile, S100A6 overexpression in host cells promoted T. gondii infection. We further verified that TgSAG1 could inhibit the interaction of host cell vimentin with S100A6 for cytoskeleton organization during T. gondii invasion. As an immunogen, TgSAG1 could promote the secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) through S100A6-Vimentin/PKCθ-NF-κB signaling pathway. In summary, our findings revealed a mechanism for how TgSAG1 functioned in parasitic invasion and host immune regulation. TgSAG1 interacts with host protein S100A6 then regulates T. gondii infection TgSAG1 could regulate binding vimentin with S100A6 during T. gondii infection TgSAG1 regulate TNFα secretion through S100A6-vimentin/PKCθ-NF-κB signaling pathway
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Paone S, D'Alessandro S, Parapini S, Celani F, Tirelli V, Pourshaban M, Olivieri A. Characterization of the erythrocyte GTPase Rac1 in relation to Plasmodium falciparum invasion. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22054. [PMID: 33328606 PMCID: PMC7744522 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79052-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is still a devastating disease with 228 million cases globally and 405,000 lethal outcomes in 2018, mainly in children under five years of age. The threat of emerging malaria strains resistant to currently available drugs has made the search for novel drug targets compelling. The process by which Plasmodium falciparum parasites invade the host cell has been widely studied, but only a few erythrocyte proteins involved in this process have been identified so far. The erythrocyte protein Rac1 is a GTPase that plays an important role in host cell invasion by many intracellular pathogens. Here we show that Rac1 is recruited in proximity to the site of parasite entry during P. falciparum invasion process and that subsequently localizes to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. We also suggest that this GTPase may be involved in erythrocyte invasion by P. falciparum, by testing the effect of specific Rac1 inhibitory compounds. Finally, we suggest a secondary role of the erythrocyte GTPase also in parasite intracellular development. We here characterize a new erythrocyte protein potentially involved in P. falciparum invasion of the host cell and propose the human GTPase Rac1 as a novel and promising antimalarial drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Paone
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.,Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica e Malattie Infettive, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Sarah D'Alessandro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche e Odontoiatriche, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Parapini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Per La Salute, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Celani
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Tirelli
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Anna Olivieri
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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Wu SZ, Wei HX, Jiang D, Li SM, Zou WH, Peng HJ. Genome-Wide CRISPR Screen Identifies Host Factors Required by Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:460. [PMID: 32039045 PMCID: PMC6987080 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii are obligate intracellular protoza, and due to their small genome and limited encoded proteins, they have to exploit host factors for entry, replication, and dissemination. Such host factors can be defined as host dependency factors (HDFs). Though HDFs are inessential for cell viability, they are critical for pathogen infection, and potential ideal targets for therapeutic intervention. However, information about these HDFs required by T. gondii infection is highly deficient. In this study, the genes of human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cells were comprehensively edited using the lentiviral CRISPR-Cas9-sgRNA library, and then the lentivirus-treated cells were infected with T. gondii at multiplication of infection 1 (MOI = 1) for 10 days to identify HDFs essential for T. gondii infection. The survival cells were harvested and sent for sgRNA sequencing. The sgRNA sequence matched genes or miRNAs were potential HDFs. Some cells in the lentivirus-treated group could survive longer than those in the untreated control group after T. gondii infection. From a pool of 19,050 human genes and 1,864 human pri-miRNAs, 1,193 potential HDFs were identified, including 1,183 genes and 10 pri-miRNAs (corresponding with 17 mature miRNAs). Among them, seven genes and five mature miRNAs were validated with siRNAs, miRNA inhibitors, and mimics, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that, among the 1,183 genes, 53 potential HDFs were associated with regulation of host actin cytoskeleton and 23 potential HDFs coded immune negative regulators. This result indicated that actin dynamics were indispensable for T. gondii infection, and some host immune negative regulators may be involved in disarming host defenses. Our findings contribute to the current limited knowledge about host factors required by T. gondii infection and provide us with new targets for medication therapy and vaccine exploitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shui-Zhen Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hai-Xia Wei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dan Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sheng-Min Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Hao Zou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Juan Peng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Lis A, Wiley M, Vaughan J, Gray PC, Blader IJ. The Activin Receptor, Activin-Like Kinase 4, Mediates Toxoplasma Gondii Activation of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:36. [PMID: 30891432 PMCID: PMC6411701 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
To grow and cause disease, intracellular pathogens modulate host cell processes. Identifying these processes as well as the mechanisms used by the pathogens to manipulate them is important for the development of more effective therapeutics. As an example, the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii induces a wide variety of changes to its host cell, including altered membrane trafficking, cytoskeletal reorganization, and differential gene expression. Although several parasite molecules and their host targets have been identified that mediate- these changes, few are known to be required for parasite replication. One exception is the host cell transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), which is required for parasite replication in an oxygen-dependent manner. Toxoplasma activates HIF-1 by stabilizing the HIF-1α subunit, and this is dependent on the signaling from the Activin-Like Kinase (ALK) receptor superfamily. Here, we demonstrate that specific overexpression of the ALK family member, ALK4, increased HIF-1 activity in Toxoplasma-infected cells, and this increase required ALK4 kinase activity. Moreover, Toxoplasma stimulated ALK4 to dimerize with its co-receptor, ActRII, and also increased ALK4 kinase activity, thereby demonstrating that Toxoplasma activates the ALK4 receptor. ALK4 activation of HIF-1 was independent of canonical SMAD signaling but rather was dependent on the non-canonical Rho GTPase and JNK MAP kinase signaling pathways. Finally, Toxoplasma increased rates of ALK4 ubiquitination and turnover. These data provide the first evidence indicating that ALK4 signaling is a target for a microbial pathogen to manipulate its host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Lis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Mandi Wiley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | | | | | - Ira J Blader
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
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He C, Kong L, Puthiyakunnon S, Wei HX, Zhou LJ, Peng HJ. iTRAQ-based phosphoproteomic analysis reveals host cell's specific responses to Toxoplasma gondii at the phases of invasion and prior to egress. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2018; 1867:202-212. [PMID: 30576742 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation plays a key role in host cell-T. gondii interaction. However, the phosphoproteome data of host cell at various phases of T. gondii infection has not been thoroughly described. In this study, we assessed the host phosphoproteome data with isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) method during the phases of T. gondii invasion (30 min post infection, PI) and prior to egress (28 h PI). Our iTRAQ analysis revealed a total of 665 phosphoproteins, among which the significantly regulated phosphoproteins in different between-group comparisons were further analyzed. Functional analysis of these significantly regulated phosphoproteins suggested that T. gondii modulated host cell processes through phosphorylation including cell cycle regulation, inducing apoptosis, blocking the synthesis of some inflammatory factors, mediating metabolism to support its proliferation at the infection phase prior to egress, and utilizing membrane and energy from host cell, reorganizing cytoskeleton to favor its invasion and PV formation at the phase of invasion. The phosphorylation level of Smad2, CTNNA1, and HSPB1 identified with western blot revealed a consistent trend of change with iTRAQ result. These newly identified and significantly regulated phosphoproteins from our phosphoproteome data may provide new clues to unravel the host cell's complex reaction against T. gondii infection and the interaction between the host cell and T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng He
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ling Kong
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Santhosh Puthiyakunnon
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Hai-Xia Wei
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Li-Juan Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Hong-Juan Peng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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13
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Everman JL, Danelishvili L, Flores LG, Bermudez LE. MAP1203 Promotes Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis Binding and Invasion to Bovine Epithelial Cells. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:217. [PMID: 29998085 PMCID: PMC6030366 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of Johne's disease, chronic and ultimately fatal enteritis that affects ruminant populations worldwide. One mode of MAP transmission is oral when young animals ingest bacteria from the collostrum and milk of infected dams. The exposure to raw milk has a dramatic impact on MAP, resulting in a more invasive and virulent phenotype. The MAP1203 gene is upregulated over 28-fold after exposure of the bacterium to milk. In this study, the role of MAP1203 in binding and invasion of the bovine epithelial cells was investigated. By over-expressing the native MAP1203 gene and two clones of deletion mutant in the signal sequence and of missense mutations changing the integrin domain from RGD into RDE, we demonstrate that MAP1203 plays a role in increasing binding in more than 50% and invasion in 35% of bovine MDBK epithelial cells during early phase of infection. Furthermore, results obtained suggest that MAP1203 is a surface-exposed protein in MAP and the signal sequence is required for processing and expression of functional protein on the surface of the bacterium. Using the protein pull-down assay and far-Western blot, we also demonstrate that MAP1203 interacts with the host dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 2 and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase proteins, located on the membrane of epithelial cell and involved in the remodeling of the cytoskeleton. Our data suggests that MAP1203 plays a significant role in the initiation of MAP infection of the bovine epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Everman
- Department of Microbiology, College of Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Lia Danelishvili
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Lucero G Flores
- Department of Microbiology, College of Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Luiz E Bermudez
- Department of Microbiology, College of Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
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14
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Xia J, Kong L, Zhou LJ, Wu SZ, Yao LJ, He C, He CY, Peng HJ. Genome-Wide Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation-Based Proteomic Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii ROP18's Human Interactome Shows Its Key Role in Regulation of Cell Immunity and Apoptosis. Front Immunol 2018; 9:61. [PMID: 29459857 PMCID: PMC5807661 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein ROP18 (TgROP18) is a key virulence factor secreted into the host cell during invasion, where it modulates the host cell response by interacting with its host targets. However, only a few TgROP18 targets have been identified. In this study, we applied a high-throughput protein-protein interaction (PPI) screening in human cells using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) to identify the targets of Type I strain ROP18 (ROP18I) and Type II strain ROP18 (ROP18II). From a pool of more than 18,000 human proteins, 492 and 141 proteins were identified as the targets of ROP18I and ROP18II, respectively. Gene ontology, search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes/proteins PPI network, and Ingenuity pathway analyses revealed that the majority of these proteins were associated with immune response and apoptosis. This indicates a key role of TgROP18 in manipulating host's immunity and cell apoptosis, which might contribute to the immune escape and successful parasitism of the parasite. Among the proteins identified, the immunity-related proteins N-myc and STAT interactor, IL20RB, IL21, ubiquitin C, and vimentin and the apoptosis-related protein P2RX1 were further verified as ROP18I targets by sensitized emission-fluorescence resonance energy transfer (SE-FRET) and co-immunoprecipitation. Our study substantially contributes to the current limited knowledge on human targets of TgROP18 and provides a novel tool to investigate the function of parasite effectors in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xia
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ling Kong
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li-Juan Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shui-Zhen Wu
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li-Jie Yao
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheng He
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cynthia Y He
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hong-Juan Peng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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15
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He C, Chen AY, Wei HX, Feng XS, Peng HJ. Phosphoproteome of Toxoplasma gondii Infected Host Cells Reveals Specific Cellular Processes Predominating in Different Phases of Infection. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2017; 97:236-244. [PMID: 28719319 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The invasion of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites into the host cell results in extensive host cell signaling activation/deactivation that is usually regulated by the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation. To elucidate how T. gondii regulates host cell signal transduction, the comparative phosphoproteome of stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture-labeled human foreskin fibroblast cells was analyzed. The cells were grouped (Light [L], Medium [M], and Heavy [H] groups) based on the labeling isotope weight and were infected with T. gondii for different lengths of time (L: 0 hour; M: 2 hours; and H: 6 hours). A total of 892 phosphoproteins were identified with 1,872 phosphopeptides and 1,619 phosphorylation sites. The M versus L comparison revealed 694 significantly regulated phosphopeptides (436 upregulated and 258 downregulated). The H versus L comparison revealed 592 significantly regulated phosphopeptides (146 upregulated and 446 downregulated). The H versus M comparison revealed 794 significantly regulated phosphopeptides (149 upregulated and 645 downregulated). At 2 and 6 hours post-T. gondii infection, the most predominant host cell reactions were cell cycle regulation and cytoskeletal reorganization, which might be required for the efficient invasion and multiplication of T. gondii. Similar biological process profiles but different molecular function categories of host cells infected with T. gondii for 2 and 6 hours, which suggested that the host cell processes were not affected significantly by T. gondii infection but emphasized some differences in specific cellular processes at this two time points. Western blotting verification of some significantly regulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation sites was consistent with the mass spectra data. This study provided new insights into and further understanding of pathogen-host interactions from the host cell perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng He
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, and Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Emerging Infectious Diseases of Guangdong Higher Institutes, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, China
| | - Ai-Yuan Chen
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, and Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Emerging Infectious Diseases of Guangdong Higher Institutes, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, China
| | - Hai-Xia Wei
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, and Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Emerging Infectious Diseases of Guangdong Higher Institutes, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, China
| | - Xiao-Shuang Feng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, and Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Emerging Infectious Diseases of Guangdong Higher Institutes, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, China
| | - Hong-Juan Peng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, and Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control for Emerging Infectious Diseases of Guangdong Higher Institutes, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510515, China
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16
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John Von Freyend S, Kwok-Schuelein T, Netter HJ, Haqshenas G, Semblat JP, Doerig C. Subverting Host Cell P21-Activated Kinase: A Case of Convergent Evolution across Pathogens. Pathogens 2017; 6:pathogens6020017. [PMID: 28430160 PMCID: PMC5488651 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens6020017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular pathogens have evolved a wide range of strategies to not only escape from the immune systems of their hosts, but also to directly exploit a variety of host factors to facilitate the infection process. One such strategy is to subvert host cell signalling pathways to the advantage of the pathogen. Recent research has highlighted that the human serine/threonine kinase PAK, or p21-activated kinase, is a central component of host-pathogen interactions in many infection systems involving viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotic pathogens. PAK paralogues are found in most mammalian tissues, where they play vital roles in a wide range of functions. The role of PAKs in cell proliferation and survival, and their involvement in a number of cancers, is of great interest in the context of drug discovery. In this review we discuss the latest insights into the surprisingly central role human PAK1 plays for the infection by such different infectious disease agents as viruses, bacteria, and parasitic protists. It is our intention to open serious discussion on the applicability of PAK inhibitors for the treatment, not only of neoplastic diseases, which is currently the primary objective of drug discovery research targeting these enzymes, but also of a wide range of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona John Von Freyend
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia.
| | - Terry Kwok-Schuelein
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia.
- Cancer Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia.
| | - Hans J Netter
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia.
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne Health, The Peter Doherty Institute, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.
| | - Gholamreza Haqshenas
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia.
| | | | - Christian Doerig
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia.
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17
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Jiménez-Sánchez A. Coevolution of RAC Small GTPases and their Regulators GEF Proteins. Evol Bioinform Online 2016; 12:121-31. [PMID: 27226705 PMCID: PMC4872645 DOI: 10.4137/ebo.s38031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Revised: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
RAC proteins are small GTPases involved in important cellular processes in eukaryotes, and their deregulation may contribute to cancer. Activation of RAC proteins is regulated by DOCK and DBL protein families of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). Although DOCK and DBL proteins act as GEFs on RAC proteins, DOCK and DBL family members are evolutionarily unrelated. To understand how DBL and DOCK families perform the same function on RAC proteins despite their unrelated primary structure, phylogenetic analyses of the RAC, DBL, and DOCK families were implemented, and interaction patterns that may suggest a coevolutionary process were searched. Interestingly, while RAC and DOCK proteins are very well conserved in humans and among eukaryotes, DBL proteins are highly divergent. Moreover, correlation analyses of the phylogenetic distances of RAC and GEF proteins and covariation analyses between residues in the interacting domains showed significant coevolution rates for both RAC–DOCK and RAC–DBL interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Jiménez-Sánchez
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, UK.; Previously at Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
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18
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Abstract
Invasive stages of apicomplexan parasites require a host cell to survive, proliferate and advance to the next life cycle stage. Once invasion is achieved, apicomplexans interact closely with the host cell cytoskeleton, but in many cases the different species have evolved distinct mechanisms and pathways to modulate the structural organization of cytoskeletal filaments. The host cell cytoskeleton is a complex network, largely, but not exclusively, composed of microtubules, actin microfilaments and intermediate filaments, all of which are modulated by associated proteins, and it is involved in diverse functions including maintenance of cell morphology and mechanical support, migration, signal transduction, nutrient uptake, membrane and organelle trafficking and cell division. The ability of apicomplexans to modulate the cytoskeleton to their own advantage is clearly beneficial. We here review different aspects of the interactions of apicomplexans with the three main cytoskeletal filament types, provide information on the currently known parasite effector proteins and respective host cell targets involved, and how these interactions modulate the host cell physiology. Some of these findings could provide novel targets that could be exploited for the development of preventive and/or therapeutic strategies.
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