1
|
Shanmugasundram A, Starns D, Böhme U, Amos B, Wilkinson PA, Harb OS, Warrenfeltz S, Kissinger JC, McDowell MA, Roos DS, Crouch K, Jones AR. TriTrypDB: An integrated functional genomics resource for kinetoplastida. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011058. [PMID: 36656904 PMCID: PMC9888696 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic diseases caused by kinetoplastid parasites are a burden to public health throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. TriTrypDB (https://tritrypdb.org) is a free online resource for data mining of genomic and functional data from these kinetoplastid parasites and is part of the VEuPathDB Bioinformatics Resource Center (https://veupathdb.org). As of release 59, TriTrypDB hosts 83 kinetoplastid genomes, nine of which, including Trypanosoma brucei brucei TREU927, Trypanosoma cruzi CL Brener and Leishmania major Friedlin, undergo manual curation by integrating information from scientific publications, high-throughput assays and user submitted comments. TriTrypDB also integrates transcriptomic, proteomic, epigenomic, population-level and isolate data, functional information from genome-wide RNAi knock-down and fluorescent tagging, and results from automated bioinformatics analysis pipelines. TriTrypDB offers a user-friendly web interface embedded with a genome browser, search strategy system and bioinformatics tools to support custom in silico experiments that leverage integrated data. A Galaxy workspace enables users to analyze their private data (e.g., RNA-sequencing, variant calling, etc.) and explore their results privately in the context of publicly available information in the database. The recent addition of an annotation platform based on Apollo enables users to provide both functional and structural changes that will appear as 'community annotations' immediately and, pending curatorial review, will be integrated into the official genome annotation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Achchuthan Shanmugasundram
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Integrative, Systems and Molecular Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - David Starns
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Integrative, Systems and Molecular Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrike Böhme
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Integrative, Systems and Molecular Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice Amos
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Integrative, Systems and Molecular Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Paul A. Wilkinson
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Integrative, Systems and Molecular Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Omar S. Harb
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Susanne Warrenfeltz
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, Department of Genetics, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jessica C. Kissinger
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, Department of Genetics, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Mary Ann McDowell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - David S. Roos
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Kathryn Crouch
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew R. Jones
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Institute of Integrative, Systems and Molecular Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guay-Vincent MM, Matte C, Berthiaume AM, Olivier M, Jaramillo M, Descoteaux A. Revisiting Leishmania GP63 host cell targets reveals a limited spectrum of substrates. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010640. [PMID: 36191034 PMCID: PMC9560592 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Colonization of host phagocytic cells by Leishmania metacyclic promastigotes involves several parasite effectors, including the zinc-dependent metalloprotease GP63. The major mode of action of this virulence factor entails the cleavage/degradation of host cell proteins. Given the potent proteolytic activity of GP63, identification of its substrates requires the adequate preparation of cell lysates to prevent artefactual degradation during cell processing. In the present study, we re-examined the cleavage/degradation of reported GP63 substrates when GP63 activity was efficiently neutralized during the preparation of cell lysates. To this end, we infected bone marrow-derived macrophages with either wild type, Δgp63, and Δgp63+GP63 L. major metacyclic promastigotes for various time points. We prepared cell lysates in the absence or presence of the zinc-metalloprotease inhibitor 1,10-phenanthroline and examined the levels and integrity of ten previously reported host cell GP63 substrates. Inhibition of GP63 activity with 1,10-phenanthroline during the processing of macrophages prevented the cleavage/degradation of several previously described GP63 targets, including PTP-PEST, mTOR, p65RelA, c-Jun, VAMP3, and NLRP3. Conversely, we confirmed that SHP-1, Synaptotagmin XI, VAMP8, and Syntaxin-5 are bona fide GP63 substrates. These results point to the importance of efficiently inhibiting GP63 activity during the preparation of Leishmania-infected host cell lysates. In addition, our results indicate that the role of GP63 in Leishmania pathogenesis must be re-evaluated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Michèle Guay-Vincent
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christine Matte
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anne-Marie Berthiaume
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Martin Olivier
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Maritza Jaramillo
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Albert Descoteaux
- Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kumari D, Mahajan S, Kour P, Singh K. Virulence factors of Leishmania parasite: Their paramount importance in unraveling novel vaccine candidates and therapeutic targets. Life Sci 2022; 306:120829. [PMID: 35872004 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease and remains a global concern for healthcare. It is caused by an opportunistic protozoan parasite belonging to the genus Leishmania and affects millions worldwide. This disease is mainly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions and is associated with a high risk of public morbidity and mortality if left untreated. Transmission of this deadly disease is aggravated by the bite of female sand-fly vectors (Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia). With time, significant advancement in leishmaniasis-related research has been carried out to cope with the disease burden. Still, the Leishmania parasite has also co-evolved with its host and adapted successfully within the host's lethal milieu/environment. Thus, understanding and knowledge of various leishmanial virulence factors responsible for the parasitic infection are essential for exploring drug targets and vaccine candidates. The present review elucidates the importance of virulence factors in pathogenesis and summarizes the major leishmanial virulence molecules contributing to the parasitic infection during host-pathogen interaction. Furthermore, we have also elaborated on the potential contribution of leishmanial virulence proteins in developing vaccine candidates and exploring novel therapeutics against this parasitic disease. We aim to represent a clearer picture of parasite pathogenesis within the human host that can further aid in unraveling new strategies to fight against the deadly infection of leishmaniasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diksha Kumari
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Shavi Mahajan
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Parampreet Kour
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Kuljit Singh
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wijnant GJ, Dumetz F, Dirkx L, Bulté D, Cuypers B, Van Bocxlaer K, Hendrickx S. Tackling Drug Resistance and Other Causes of Treatment Failure in Leishmaniasis. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.837460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a tropical infectious disease caused by the protozoan Leishmania parasite. The disease is transmitted by female sand flies and, depending on the infecting parasite species, causes either cutaneous (stigmatizing skin lesions), mucocutaneous (destruction of mucous membranes of nose, mouth and throat) or visceral disease (a potentially fatal infection of liver, spleen and bone marrow). Although more than 1 million new cases occur annually, chemotherapeutic options are limited and their efficacy is jeopardized by increasing treatment failure rates and growing drug resistance. To delay the emergence of resistance to existing and new drugs, elucidating the currently unknown causes of variable drug efficacy (related to parasite susceptibility, host immunity and drug pharmacokinetics) and improved use of genotypic and phenotypic tools to define, measure and monitor resistance in the field are critical. This review highlights recent progress in our understanding of drug action and resistance in Leishmania, ongoing challenges (including setbacks related to the COVID-19 pandemic) and provides an overview of possible strategies to tackle this public health challenge.
Collapse
|