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Marshall ML, Fung KY, Jans DA, Wagstaff KM. Tumour-specific phosphorylation of serine 419 drives alpha-enolase (ENO1) nuclear export in triple negative breast cancer progression. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:74. [PMID: 38849850 PMCID: PMC11157870 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01249-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The glycolytic enzyme alpha-enolase is a known biomarker of many cancers and involved in tumorigenic functions unrelated to its key role in glycolysis. Here, we show that expression of alpha-enolase correlates with subcellular localisation and tumorigenic status in the MCF10 triple negative breast cancer isogenic tumour progression model, where non-tumour cells show diffuse nucleocytoplasmic localisation of alpha-enolase, whereas tumorigenic cells show a predominantly cytoplasmic localisation. Alpha-enolase nucleocytoplasmic localisation may be regulated by tumour cell-specific phosphorylation at S419, previously reported in pancreatic cancer. RESULTS Here we show ENO1 phosphorylation can also be observed in triple negative breast cancer patient samples and MCF10 tumour progression cell models. Furthermore, prevention of alpha-enolase-S419 phosphorylation by point mutation or a casein kinase-1 specific inhibitor D4476, induced tumour-specific nuclear accumulation of alpha-enolase, implicating S419 phosphorylation and casein kinase-1 in regulating subcellular localisation in tumour cell-specific fashion. Strikingly, alpha-enolase nuclear accumulation was induced in tumour cells by treatment with the specific exportin-1-mediated nuclear export inhibitor Leptomycin B. This suggests that S419 phosphorylation in tumour cells regulates alpha-enolase subcellular localisation by inducing its exportin-1-mediated nuclear export. Finally, as a first step to analyse the functional consequences of increased cytoplasmic alpha-enolase in tumour cells, we determined the alpha-enolase interactome in the absence/presence of D4476 treatment, with results suggesting clear differences with respect to interaction with cytoskeleton regulating proteins. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest for the first time that tumour-specific S419 phosphorylation may contribute integrally to alpha-enolase cytoplasmic localisation, to facilitate alpha-enolase's role in modulating cytoskeletal organisation in triple negative breast cancer. This new information may be used for development of triple negative breast cancer specific therapeutics that target alpha-enolase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Marshall
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Kim Yc Fung
- Health and Biosecurity, CSIRO, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - David A Jans
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Kylie M Wagstaff
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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Niu Z, Ye S, Liu J, Lyu M, Xue L, Li M, Lyu C, Zhao J, Shen B. Two apicoplast dwelling glycolytic enzymes provide key substrates for metabolic pathways in the apicoplast and are critical for Toxoplasma growth. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1011009. [PMID: 36449552 PMCID: PMC9744290 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Many apicomplexan parasites harbor a non-photosynthetic plastid called the apicoplast, which hosts important metabolic pathways like the methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway that synthesizes isoprenoid precursors. Yet many details in apicoplast metabolism are not well understood. In this study, we examined the physiological roles of four glycolytic enzymes in the apicoplast of Toxoplasma gondii. Many glycolytic enzymes in T. gondii have two or more isoforms. Endogenous tagging each of these enzymes found that four of them were localized to the apicoplast, including pyruvate kinase2 (PYK2), phosphoglycerate kinase 2 (PGK2), triosephosphate isomerase 2 (TPI2) and phosphoglyceraldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (GAPDH2). The ATP generating enzymes PYK2 and PGK2 were thought to be the main energy source of the apicoplast. Surprisingly, deleting PYK2 and PGK2 individually or simultaneously did not cause major defects on parasite growth or virulence. In contrast, TPI2 and GAPDH2 are critical for tachyzoite proliferation. Conditional depletion of TPI2 caused significant reduction in the levels of MEP pathway intermediates and led to parasite growth arrest. Reconstitution of another isoprenoid precursor synthesis pathway called the mevalonate pathway in the TPI2 depletion mutant partially rescued its growth defects. Similarly, knocking down the GAPDH2 enzyme that produces NADPH also reduced isoprenoid precursor synthesis through the MEP pathway and inhibited parasite proliferation. In addition, it reduced de novo fatty acid synthesis in the apicoplast. Together, these data suggest a model that the apicoplast dwelling TPI2 provides carbon source for the synthesis of isoprenoid precursor, whereas GAPDH2 supplies reducing power for pathways like MEP, fatty acid synthesis and ferredoxin redox system in T. gondii. As such, both enzymes are critical for parasite growth and serve as potential targets for anti-toxoplasmic intervention designs. On the other hand, the dispensability of PYK2 and PGK2 suggest additional sources for energy in the apicoplast, which deserves further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Shu Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Jiaojiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Mengyu Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Lilan Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Muxiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Congcong Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Junlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
| | - Bang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, PR China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, PR China
- * E-mail:
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3
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Pan M, Ge CC, Fan YM, Jin QW, Shen B, Huang SY. The determinants regulating Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoite development. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1027073. [PMID: 36439853 PMCID: PMC9691885 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1027073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular zoonotic pathogen capable of infecting almost all cells of warm-blooded vertebrates. In intermediate hosts, this parasite reproduces asexually in two forms, the tachyzoite form during acute infection that proliferates rapidly and the bradyzoite form during chronic infection that grows slowly. Depending on the growth condition, the two forms can interconvert. The conversion of tachyzoites to bradyzoites is critical for T. gondii transmission, and the reactivation of persistent bradyzoites in intermediate hosts may lead to symptomatic toxoplasmosis. However, the mechanisms that control bradyzoite differentiation have not been well studied. Here, we review recent advances in the study of bradyzoite biology and stage conversion, aiming to highlight the determinants associated with bradyzoite development and provide insights to design better strategies for controlling toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Pan
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ceng-Ceng Ge
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Min Fan
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
| | - Qi-Wang Jin
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
| | - Bang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Si-Yang Huang
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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Quach EV, Cao B, Babacarkhial E, Ho D, Sharma J, Guiton PS. Phosphoglucomutase 1 contributes to optimal cyst development in Toxoplasma gondii. BMC Res Notes 2022; 15:188. [PMID: 35597992 PMCID: PMC9123713 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-022-06073-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasite of medical and veterinary importance; however, there exists no cure for chronic toxoplasmosis. Metabolic enzymes required for the production and maintenance of tissue cysts represent promising targets for novel therapies. Here, we use reverse genetics to investigate the role of Toxoplasma phosphoglucomutase 1, PGM1, in Toxoplasma growth and cystogenesis. RESULTS We found that disruption of pgm1 did not significantly affect Toxoplasma intracellular growth and the lytic cycle. pgm1-defective parasites could differentiate into bradyzoites and produced cysts containing amylopectin in vitro. However, cysts produced in the absence of pgm1 were significantly smaller than wildtype. Together, our findings suggest that PGM1 is dispensable for in vitro growth but contributes to optimal Toxoplasma cyst development in vitro, thereby necessitating further investigation into the function of this enzyme in Toxoplasma persistence in its host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily V Quach
- Department of Biology, Laney College, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Binh Cao
- School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Edres Babacarkhial
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Ho
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Janak Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Pascale S Guiton
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA.
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5
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Chen M, Zhou L, Li S, Wei H, Chen J, Yang P, Peng H. Toxoplasma gondii DNA methyltransferases regulate parasitic energy metabolism. Acta Trop 2022; 229:106329. [PMID: 35122712 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106329] [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: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii results in serious diseases such as encephalitis, and retinochoroiditis in immunocompromised patients. The interconversion between tachyzoites and bradyzoites under the host's immune pressure results in the interchange of acute infection and chronic infection. We previously reported two functional DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) in Toxoplasma gondii named TgDNMTa and TgDNMTb. In this research, proteomics analysis for T. gondii tachyzoites of ME49 WT, dnmta knockout (ME49-∆Tgdnmta), and dnmtb knockout (ME49-∆Tgdnmtb) strains, revealed 362 significantly regulated proteins for ME49-∆Tgdnmta, and 219 for ME49-∆Tgdnmtb, compared with the proteins of ME49 WT. TgDNMTa down regulated three glycolytic enzymes, one gluconeogenic enzyme and four pyruvate metabolic enzymes. Furthermore, TgDNMTb up regulated two proteins in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Glucose metabolic flux detection showed that TgDNMTa inhibited the glycolysis pathway, while TgDNMTb promoted the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle so as to promote parasite's proliferation. These findings demonstrated that the functions of Toxoplasma gondii DNA methyltransferases extended beyond DNA methylation to the regulation of parasitic energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Lijuan Zhou
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Shengmin Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Hiaxia Wei
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Jiating Chen
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Pei Yang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China
| | - Hongjuan Peng
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China.
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6
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Rodríguez-Saavedra C, Morgado-Martínez LE, Burgos-Palacios A, King-Díaz B, López-Coria M, Sánchez-Nieto S. Moonlighting Proteins: The Case of the Hexokinases. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:701975. [PMID: 34235183 PMCID: PMC8256278 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.701975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Moonlighting proteins are defined as proteins with two or more functions that are unrelated and independent to each other, so that inactivation of one of them should not affect the second one and vice versa. Intriguingly, all the glycolytic enzymes are described as moonlighting proteins in some organisms. Hexokinase (HXK) is a critical enzyme in the glycolytic pathway and displays a wide range of functions in different organisms such as fungi, parasites, mammals, and plants. This review discusses HXKs moonlighting functions in depth since they have a profound impact on the responses to nutritional, environmental, and disease challenges. HXKs’ activities can be as diverse as performing metabolic activities, as a gene repressor complexing with other proteins, as protein kinase, as immune receptor and regulating processes like autophagy, programmed cell death or immune system responses. However, most of those functions are particular for some organisms while the most common moonlighting HXK function in several kingdoms is being a glucose sensor. In this review, we also analyze how different regulation mechanisms cause HXK to change its subcellular localization, oligomeric or conformational state, the response to substrate and product concentration, and its interactions with membrane, proteins, or RNA, all of which might impact the HXK moonlighting functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Rodríguez-Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Transporte y Percepción de Azúcares en Plantas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Luis Enrique Morgado-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Transporte y Percepción de Azúcares en Plantas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Andrés Burgos-Palacios
- Laboratorio de Transporte y Percepción de Azúcares en Plantas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Beatriz King-Díaz
- Laboratorio de Transporte y Percepción de Azúcares en Plantas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Montserrat López-Coria
- Laboratorio de Transporte y Percepción de Azúcares en Plantas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Sobeida Sánchez-Nieto
- Laboratorio de Transporte y Percepción de Azúcares en Plantas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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7
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Zhang JJ, Fan TT, Mao YZ, Hou JL, Wang M, Zhang M, Lin Y, Zhang L, Yan GQ, An YP, Yao J, Zhang C, Lin PC, Yuan YY, Zhao JY, Xu W, Zhao SM. Nuclear dihydroxyacetone phosphate signals nutrient sufficiency and cell cycle phase to global histone acetylation. Nat Metab 2021; 3:859-875. [PMID: 34140692 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-021-00405-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Global histone acetylation varies with changes in the nutrient and cell cycle phases; however, the mechanisms connecting these variations are not fully understood. Herein, we report that nutrient-related and cell-cycle-regulated nuclear acetate regulates global histone acetylation. Histone deacetylation-generated acetate accumulates in the nucleus and induces histone hyperacetylation. The nuclear acetate levels were controlled by glycolytic enzyme triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1). Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), which is phosphorylated and activated by nutrient-activated mTORC1, phosphorylates TPI1 Ser 117 and promotes nuclear translocation of TPI1, decreases nuclear dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and induces nuclear acetate accumulation because DHAP scavenges acetate via the formation of 1-acetyl-DHAP. CDK2 accumulates in the cytosol during the late G1/S phases. Inactivation or blockade of nuclear translocation of TPI1 abrogates nutrient-dependent and cell-cycle-dependent global histone acetylation, chromatin condensation, gene transcription and DNA replication. These results identify the mechanism of maintaining global histone acetylation by nutrient and cell cycle signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao-Jiao Zhang
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting-Ting Fan
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yun-Zi Mao
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun-Li Hou
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- The Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Lin
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Quan Yan
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Peng An
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Yao
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng-Cheng Lin
- Key Laboratory for Tibet Plateau Phytochemistry of Qinghai Province, College of Pharmacy, Qinghai University for Nationalities, Xining, China
| | - Yi-Yuan Yuan
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Yuan Zhao
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- The Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Shi-Min Zhao
- Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Metabolic Remodeling, School of Life Sciences and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Institute of Metabolism and Integrative Biology and Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory for Tibet Plateau Phytochemistry of Qinghai Province, College of Pharmacy, Qinghai University for Nationalities, Xining, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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8
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Li FC, Nie LB, Elsheikha HM, Yin FY, Zhu XQ. Lysine crotonylation is widespread on proteins of diverse functions and localizations in Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:1617-1626. [PMID: 33655350 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07057-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Lysine crotonylation (Kcr) is an evolutionally conserved post-translational modification (PTM) on histone proteins. However, information about Kcr and its involvement in the biology and metabolism of Toxoplasma gondii is limited. In the present study, a global Kcr proteome analysis using LC-MS/MS in combination with immune-affinity method was performed. A total of 12,152 Kcr sites distributed over 2719 crotonylated proteins were identified. Consistent with lysine acetylation and succinylation in Apicomplexa, Kcr was associated with various metabolic pathways, including carbon metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, and proteasome. Markedly, many stage-specific proteins, histones, and histone-modifying enzymes related to the stage transition were found to have Kcr sites, suggesting a potential involvement of Kcr in the parasite stage transformation. Most components of the apical secretory organelles were identified as crotonylated proteins which were associated with the attachment, invasion, and replication of T. gondii. These results expanded our understanding of Kcr proteome and proposed new hypotheses for further research of the Kcr roles in the pathobiology of T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fa-Cai Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Lan-Bi Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Fang-Yuan Yin
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. .,Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Higher Education of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Dehydroepiandrosterone Effect on Toxoplasma gondii: Molecular Mechanisms Associated to Parasite Death. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9030513. [PMID: 33801356 PMCID: PMC8000356 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9030513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the apicomplexa protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This disease is a health burden, mainly in pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has proved to be an important molecule that could drive resistance against a variety of infections, including intracellular parasites such as Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanozoma cruzi, among others. However, to date, the role of DHEA on T. gondii has not been explored. Here, we demonstrated for the first time the toxoplasmicidal effect of DHEA on extracellular tachyzoites. Ultrastructural analysis of treated parasites showed that DHEA alters the cytoskeleton structures, leading to the loss of the organelle structure and organization as well as the loss of the cellular shape. In vitro treatment with DHEA reduces the viability of extracellular tachyzoites and the passive invasion process. Two-dimensional (2D) SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that in the presence of the hormone, a progesterone receptor membrane component (PGRMC) with a cytochrome b5 family heme/steroid binding domain-containing protein was expressed, while the expression of proteins that are essential for motility and virulence was highly reduced. Finally, in vivo DHEA treatment induced a reduction of parasitic load in male, but not in female mice.
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10
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Nie LB, Liang QL, Elsheikha HM, Du R, Zhu XQ, Li FC. Global profiling of lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylome in Toxoplasma gondii using affinity purification mass spectrometry. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:4061-4071. [PMID: 33057814 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06923-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) is a recently discovered and evolutionarily conserved form of protein post-translational modification (PTM) found in mammalian and yeast cells. Previous studies have shown that Khib plays roles in the activity of gene transcription and Khib-containing proteins are closely related to the cellular metabolism. In this study, a global Khib-containing analysis using the latest databases (ToxoDB 46, 8322 sequences, downloaded on April 16, 2020) and sensitive immune-affinity enrichment coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was performed. A total of 1078 Khib modification sites across 400 Khib-containing proteins were identified in tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii RH strain. Bioinformatics and functional enrichment analysis showed that Khib-modified proteins were associated with various biological processes, such as ribosome, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and central carbon metabolism. Interestingly, many proteins of the secretory organelles (e.g., microneme, rhoptry, and dense granule) that play roles in the infection cycle of T. gondii were found to be Khib-modified, suggesting the involvement of Khib in key biological process during T. gondii infection. We also found that histone proteins, key enzymes related to cellular metabolism, and several glideosome components had Khib sites. These results expanded our understanding of the roles of Khib in T. gondii and should promote further investigations of how Khib regulates gene expression and key biological functions in T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Bi Nie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Qin-Li Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Rui Du
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China. .,College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fa-Cai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730046, Gansu Province, People's Republic of China.,College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, People's Republic of China
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11
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Kishimoto N, Yamamoto K, Iga N, Kirihara C, Abe T, Takamune N, Misumi S. Alpha-enolase in viral target cells suppresses the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integration. Retrovirology 2020; 17:31. [PMID: 32917235 PMCID: PMC7488571 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-020-00539-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A protein exhibiting more than one biochemical function is termed a moonlighting protein. Glycolytic enzymes are typical moonlighting proteins, and these enzymes control the infection of various viruses. Previously, we reported that glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and alpha-enolase (ENO1) are incorporated into human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particles from viral producer cells and suppress viral reverse transcription independently each other. However, it remains unclear whether these proteins expressed in viral target cells affect the early phase of HIV-1 replication. Results Here we show that the GAPDH expression level in viral target cells does not affect the early phase of HIV-1 replication, but ENO1 has a capacity to suppress viral integration in viral target cells. In contrast to GAPDH, suppression of ENO1 expression by RNA interference in the target cells increased viral infectivity, but had no effect on the expression levels of the HIV-1 receptors CD4, CCR5 and CXCR4 and on the level of HIV-1 entry. Quantitative analysis of HIV-1 reverse transcription products showed that the number of copies of the late products (R/gag) and two-long-terminal-repeat circular forms of viral cDNAs did not change but that of the integrated (Alu-gag) form increased. In contrast, overexpression of ENO1 in viral target cells decreased viral infectivity owing to the low viral integration efficiency. Results of subcellular fractionation experiments suggest that the HIV integration at the nucleus was negatively regulated by ENO1 localized in the nucleus. In addition, the overexpression of ENO1 in both viral producer cells and target cells most markedly suppressed the viral replication. Conclusions These results indicate that ENO1 in the viral target cells prevents HIV-1 integration. Importantly, ENO1, but not GAPDH, has the bifunctional inhibitory activity against HIV-1 replication. The results provide and new insights into the function of ENO1 as a moonlighting protein in HIV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Kishimoto
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 862-0973, Japan
| | - Kengo Yamamoto
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 862-0973, Japan
| | - Nozomi Iga
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 862-0973, Japan
| | - Chie Kirihara
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 862-0973, Japan
| | - Towa Abe
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 862-0973, Japan
| | - Nobutoki Takamune
- Kumamoto Innovative Development Organization, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan
| | - Shogo Misumi
- Department of Environmental and Molecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 862-0973, Japan.
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12
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Song X, Lin M, Li M, Yang X, Liu J, Liu Q. Toxoplasma gondii metacaspase 2 is an important factor that influences bradyzoite formation in the Pru strain. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2287-2298. [PMID: 32468190 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06722-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic protozoan of the phylum Apicomplexa that can infect nearly all warm-blooded animals. The parasite can exist as the interconvertible tachyzoite or bradyzoite forms, leading to acute or latent infection, respectively. No drug has been reported to penetrate the cyst wall and reduce bradyzoite survival and proliferation till now. The transcriptional level of metacaspases 2 (TgMCA2) in T. gondii is significantly upregulated during the formation of bradyzoites in the Pru strain, indicating that it may play an important role in the formation of bradyzoites. To further explore the function of TgMCA2, we constructed a TgMCA2 gene-knockout variant of the Pru strain (Δmca2). Comparative analysis revealed that the proliferative capacity of Pru Δmca2 increased, while the invasion and egressing properties were not affected by the knockout. Further data shows that the tachyzoites of Δmca2 failed to induce differentiation and form bradyzoites in vitro, and the transcriptional levels of some of the bradyzoite-specific genes (such as BAG1, LDH2, and SAG4A) in Δmca2 were significantly lower compared with that in the Pru strain at the bradyzoite stage. In vivo, no cysts were detected in Δmca2-infected mice. Further determination of parasite burden in Δmca2- and Pru-infected mice brain tissue at the genetic level showed that the gene load was significantly lower than that in Pru. In summary, we confirmed that TgMCA2 contributes to the formation of bradyzoites, and could provide an important foundation for the development of attenuated vaccines for the prevention of T. gondii infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingju Song
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengyang Lin
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Muzi Li
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Yang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
| | - Qun Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
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13
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Deffieu MS, Alayi TD, Slomianny C, Tomavo S. The Toxoplasma gondii dense granule protein TgGRA3 interacts with host Golgi and dysregulates anterograde transport. Biol Open 2019; 8:bio.039818. [PMID: 30814066 PMCID: PMC6451337 DOI: 10.1242/bio.039818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
After entry into the host cell, the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii resides within a membrane-bound compartment, the parasitophorous vacuole (PV). The PV defines an intracellular, parasite-specific niche surrounded by host organelles, including the Golgi apparatus. The mechanism by which T. gondii hijacks the host Golgi and subverts its functions remains unknown. Here, we present evidence that the dense granule protein TgGRA3 interacts with host Golgi, leading to the formation of tubules and the entry of host Golgi material into the PV. Targeted disruption of the TgGRA3 gene delays this engulfment of host Golgi. We also demonstrate that TgGRA3 oligomerizes and binds directly to host Golgi membranes. In addition, we show that TgGRA3 dysregulates anterograde transport in the host cell, thereby revealing one of the mechanisms employed by T. gondii to recruit host organelles and divert their functions.
This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary : Toxoplasma gondii recruits various host organelles to enable parasite intracellular development. We describe a new role for TgGRA3 in modulating the host anterograde transport by binding to the Golgi apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maika S Deffieu
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U1019, Université de Lille, 59 000 Lille, France
| | | | - Christian Slomianny
- Laboratory of Cell Physiology, INSERM U 1003, Université de Lille, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Stanislas Tomavo
- Plateforme de Protéomique et Peptides Modifiés (P3M), CNRS, Université de Lille, 59000 Lille, France .,Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CNRS UMR 9198, CEA, Université Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
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14
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Abstract
Obesity is a medical condition that impacts on all levels of society and causes numerous comorbidities, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. We assessed the suitability of targeting enolase, a glycolysis pathway enzyme with multiple, secondary functions in cells, to treat obesity. Treating adipocytes with ENOblock, a novel modulator of these secondary ‘moonlighting’ functions of enolase, suppressed the adipogenic program and induced mitochondrial uncoupling. Obese animals treated with ENOblock showed a reduction in body weight and increased core body temperature. Metabolic and inflammatory parameters were improved in the liver, adipose tissue and hippocampus. The mechanism of ENOblock was identified as transcriptional repression of master regulators of lipid homeostasis (Srebp-1a and Srebp-1c), gluconeogenesis (Pck-1) and inflammation (Tnf-α and Il-6). ENOblock treatment also reduced body weight gain, lowered cumulative food intake and increased fecal lipid content in mice fed a high fat diet. Our results support the further drug development of ENOblock as a therapeutic for obesity and suggest enolase as a new target for this disorder.
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15
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Alonso AM, Corvi MM, Diambra L. Gene target discovery with network analysis in Toxoplasma gondii. Sci Rep 2019; 9:646. [PMID: 30679502 PMCID: PMC6345969 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36671-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases are of great relevance for global health, but needed drugs and vaccines have not been developed yet or are not effective in many cases. In fact, traditional scientific approaches with intense focus on individual genes or proteins have not been successful in providing new treatments. Hence, innovations in technology and computational methods provide new tools to further understand complex biological systems such as pathogen biology. In this paper, we apply a gene regulatory network approach to analyze transcriptomic data of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. By means of an optimization procedure, the phenotypic transitions between the stages associated with the life cycle of T. gondii were embedded into the dynamics of a gene regulatory network. Thus, through this methodology we were able to reconstruct a gene regulatory network able to emulate the life cycle of the pathogen. The community network analysis has revealed that nodes of the network can be organized in seven communities which allow us to assign putative functions to 338 previously uncharacterized genes, 25 of which are predicted as new pathogenic factors. Furthermore, we identified a small gene circuit that drives a series of phenotypic transitions that characterize the life cycle of this pathogen. These new findings can contribute to the understanding of parasite pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres M Alonso
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raul Alfonsin", CONICET-Universidad Nacional de General San Martín, Chascomús, B7130IWA, Argentina
- CREG, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, CP 1900, Argentina
| | - Maria M Corvi
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas "Dr. Raul Alfonsin", CONICET-Universidad Nacional de General San Martín, Chascomús, B7130IWA, Argentina
| | - Luis Diambra
- CREG, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, CP 1900, Argentina.
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16
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Watson GF, Davis PH. Systematic review and meta-analysis of variation in Toxoplasma gondii cyst burden in the murine model. Exp Parasitol 2019; 196:55-62. [PMID: 30562481 PMCID: PMC6447088 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects approximately 30% of the population of the United States, with worldwide distribution. The chronic (latent) infection, mediated by the bradyzoite parasite life stage, has attracted attention due to possible links to host behavioral alteration and psychomotor effects. Mice are a common model organism for studying the chronic stage, as they are natural hosts of infection. Notably, published studies demonstrate vast ranges of measured cyst burden within the murine brain tissue. The inconsistency of measured cyst burden within and between experiments makes interpretation of statistical significance difficult, potentially confounding studies of experimental anti-parasitic approaches. This review analyzes variation in measured cyst burden in a wide array of experimental mouse infections across published literature. Factors such as parasite infection strain, mouse strain, mode of infection, and infectious dose were all examined. The lowest variation in measured cyst burden occurred with the commonly available Balb/c and CBA mice undergoing infection by the ME49 strain of T. gondii. A summary of cyst variation and average cyst counts in T. gondii mouse models is presented, which may be useful for designing future experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul H Davis
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA.
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17
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Tu V, Yakubu R, Weiss LM. Observations on bradyzoite biology. Microbes Infect 2018; 20:466-476. [PMID: 29287987 PMCID: PMC6019562 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Tachyzoites of the Apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii cause acute infection, disseminate widely in their host, and eventually differentiate into a latent encysted form called bradyzoites that are found within tissue cysts. During latent infection, whenever transformation to tachyzoites occurs, any tachyzoites that develop are removed by the immune system. In contrast, cysts containing bradyzoites are sequestered from the immune system. In the absence of an effective immune response released organisms that differentiate into tachyzoites cause acute infection. Tissue cysts, therefore, serve as a reservoir for the reactivation of toxoplasmosis when the host becomes immunocompromised by conditions such as HIV infection, organ transplantation, or due to the impaired immune response that occurs when pathogens are acquired in utero. While tachyzoites and bradyzoites are well defined morphologically, there is no clear consensus on how interconversion occurs or what exact signal(s) mediate this transformation. Advances in research methods have facilitated studies on T. gondii bradyzoites providing important new insights into the biology of latent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Tu
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Rama Yakubu
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Louis M Weiss
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
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18
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Xu J, Huang X, Dong X, Ren Y, Wu M, Shen N, Xie Y, Gu X, Lai W, Jing B, Peng X, Yang G. Serodiagnostic Potential of Alpha-Enolase From Sarcoptes scabiei and Its Possible Role in Host-Mite Interactions. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1024. [PMID: 29887838 PMCID: PMC5981165 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Infestation of the epidermis with the highly contagious ectoparasite, Sarcoptes scabiei, causes scabies, which is characterized by intense itching, pruritus, and secondary infection. This condition affects humans, livestock, and wildlife worldwide, incurring large economic losses and reducing the quality of human life. In the present study, we cloned the alpha-enolase, a key enzyme in the glycolytic and gluconeogenesis pathways, from S. scabiei var. cuniculi, characterized it and produced soluble recombinant enolase protein (rSsc-eno). We determined the localization of Ssc-eno in isolated mites and mites in lesioned skin. The results showed that native enolase was intensely localized in the tegument of the mouthparts, the entire legs, and the whole mites' body, as well as in the gut and reproduction system. Interestingly, we found that native enolase was widely distributed in mites in lesioned skin, with obvious high protein intensity compared with isolated mites. Building on good immunoreactivity, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on rSsc-eno showed 92% sensitivity and 95.8% specificity, compared with other indirect ELISA in this study, rSsc-eno based ELISA is better in detecting scabies in rabbits. Besides, this method can detect S. scabiei infection as early as 1 week post infection. Compared with other detection methods, such as traditional microscopic examination and recently published universal conventional PCR, rSsc-eno ELISA was more effective to detect early infection in rabbits. Additionally, in vitro incubation experiments demonstrated the concentration-dependent acaricidal activity of rabbit anti-rSsc-eno sera against larval mites, suggested its potential as a vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xing Huang
- Chengdu Agricultural College, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaowei Dong
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongjun Ren
- Sichuan Animal Sciences Academy, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Maodi Wu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Nengxing Shen
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Xie
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaobin Gu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Weiming Lai
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Jing
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuerong Peng
- College of Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, China
| | - Guangyou Yang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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19
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Recombinant Enolase of Trypanosoma cruzi as a Novel Vaccine Candidate against Chagas Disease in a Mouse Model of Acute Infection. J Immunol Res 2018; 2018:8964085. [PMID: 29854848 PMCID: PMC5964559 DOI: 10.1155/2018/8964085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease, which is considered by the World Health Organization to be a neglected tropical disease. Two drugs exist for the treatment of Chagas disease, nifurtimox and benznidazole; they are only effective in the acute phase, and a vaccine is currently not available. In this study, we used the recombinant enolase from T. cruzi H8 strain (MHOM/MX/1992/H8 Yucatán) (rTcENO) and its encoding DNA (pBKTcENO) to immunize mice and evaluate their protective effects in an experimental murine model of acute phase infection. Our results showed that mice vaccinated with rTcENO or its encoding DNA were able to generate typical specific antibodies (IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b), suggesting that a mixed Th1/Th2 immune response was induced. The parasite burden in the blood was reduced to 69.8% and 71% in mice vaccinated with rTcENO and pBKTcENO, respectively. The group vaccinated with rTcENO achieved 75% survival, in contrast to the group vaccinated with pBKTcENO that showed no survival in comparison to the control groups. Moreover, rTcENO immunization elevated the production of IFN-γ and IL-2 after the parasite challenge, suggesting that the Th1-type immune response was polarized. These results indicated that rTcENO could be used as a vaccine against Chagas disease.
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20
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Molecular and biochemical characterization of Taenia solium α-enolase. Vet Parasitol 2018; 254:36-42. [PMID: 29657009 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.02.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2017] [Revised: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Enolase (EC 4.2.1.11) acts as a multifunctional enzyme in many organisms, being involved in metabolism, transcription regulation and pathogenesis. In the current study, the recombinant α-enolase from Taenia solium (His-Tseno) was prepared and antiserum against His-Tseno was generated in rabbits. Consequently, we analyzed the enzymatic characteristics, plasminogen binding activity, tissue localization and expression patterns of Tseno. The study demonstrated that the enzymatic activity of His-Tseno was enhanced at pH around 7.0-7.5 and affected by addition of metal ions. Kinetic measurements using 2-phospho-d-glycerate (2-PGA) substrates gave a specific activity of 60.72 ± 0.84 U/mg and 1.1 mM of Km2-PGA value. Plasminogen binding assay showed that His-Tseno could bind to human plasminogen and generate plasmin activated by a tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA). In addition, the lysine analogue 6-aminocaproic acid (ε-ACA) could inhibit the binding of plasminogen to His-Tseno. Quantitative real-time PCR confirmed that Tseno was expressed 2.38 folds higher in the adult worms (p < 0.05) than in the cysticerci. Further, an immunolocalization assay indicated that native Tseno was mainly distributed in the tegument and eggs of gravid proglottis from adult T. solium. In conclusion, Tseno executes the innate glycolytic function to supply energy for the growth, egg production, and even invasion of T. solium.
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21
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Yang J, Zhang L, Diao H, Xia N, Zhou Y, Zhao J, Shen B. ANK1 and DnaK-TPR, Two Tetratricopeptide Repeat-Containing Proteins Primarily Expressed in Toxoplasma Bradyzoites, Do Not Contribute to Bradyzoite Differentiation. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2210. [PMID: 29180989 PMCID: PMC5693876 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an important zoonotic pathogen infecting one third of the world population and numerous animals. A key factor to its wide distribution is the ability to interconvert between fast replicating tachyzoites and slowly growing bradyzoites, and to establish lifelong chronic infection in intermediate hosts. Although it is well accepted that stage conversion plays key roles in the pathogenesis and transmission of the parasite, little is known about the molecular mechanisms behind it. Using existing gene expression data from TOXODB and published work, we looked for proteins with novel functional domains and whose expression is up-regulated in the bradyzoite stage, hoping to find molecules that have critical roles in regulating stage conversion and bradyzoite formation. In this study we characterized two such proteins ANK1 and DnaK-TPR, both of which are primarily expressed in bradyzoites and contain novel motifs to mediate protein-protein interactions. Through CRISPR/CAS9 directed gene editing technology, both genes were individually knocked out in type 1 strain TgHB2 and type 2 strain ME49. Disruption of neither of these two genes affected the growth or replication of tachyzoites in vitro, consistent with their minimal expression at this stage. However, mutants lacking ANK1 or DnaK-TPR displayed modest virulence attenuation during mice infection. Surprisingly, inactivation of neither ANK1 nor DnaK-TPR seemed to have a significant impact on bradyzoite differentiation in vitro or cyst formation in vivo. These results suggest that ANK1 and DnaK-TPR probably do not directly contribute to bradyzoite differentiation, but likely affect other aspects of bradyzoite biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jichao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lihong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Huiyan Diao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ningbo Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanqin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Junlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Hubei Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
| | - Bang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
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22
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Xia N, Yang J, Ye S, Zhang L, Zhou Y, Zhao J, David Sibley L, Shen B. Functional analysis of Toxoplasma lactate dehydrogenases suggests critical roles of lactate fermentation for parasite growth in vivo. Cell Microbiol 2017; 20. [PMID: 29028143 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Glycolysis was thought to be the major pathway of energy supply in both fast-replicating tachyzoites and slowly growing bradyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii. However, its biological significance has not been clearly verified. The genome of T. gondii encodes two lactate dehydrogenases (LDHs), which are differentially expressed in tachyzoites and bradyzoites. In this study, we knocked out the two LDH genes individually and in combination and found that neither gene was required for tachyzoite growth in vitro under standard growth conditions. However, during infection in mice, Δldh1 and Δldh1 Δldh2 mutants were unable to propagate and displayed significant virulence attenuation and cyst formation defects. LDH2 only played minor roles in these processes. To further elucidate the mechanisms underlying the critical requirement of LDH in vivo, we found that Δldh1 Δldh2 mutants replicated significantly more slowly than wild-type parasites when cultured under conditions with physiological levels of oxygen (3%). In addition, Δldh1 Δldh2 mutants were more susceptible to the oxidative phosphorylation inhibitor oligomycin A. Together these results suggest that lactate fermentation is critical for parasite growth under physiological conditions, likely because energy production from oxidative phosphorylation is insufficient when oxygen is limited and lactate fermentation becomes a key supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningbo Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jichao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shu Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lihong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yanqin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Junlong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Hubei Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Laurence David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Bang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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23
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A proteomic portrait of dinoflagellate chromatin reveals abundant RNA-binding proteins. Chromosoma 2017; 127:29-43. [PMID: 28852823 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-017-0643-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Dinoflagellate chromatin is unique among eukaryotes, as the chromosomes are permanently condensed in a liquid crystal state instead of being packed in nucleosomes. However, how it is organized is still an unsolved mystery, in part due to the lack of a comprehensive catalog of dinoflagellate nuclear proteins. Here, we report the results of CHromatin Enrichment for Proteomics (CHEP) followed by shotgun mass spectrometry sequencing of the chromatin-associated proteins from the dinoflagellate Lingulodinum polyedra. Our analysis identified proteins involved in DNA replication and repair, transcription, and mRNA splicing, and showed a low level of contamination by proteins from other organelles. A limited number of proteins containing DNA-binding domains were found, consistent with the lack of diversity of these proteins in dinoflagellate transcriptomes. However, the number of proteins containing RNA-binding domains was unexpectedly high supporting a potential role for this type of protein in mediating gene expression and chromatin organization. We also identified a number of proteins involved in chromosome condensation and cell cycle progression as well as a single histone protein (H4). Our results provide the first detailed look at the nuclear proteins associated with the unusual chromatin structure of dinoflagellate nuclei and provide important insights into the biochemical basis of its structure and function.
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24
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Dutta S, Moitra A, Mukherjee D, Jarori GK. Functions of tryptophan residues in EWGWS insert of Plasmodium falciparum enolase. FEBS Open Bio 2017; 7:892-904. [PMID: 28680804 PMCID: PMC5494301 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12242] [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: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum enolase (Pfeno) is a dimeric enzyme with multiple moonlighting functions. This enzyme is thus a potential target for anti-malarial treatments. A unique feature of Pfeno is the presence of a pentapeptide insert 104 EWGWS 108. The functional role of tryptophan residues in this insert was investigated using site-directed mutagenesis. Replacement of these two Trp residues with alanines (or lysines) resulted in a near complete loss of enolase activity and dissociation of the normal dimeric form into monomers. Molecular modeling indicated that 340R forms π-cation bonds with the aromatic rings of 105W and 46Y. Mutation induced changes in the interactions among these three residues were presumably relayed to the inter-subunit interface via a coil formed by 46Y : 59Y, resulting in the disruption of a salt bridge between 11R : 425E and a π-cation interaction between 11R : 59Y. This led to a drop of ~ 4 kcal·mole-1 in the inter-subunit docking energy in the mutant, causing a ~ 103 fold decrease in affinity. Partial restoration of the inter-subunit interactions led to reformation of dimers and also restored a significant fraction of the lost enzyme activity. These results suggested that the perturbations in the conformation of the surface loop containing the insert sequence were relayed to the interface region, causing dimer dissociation that, in turn, disrupted the enzyme's active site. Since Plasmodium enolase is a moonlighting protein with multiple parasite-specific functions, it is likely that these functions may map on to the highly conserved unique insert region of this protein. ENZYMES Enolase(EC4.2.1.11).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Dutta
- Department of Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai India.,Present address: T. H. Chan School of Public Health Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Harvard University Boston MA USA
| | - Anasuya Moitra
- Department of Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai India
| | - Debanjan Mukherjee
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa Portugal
| | - Gotam K Jarori
- Department of Biological Sciences Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai India
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25
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Mi R, Yang X, Huang Y, Cheng L, Lu K, Han X, Chen Z. Immunolocation and enzyme activity analysis of Cryptosporidium parvum enolase. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:273. [PMID: 28569179 PMCID: PMC5452291 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2200-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Enolase is an essential multifunctional glycolytic enzyme that is involved in many biological processes of apicomplexan protozoa, such as adhesion and invasion. However, the characteristics of enolase in Cryptosporidium parvum, including the location on the oocyst and the enzyme activity, remain unclear. Methods The C. parvum enolase gene (cpeno) was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence was analysed by bioinformatics software. The gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified recombinant protein was used for enzyme activity analysis, binding experiments and antibody preparation. The localisation of enolase on oocysts was examined via immunofluorescence techniques. Results A 1,350 bp DNA sequence was amplified from cDNA taken from C. parvum oocysts. The deduced amino acids sequence of C. parvum enolase (CpEno) had 82.1% homology with Cryptosporidium muris enolase, and 54.7–68.0% homology with others selected species. Western blot analysis indicated that recombinant C. parvum enolase (rCpEno) could be recognised by C. parvum-infected cattle sera. Immunolocalization testing showed that CpEno was found to locate mainly on the surface of oocysts. The enzyme activity was 33.5 U/mg, and the Michaelis constant (Km) was 0.571 mM/l. Kinetic measurements revealed that the most suitable pH value was 7.0–7.5, and there were only minor effects on the activity of rCpEno with a change in the reaction temperature. The enzyme activity decreased when the Ca2+, K+, Mg2+ and Na+ concentrations of the reaction solution increased. The binding assays demonstrated that rCpEno could bind to human plasminogen. Conclusion This study is the first report of immunolocation, binding activity and enzyme characteristics of CpEno. The results of this study suggest that the surface-associated CpEno not only functions as a glycolytic enzyme but may also participate in attachment and invasion process of the parasite. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2200-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongsheng Mi
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou, 730046, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Xiaojiao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Long Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Ke Lu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Xiangan Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Zhaoguo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou, 730046, China. .,Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Animal Products on Biohazards (Shanghai) of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China. .,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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26
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Lactate dehydrogenase in Toxoplasma gondii controls virulence, bradyzoite differentiation, and chronic infection. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173745. [PMID: 28323833 PMCID: PMC5360243 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In the asexual stages, Toxoplasma gondii stage converts between acute phase rapidly replicating tachyzoites and chronic phase slowly dividing bradyzoites. Correspondingly, T. gondii differentially expresses two distinct genes and isoforms of the lactate dehydrogenase enzyme, expressing LDH1 exclusively in the tachyzoite stage and LDH2 preferentially in the bradyzoite stage. LDH catalyzes the interconversion of pyruvate and lactate in anaerobic growth conditions and is utilized for energy supply, however, the precise role of LDH1 and LDH2 in parasite biology in the asexual stages is still unclear. Here, we investigated the biological role of LDH1 and LDH2 in the asexual stages, and the vaccine strain potential of deletion mutants lacking LDH1, LDH2, or both genes (Δldh1, Δldh2 and Δldh1/2). Deletion of LDH1 reduced acute parasite virulence, impaired bradyzoite differentiation in vitro, and markedly reduced chronic stage cyst burdens in vivo. In contrast, deletion of LDH2 impaired chronic stage cyst burdens without affecting virulence or bradyzoite differentiation. Deletion of both LDH1 and LDH2 induced a more severe defect in chronic stage cyst burdens. These LDH mutant phenotypes were not associated with any growth defect. Vaccination of mice with a low dose of mutants deleted for LDH elicited effective protective immunity to lethal challenge infection, demonstrating the vaccine potential of LDH deletion mutants. These results suggest that lactate dehydrogenase in T. gondii controls virulence, bradyzoite differentiation, and chronic infection and reveals the potential of LDH mutants as vaccine strains.
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27
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da Silva MV, Ferreira França FB, Mota CM, de Macedo Júnior AG, Ramos ELP, Santiago FM, Mineo JR, Mineo TWP. Dectin-1 Compromises Innate Responses and Host Resistance against Neospora caninum Infection. Front Immunol 2017; 8:245. [PMID: 28326085 PMCID: PMC5339258 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Neospora caninum is an intracellular protozoan parasite that has drawn increasing interest due to its association with worldwide repetitive bovine abortions, which cause billionaire losses to the meat and dairy industries annually. Innate immunity plays an important role in infection control, and N. caninum activates the production of inflammatory mediators through toll-like receptors, NOD-like receptors, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Advances in the knowledge of initial host–parasite interactions are desirable for the design of control measures against the infection, obliterating its pathogenesis. In that sense, we here aimed to describe the role of the innate C-type lectin receptor Dectin-1 during the infection by N. caninum. With that intent, we observed that the absence of Dectin-1, observed in genetically depleted (Dectin-1−/−) mice or competitively inhibited by an inert agonist [laminarin (LAM)], rescued 50% of the mice infected with lethal doses of N. caninum. Dectin-1−/− and LAM-treated mice also presented a reduction in the parasite load during acute and chronic phases, associated with decreased inflammatory scores in the central nervous system. Among all the cell phenotypes that migrated to the initial site of infection, dendritic cells and macrophages gained subpopulations with high Dectin-1 surface expression. The impairment of the receptor in these cells led to a decreased parasite burden, as well as augmented production of IL-12p40. We also found that Dectin-1+ cells produced less reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the initial site of the infection, while mice deficient in NADPH oxidase isoform 2 (NOX2−/−) were not able to control parasite replication and produce IL-12p40, even upon LAM treatment. Interestingly, the absence of functional Dectin-1 did not alter the susceptibility of mice against closely related Toxoplasma gondii. In conclusion, the gathered data suggest that Dectin-1 is involved in the parasite-induced downmodulation of ROS, and other key molecules triggered for the control of N. caninum infection and are a promising target for future development of protocols intended for intervention against neosporosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murilo Vieira da Silva
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology "Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo", Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia , Uberlândia , Brazil
| | - Flávia Batista Ferreira França
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology "Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo", Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia , Uberlândia , Brazil
| | - Caroline Martins Mota
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology "Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo", Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia , Uberlândia , Brazil
| | - Arlindo Gomes de Macedo Júnior
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology "Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo", Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia , Uberlândia , Brazil
| | - Eliézer Lucas Pires Ramos
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology "Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo", Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia , Uberlândia , Brazil
| | - Fernanda Maria Santiago
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology "Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo", Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia , Uberlândia , Brazil
| | - José Roberto Mineo
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology "Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo", Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia , Uberlândia , Brazil
| | - Tiago Wilson Patriarca Mineo
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology "Dr. Mário Endsfeldz Camargo", Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia , Uberlândia , Brazil
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A Critical Role for Toxoplasma gondii Vacuolar Protein Sorting VPS9 in Secretory Organelle Biogenesis and Host Infection. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38842. [PMID: 27966671 PMCID: PMC5155228 DOI: 10.1038/srep38842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate sorting of proteins to the three types of parasite-specific secretory organelles namely rhoptry, microneme and dense granule in Toxoplasma gondii is crucial for successful host cell invasion by this obligate intracellular parasite. Despite its tiny body architecture and limited trafficking machinery, T. gondii relies heavily on transport of vesicles containing proteins, lipids and important virulence-like factors that are delivered to these secretory organelles. However, our understanding on how trafficking of vesicles operates in the parasite is still limited. Here, we show that the T. gondii vacuolar protein sorting 9 (TgVps9), has guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity towards Rab5a and is crucial for sorting of proteins destined to secretory organelles. Our results illuminate features of TgVps9 protein as a key trafficking facilitator that regulates protein maturation, secretory organelle formation and secretion, thereby ensuring a primary role in host infection by T. gondii.
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29
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Evaluation of Protective Immune Responses Induced by Recombinant TrxLp and ENO2 Proteins against Toxoplasma gondii Infection in BALB/c Mice. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:3571962. [PMID: 27803923 PMCID: PMC5075593 DOI: 10.1155/2016/3571962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasitic protozoan that can infect almost all species of warm-blooded animals. As any chemical-based drugs could not act against the tissue cyst stage of T. gondii, vaccination may be one of the ideal control strategies. In the present study, two new vaccine candidates, named TgENO2 and TgTrxLp, were purified from Escherichia coli with pET-30a(+) expression system and then were injected into BALB/c mice to evaluate the protective efficacy against acute and chronic toxoplasmosis. The results showed that both the recombinant proteins, either alone or in combination, could elicit strong humoral and cellular immune responses with a higher level of IgG antibodies, IFN-γ, IL-2, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells as compared to those in mice from control groups. After acute challenge with tachyzoites of the GJS strain, mice immunized with rTgTrxLp (8 ± 2.77 d), rTgENO2 (7.4 ± 1.81 d), and rTgTrxLp + rTgENO2 (8.38 ± 4.57 d) proteins showed significantly longer survival time than those that received Freund's adjuvant (6.78 ± 2.08 d) and PBS (6.38 ± 4.65 d) (χ2 = 9.687, df = 4, P = 0.046). The protective immunity of rTgTrxLp, rTgENO2, and rTgTrxLp + rTgENO2 proteins against chronic T. gondii infection showed 69.77%, 58.14%, and 20.93% brain cyst reduction as compared to mice that received PBS. The present study suggested that both TgENO2 and TgTrxLp were potential candidates for the development of multicomponent vaccines against toxoplasmosis.
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30
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Mutlu O, Yakarsonmez S, Sariyer E, Danis O, Yuce-Dursun B, Topuzogullari M, Akbulut E, Turgut-Balik D. Comprehensive structural analysis of the open and closed conformations of Theileria annulata enolase by molecular modelling and docking. Comput Biol Chem 2016; 64:134-144. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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31
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Identification and characterization of an immunogenic antigen, enolase 2, among excretory/secretory antigens (ESA) of Toxoplasma gondii. Protein Expr Purif 2016; 127:88-97. [PMID: 27450536 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2016.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Revised: 07/16/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
An immunogenic protein, enolase 2, was identified among the secreted excretory/secretory antigens (ESAs) from Toxoplasma gondii strain RH using immunoproteomics based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Enolase 2 was cloned, sequenced, and heterologously expressed. BLAST analysis revealed 75-96% similarity with enolases from other parasites. Immunoblotting demonstrated good immunoreactivity of recombinant T. gondii enolase (Tg-enolase 2) to T. gondii-infected animal serum. Purified Tg-enolase 2 was found to catalyze dehydration of 2-phospho-d-glycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate. In vitro studies revealed maximal activity at pH 7.5 and 37 °C, and activity was inhibited by K(+), Ni(2+), Al(3+), Na(+), Cu(2+) and Cr(3+). A monoclonal antibody against Tg-enolase 2 was prepared, 1D6, with the isotype IgG2a/κ. Western blotting revealed that 1D6 reacts with Tg-enolase 2 and native enolase 2, present among T. gondii ESAs. The indirect immunofluorescence assays showed that enolase 2 could be specifically detected on the growing T. gondii tachyzoites. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed the surface and intracellular locations of enolase 2 on T. gondii cells. In conclusion, our results clearly show that the enzymatic activity of T. gondii enolase 2 is ion dependent and that it could be influenced by environmental factors. We also provide evidence that enolase 2 is an important immunogenic protein of ESAs from T. gondii and that it is a surface-exposed protein with strong antigenicity and immunogenicity. Our findings indicate that enolase 2 could play important roles in metabolism, immunogenicity and pathogenicity and that it may serve as a novel drug target and candidate vaccine against T. gondii infection.
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32
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Oliveira KC, Carvalho MLP, Bonatto JMC, Schechtman D, Verjovski-Almeida S. Human TNF-α induces differential protein phosphorylation in Schistosoma mansoni adult male worms. Parasitol Res 2015; 115:817-28. [PMID: 26547565 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4812-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Schistosoma mansoni and its vertebrate host have a complex and intimate connection in which several molecular stimuli are exchanged and affect both organisms. Human tumor necrosis factor alpha (hTNF-α), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is known to induce large-scale gene expression changes in the parasite and to affect several parasite biological processes such as metabolism, egg laying, and worm development. Until now, the molecular mechanisms for TNF-α activity in worms are not completely understood. Here, we aimed at exploring the effect of hTNF-α on S. mansoni protein phosphorylation by 2D gel electrophoresis followed by a quantitative analysis of phosphoprotein staining and protein identification by mass spectrometry. We analyzed three biological replicates of adult male worms exposed to hTNF-α and successfully identified 32 protein spots with a statistically significant increase in phosphorylation upon in vitro exposure to hTNF-α. Among the differentially phosphorylated proteins, we found proteins involved in metabolism, such as glycolysis, galactose metabolism, urea cycle, and aldehyde metabolism, as well as proteins related to muscle contraction and to cytoskeleton remodeling. The most differentially phosphorylated protein (30-fold increase in phosphorylation) was 14-3-3, whose function is known to be modulated by phosphorylation, belonging to a signal transduction protein family that regulates a variety of processes in all eukaryotic cells. Further, 75% of the identified proteins are known in mammals to be related to TNF-α signaling, thus suggesting that TNF-α response may be conserved in the parasite. We propose that this work opens new perspectives to be explored in the study of the molecular crosstalk between host and pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katia C Oliveira
- Núcleo de Enteroparasitas, Centro de Parasitologia e Micologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, 01614-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Disciplina de Parasitologia, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mariana L P Carvalho
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - José Matheus C Bonatto
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Debora Schechtman
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sergio Verjovski-Almeida
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. .,Instituto Butantan, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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33
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Systems biology approach reveals possible evolutionarily conserved moonlighting functions for enolase. Comput Biol Chem 2015; 58:1-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2015.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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34
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Alternative splicing mechanisms orchestrating post-transcriptional gene expression: intron retention and the intron-rich genome of apicomplexan parasites. Curr Genet 2015; 62:31-8. [PMID: 26194054 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-015-0506-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites including Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium species have complex life cycles that include multiple hosts and differentiation through several morphologically distinct stages requiring marked changes in gene expression. This review highlights emerging evidence implicating regulation of mRNA splicing as a mechanism to prime these parasites for rapid gene expression upon differentiation. We summarize the most important insights in alternative splicing including its role in regulating gene expression by decreasing mRNA abundance via 'Regulated Unproductive Splicing and Translation'. As a related but less well-understood mechanism, we discuss also our recent work suggesting a role for intron retention for precluding translation of stage specific isoforms of T. gondii glycolytic enzymes. We additionally provide new evidence that intron retention might be a widespread mechanism during parasite differentiation. Supporting this notion, recent genome-wide analysis of Toxoplasma and Plasmodium suggests intron retention is more pervasive than heretofore thought. These findings parallel recent emergence of intron retention being more prevalent in mammals than previously believed, thereby adding to the established roles in plants, fungi and unicellular eukaryotes. Deeper mechanistic studies of intron retention will provide important insight into its role in regulating gene expression in apicomplexan parasites and more general in eukaryotic organisms.
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Chetouhi C, Panek J, Bonhomme L, ElAlaoui H, Texier C, Langin T, de Bekker C, Urbach S, Demettre E, Missé D, Holzmuller P, Hughes DP, Zanzoni A, Brun C, Biron DG. Cross-talk in host–parasite associations: What do past and recent proteomics approaches tell us? INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2015; 33:84-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Revised: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Lunghi M, Galizi R, Magini A, Carruthers VB, Di Cristina M. Expression of the glycolytic enzymes enolase and lactate dehydrogenase during the early phase ofToxoplasmadifferentiation is regulated by an intron retention mechanism. Mol Microbiol 2015; 96:1159-75. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Lunghi
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology; University of Perugia; Perugia Italy
| | - Roberto Galizi
- Department of Experimental Medicine; University of Perugia; Perugia Italy
| | - Alessandro Magini
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology; University of Perugia; Perugia Italy
| | - Vern B. Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; University of Michigan Medical School; Ann Arbor MI USA
| | - Manlio Di Cristina
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology; University of Perugia; Perugia Italy
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Ruan J, Mouveaux T, Light SH, Minasov G, Anderson WF, Tomavo S, Ngô HM. The structure of bradyzoite-specific enolase from Toxoplasma gondii reveals insights into its dual cytoplasmic and nuclear functions. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA. SECTION D, BIOLOGICAL CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 2015; 71:417-26. [PMID: 25760592 PMCID: PMC4356359 DOI: 10.1107/s1399004714026479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In addition to catalyzing a central step in glycolysis, enolase assumes a remarkably diverse set of secondary functions in different organisms, including transcription regulation as documented for the oncogene c-Myc promoter-binding protein 1. The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii differentially expresses two nuclear-localized, plant-like enolases: enolase 1 (TgENO1) in the latent bradyzoite cyst stage and enolase 2 (TgENO2) in the rapidly replicative tachyzoite stage. A 2.75 Å resolution crystal structure of bradyzoite enolase 1, the second structure to be reported of a bradyzoite-specific protein in Toxoplasma, captures an open conformational state and reveals that distinctive plant-like insertions are located on surface loops. The enolase 1 structure reveals that a unique residue, Glu164, in catalytic loop 2 may account for the lower activity of this cyst-stage isozyme. Recombinant TgENO1 specifically binds to a TTTTCT DNA motif present in the cyst matrix antigen 1 (TgMAG1) gene promoter as demonstrated by gel retardation. Furthermore, direct physical interactions of both nuclear TgENO1 and TgENO2 with the TgMAG1 gene promoter are demonstrated in vivo using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. Structural and biochemical studies reveal that T. gondii enolase functions are multifaceted, including the coordination of gene regulation in parasitic stage development. Enolase 1 provides a potential lead in the design of drugs against Toxoplasma brain cysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiapeng Ruan
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University, 320 E. Superior Street, Morton 7-601, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Thomas Mouveaux
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, France
| | - Samuel H. Light
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University, 320 E. Superior Street, Morton 7-601, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - George Minasov
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University, 320 E. Superior Street, Morton 7-601, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Wayne F. Anderson
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University, 320 E. Superior Street, Morton 7-601, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Stanislas Tomavo
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, CNRS UMR 8204, INSERM U1019, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, France
| | - Huân M. Ngô
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University, 320 E. Superior Street, Morton 7-601, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- BrainMicro LLC, 21 Pendleton Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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Hehl AB, Basso WU, Lippuner C, Ramakrishnan C, Okoniewski M, Walker RA, Grigg ME, Smith NC, Deplazes P. Asexual expansion of Toxoplasma gondii merozoites is distinct from tachyzoites and entails expression of non-overlapping gene families to attach, invade, and replicate within feline enterocytes. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:66. [PMID: 25757795 PMCID: PMC4340605 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1225-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is cosmopolitan in nature, largely as a result of its highly flexible life cycle. Felids are its only definitive hosts and a wide range of mammals and birds serve as intermediate hosts. The latent bradyzoite stage is orally infectious in all warm-blooded vertebrates and establishes chronic, transmissible infections. When bradyzoites are ingested by felids, they transform into merozoites in enterocytes and expand asexually as part of their coccidian life cycle. In all other intermediate hosts, however, bradyzoites differentiate exclusively to tachyzoites, and disseminate extraintestinally to many cell types. Both merozoites and tachyzoites undergo rapid asexual population expansion, yet possess different effector fates with respect to the cells and tissues they develop in and the subsequent stages they differentiate into. Results To determine whether merozoites utilize distinct suites of genes to attach, invade, and replicate within feline enterocytes, we performed comparative transcriptional profiling on purified tachyzoites and merozoites. We used high-throughput RNA-Seq to compare the merozoite and tachyzoite transcriptomes. 8323 genes were annotated with sequence reads across the two asexually replicating stages of the parasite life cycle. Metabolism was similar between the two replicating stages. However, significant stage-specific expression differences were measured, with 312 transcripts exclusive to merozoites versus 453 exclusive to tachyzoites. Genes coding for 177 predicted secreted proteins and 64 membrane- associated proteins were annotated as merozoite-specific. The vast majority of known dense-granule (GRA), microneme (MIC), and rhoptry (ROP) genes were not expressed in merozoites. In contrast, a large set of surface proteins (SRS) was expressed exclusively in merozoites. Conclusions The distinct expression profiles of merozoites and tachyzoites reveal significant additional complexity within the T. gondii life cycle, demonstrating that merozoites are distinct asexual dividing stages which are uniquely adapted to their niche and biological purpose. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1225-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian B Hehl
- Institute of Parasitology-University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland.
| | - Walter U Basso
- Institute of Parasitology-University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland.
| | - Christoph Lippuner
- Institute of Parasitology-University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland. .,Current address: Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Inselspital, University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern, 3010, Switzerland.
| | - Chandra Ramakrishnan
- Institute of Parasitology-University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland.
| | - Michal Okoniewski
- Functional Genomics Center Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland.
| | - Robert A Walker
- Institute of Parasitology-University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland. .,Queensland Tropical Health Alliance Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Molecular Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, QLD, 4878, Australia.
| | - Michael E Grigg
- Molecular Parasitology Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
| | - Nicholas C Smith
- Queensland Tropical Health Alliance Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Molecular Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns Campus, McGregor Road, Smithfield, QLD, 4878, Australia.
| | - Peter Deplazes
- Institute of Parasitology-University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland.
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Exploiting Unique Structural and Functional Properties of Malarial Glycolytic Enzymes for Antimalarial Drug Development. Malar Res Treat 2014; 2014:451065. [PMID: 25580350 PMCID: PMC4280493 DOI: 10.1155/2014/451065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic enzymes have been known to carry out a variety of functions besides their normal housekeeping roles known as “moonlighting functions.” These functionalities arise from structural changes induced by posttranslational modifications and/or binding of interacting proteins. Glycolysis is the sole source of energy generation for malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, hence a potential pathway for therapeutic intervention. Crystal structures of several P. falciparum glycolytic enzymes have been solved, revealing that they exhibit unique structural differences from the respective host enzymes, which could be exploited for their selective targeting. In addition, these enzymes carry out many parasite-specific functions, which could be of potential interest to control parasite development and transmission. This review focuses on the moonlighting functions of P. falciparum glycolytic enzymes and unique structural differences and functional features of the parasite enzymes, which could be exploited for therapeutic and transmission blocking interventions against malaria.
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