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Reis-Cunha JL, Pimenta-Carvalho SA, Almeida LV, Coqueiro-Dos-Santos A, Marques CA, Black JA, Damasceno J, McCulloch R, Bartholomeu DC, Jeffares DC. Ancestral aneuploidy and stable chromosomal duplication resulting in differential genome structure and gene expression control in trypanosomatid parasites. Genome Res 2024; 34:441-453. [PMID: 38604731 PMCID: PMC11067883 DOI: 10.1101/gr.278550.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Aneuploidy is widely observed in both unicellular and multicellular eukaryotes, usually associated with adaptation to stress conditions. Chromosomal duplication stability is a tradeoff between the fitness cost of having unbalanced gene copies and the potential fitness gained from increased dosage of specific advantageous genes. Trypanosomatids, a family of protozoans that include species that cause neglected tropical diseases, are a relevant group to study aneuploidies. Their life cycle has several stressors that could select for different patterns of chromosomal duplications and/or losses, and their nearly universal use of polycistronic transcription increases their reliance on gene expansion/contraction, as well as post-transcriptional control as mechanisms for gene expression regulation. By evaluating the data from 866 isolates covering seven trypanosomatid genera, we have revealed that aneuploidy tolerance is an ancestral characteristic of trypanosomatids but has a reduced occurrence in a specific monophyletic clade that has undergone large genomic reorganization and chromosomal fusions. We have also identified an ancient chromosomal duplication that was maintained across these parasite's speciation, named collectively as the trypanosomatid ancestral supernumerary chromosome (TASC). TASC has most genes in the same coding strand, is expressed as a disomic chromosome (even having four copies), and has increased potential for functional variation, but it purges highly deleterious mutations more efficiently than other chromosomes. The evidence of stringent control over gene expression in this chromosome suggests that these parasites have adapted to mitigate the fitness cost associated with this ancient chromosomal duplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- João L Reis-Cunha
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom;
| | - Samuel A Pimenta-Carvalho
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Laila V Almeida
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Anderson Coqueiro-Dos-Santos
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Catarina A Marques
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer A Black
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, United Kingdom
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Jeziel Damasceno
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Richard McCulloch
- The Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, United Kingdom
| | - Daniella C Bartholomeu
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Daniel C Jeffares
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
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Santos EF, Daltro RT, Regis-Silva CG, Pavan TBS, de Oliveira FA, da Silva ÂM, Almeida RP, Gonçalves NLS, Sampaio DD, Santos FN, Marchini FK, Celedon PAF, Zanchin NIT, Santos FLN. Assessment of Cross-Reactivity of Chimeric Trypanosoma cruzi Antigens with Crithidia sp. LVH-60A: Implications for Accurate Diagnostics. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:3470. [PMID: 37998606 PMCID: PMC10670697 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13223470] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
This study focuses on developing accurate immunoassays for diagnosing Chagas disease (CD), a challenging task due to antigenic similarities between Trypanosoma cruzi and other parasites, leading to cross-reactivity. To address this challenge, chimeric recombinant T. cruzi antigens (IBMP-8.1, IBMP-8.2, IBMP-8.3, and IBMP-8.4) were synthesized to enhance specificity and reduce cross-reactivity in tests. While these antigens showed minimal cross-reactivity with leishmaniasis, their performance with other trypanosomatid infections was unclear. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of these IBMP antigens for detecting CD in patients with Crithidia sp. LVH-60A, a parasite linked to visceral leishmaniasis-like symptoms in Brazil. This study involved seven Crithidia sp. LVH-60A patients and three Leishmania infantum patients. The results indicated that these IBMP antigens displayed 100% sensitivity, with specificity ranging from 87.5% to 100%, and accuracy values between 90% and 100%. No cross-reactivity was observed with Crithidia sp. LVH-60A, and only one L. infantum-positive sample showed limited cross-reactivity with IBMP-8.1. This study suggests that IBMP antigens offer promising diagnostic performance, with minimal cross-reactivity in regions where T. cruzi and other trypanosomatids are prevalent. However, further research with a larger number of Crithidia sp. LVH-60A-positive samples is needed to comprehensively evaluate antigen cross-reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily F. Santos
- Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-BA), Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil; (E.F.S.); (C.G.R.-S.); (T.B.S.P.); (N.L.S.G.)
| | - Ramona T. Daltro
- Integrated Translational Program in Chagas Disease from Fiocruz (Fio-Chagas), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-RJ), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil; (R.T.D.); (N.I.T.Z.)
| | - Carlos G. Regis-Silva
- Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-BA), Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil; (E.F.S.); (C.G.R.-S.); (T.B.S.P.); (N.L.S.G.)
- Integrated Translational Program in Chagas Disease from Fiocruz (Fio-Chagas), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-RJ), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil; (R.T.D.); (N.I.T.Z.)
| | - Tycha B. S. Pavan
- Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-BA), Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil; (E.F.S.); (C.G.R.-S.); (T.B.S.P.); (N.L.S.G.)
| | - Fabrícia A. de Oliveira
- Immunology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, University Hospital/EBSERH, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju 49060-676, SE, Brazil; (F.A.d.O.); (Â.M.d.S.); (R.P.A.)
| | - Ângela M. da Silva
- Immunology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, University Hospital/EBSERH, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju 49060-676, SE, Brazil; (F.A.d.O.); (Â.M.d.S.); (R.P.A.)
- Department of Medicine, University Hospital (BSERH), Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju 49060-676, SE, Brazil
| | - Roque P. Almeida
- Immunology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, University Hospital/EBSERH, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju 49060-676, SE, Brazil; (F.A.d.O.); (Â.M.d.S.); (R.P.A.)
- Department of Medicine, University Hospital (BSERH), Federal University of Sergipe, Aracaju 49060-676, SE, Brazil
| | - Noilson L. S. Gonçalves
- Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-BA), Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil; (E.F.S.); (C.G.R.-S.); (T.B.S.P.); (N.L.S.G.)
| | - Daniel D. Sampaio
- Brazil’s Family Health Strategy, Municipal Health Department, Tremedal City Hall, Tremedal 45170-000, BA, Brazil;
| | - Faber N. Santos
- Faculty of Medicine, Santo Agostinho College (FASA), Education Technology Healthcare, Vitória da Conquista 45028-100, BA, Brazil;
| | - Fabricio K. Marchini
- Molecular Biology Institute of Paraná, Curitiba 81350-010, PR, Brazil;
- Laboratory for Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute (ICC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-PR), Curitiba 81350-010, PR, Brazil
| | - Paola A. F. Celedon
- Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Biology of Trypanosomatids, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-PR), Curitiba 81350-010, PR, Brazil;
| | - Nilson I. T. Zanchin
- Integrated Translational Program in Chagas Disease from Fiocruz (Fio-Chagas), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-RJ), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil; (R.T.D.); (N.I.T.Z.)
- Structural Biology and Protein Engineering Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-PR), Curitiba 81350-010, PR, Brazil
| | - Fred L. N. Santos
- Advanced Public Health Laboratory, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-BA), Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil; (E.F.S.); (C.G.R.-S.); (T.B.S.P.); (N.L.S.G.)
- Integrated Translational Program in Chagas Disease from Fiocruz (Fio-Chagas), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-RJ), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil; (R.T.D.); (N.I.T.Z.)
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Ferreira JDJG, Costa SCB, Addas-Carvalho M, Pereira MB, França ADO, de Lima RG, Andrade PD, Wanderley JDS, Martins LC, de Almeida EA, Marcon GEB. Evaluation of Molecular Methods to Identify Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis in Blood Donation Candidates in Two Brazilian Centers. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040508. [PMID: 37111394 PMCID: PMC10141534 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040508] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In Brazil, blood donation is regulated by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and all States follow the same protocol for clinical and laboratory screening. Brazil is an endemic country for Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, and for leishmaniasis, caused by a species of Leishmania spp. Screening for leishmaniosis is not routinely performed by blood banks. Given the antigenic similarity between T. cruzi and Leishmania spp., cross-reactions in serological tests can occur, and inconclusive results for CD have been found. The objective of this study was to apply molecular techniques, e.g., nPCR, PCR, and qPCR, to clarify cases of blood donation candidates with non-negative serology for CD and to analyze the difference between the melting temperature during real-time PCR using SYBR Green. Thirty-seven cases that showed non-negative results for CD using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) tests from blood banks in Campo Grande, MS, and Campinas, SP, were analyzed. In the serum samples, 35 samples were evaluated by ELISA, and 24.3% (9/35) showed positive results for CD. nPCR was able to detect 12 positive results in 35 samples (34.28%). qPCR for T. cruzi was quantifiable in the samples that showed a value ≥0.002 par eq/mL (parasite equivalents per milliliter), and in 35 samples, 11 (31.42%) were positive. Of all evaluated samples using the described tests (CMIA, ELISA, nPCR, and qPCR), 18 (48.6%) were positive for CD. For MCA by qPCR, the melting temperature was 82.06 °C ± 0.46 for T. cruzi and 81.9 °C ± 0.24 for Leishmania infantum. The Mann-Whitney test showed a significant value of p < 0.0001. However, the differentiation between T. cruzi and L. infantum could not be considered due to temperature overlap. For leishmaniasis, of the 35 samples with non-negative serology for CD tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), only one sample (2.85%) was positive (1:80). The PCR for Leishmania spp. was performed on 36 blood samples from donation candidates, and all were negative. qPCR for L. infantum showed 37 negative results for the 37 analyzed samples. The data presented here show the importance of performing two different tests in CD screening at blood banks. Molecular tests should be used for confirmation, thereby improving the blood donation system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana de Jesus Guimarães Ferreira
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico de Doenças Infecciosas por Técnicas de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Sandra Cecília Botelho Costa
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico de Doenças Infecciosas por Técnicas de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Addas-Carvalho
- Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Mariane Barroso Pereira
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico de Doenças Infecciosas por Técnicas de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Adriana de Oliveira França
- Laboratório de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias (LabDIP), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Cidade Universitária s/n, Campo Grande 79090-900, MS, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Gonçalves de Lima
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico de Doenças Infecciosas por Técnicas de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Paula Durante Andrade
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico de Doenças Infecciosas por Técnicas de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Jamiro da Silva Wanderley
- Grupo de Estudos em Doença de Chagas (GEDoCh), Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Luiz Cláudio Martins
- Grupo de Estudos em Doença de Chagas (GEDoCh), Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Eros Antonio de Almeida
- Grupo de Estudos em Doença de Chagas (GEDoCh), Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
| | - Gláucia Elisete Barbosa Marcon
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico de Doenças Infecciosas por Técnicas de Biologia Molecular, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-887, SP, Brazil
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz Mato Grosso do Sul (FIOCRUZ MS), Rua Gabriel Abrão, 92, Jardim das Nações, Campo Grande 79081-746, MS, Brazil
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Seroprevalence and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infecting ruminants in the North-West of Egypt. Acta Trop 2022; 225:106139. [PMID: 34562431 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a coccidian parasite known for its heavy toll on people and livestock. It can cause abortion and a variety of congenital diseases. The current study aimed to examine some seroprevalence and molecular attributes of T. gondii obtained from ruminants in the North-West of Egypt. Specimens were random selected from five different locations in Alexandria and Matrouh governorates. A total of 483 blood samples, collected from 96 mixed flocks, were screened for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The seropositive results were then confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for the B1 and P30 genes. Specific PCR products were selected for sequencing and alignment against the GenBank, where phylogeny has been examined using the maximum likelihood, neighbor-joining, and maximum parsimony in MEGA6. ELISA confirmed the presence of T. gondii in 188 of the investigated samples (38.92%), indicating a higher prevalence in camels (64.51%) and sheep (43.75%) as compared to goats (27.93 %) and cattle (13.46%). PCR confirmed the presence of T. gondii-specific sequences in 159 seropositive specimens, with homology between 98.3 and 100%. The genetic distances between the investigated variants ranged from 0.1 to 0.9, and 7 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), were identified in the examined T. gondii specimens. The camel T. gondii parasite, isolated from Matrouh, showed a 100% homology with the most dangerous reference strains of T. gondii-RH in the GenBank. Our results showed that B1 and P30-specific PCR could detect T. gondii in blood samples more accurately than ELISA. In addition, the statistical analysis of our data indicated that species, age, sex, and animal location were all risk factors for toxoplasmosis. These findings are likely to boost disease control and help contain the spread of T. gondii infections.
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Pissarra J, Pagniez J, Petitdidier E, Séveno M, Vigy O, Bras-Gonçalves R, Lemesre JL, Holzmuller P. Proteomic Analysis of the Promastigote Secretome of Seven Leishmania Species. J Proteome Res 2021; 21:30-48. [PMID: 34806897 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the most impactful parasitic diseases worldwide, endangering the lives of 1 billion people every year. There are 20 different species of Leishmania able to infect humans, causing cutaneous (CL), visceral (VL), and/or mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL). Leishmania parasites are known to secrete a plethora of proteins to establish infection and modulate the host's immune system. In this study, we analyzed using tandem mass spectrometry the total protein content of the secretomes produced by promastigote forms from seven Leishmania species grown in serum-free in vitro cultures. The core secretome shared by all seven Leishmania species corresponds to up to one-third of total secreted proteins, suggesting conserved mechanisms of adaptation to the vertebrate host. The relative abundance confirms the importance of known virulence factors and some proteins uniquely present in CL- or VL-causing species and may provide further insight regarding their pathogenesis. Bioinformatic analysis showed that most proteins were secreted via unconventional mechanisms, with an important role for vesicle-based secretion for all species. Gene Ontology annotation and enrichment analyses showed a high level of functional conservation among species. This study contributes to the current knowledge on the biological significance of differently secreted proteins and provides new information on the correlation of Leishmania secretome to clinical outcomes and species-specific pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Pissarra
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Julie Pagniez
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Elodie Petitdidier
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Martial Séveno
- BCM, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Oana Vigy
- IGF, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Rachel Bras-Gonçalves
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Loup Lemesre
- UMR 177 INTERTRYP, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Holzmuller
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, University of Montpellier (I-MUSE), 34090 Montpellier, France
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Zuma AA, Dos Santos Barrias E, de Souza W. Basic Biology of Trypanosoma cruzi. Curr Pharm Des 2021; 27:1671-1732. [PMID: 33272165 DOI: 10.2174/1381612826999201203213527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The present review addresses basic aspects of the biology of the pathogenic protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi and some comparative information of Trypanosoma brucei. Like eukaryotic cells, their cellular organization is similar to that of mammalian hosts. However, these parasites present structural particularities. That is why the following topics are emphasized in this paper: developmental stages of the life cycle in the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts; the cytoskeleton of the protozoa, especially the sub-pellicular microtubules; the flagellum and its attachment to the protozoan body through specialized junctions; the kinetoplast-mitochondrion complex, including its structural organization and DNA replication; glycosome and its role in the metabolism of the cell; acidocalcisome, describing its morphology, biochemistry, and functional role; cytostome and the endocytic pathway; the organization of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex; the nucleus, describing its structural organization during interphase and division; and the process of interaction of the parasite with host cells. The unique characteristics of these structures also make them interesting chemotherapeutic targets. Therefore, further understanding of cell biology aspects contributes to the development of drugs for chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline A Zuma
- Laboratorio de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Emile Dos Santos Barrias
- Laboratorio de Metrologia Aplicada a Ciencias da Vida, Diretoria de Metrologia Aplicada a Ciencias da Vida - Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (Inmetro), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratorio de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Ghafari SM, Fotouhi-Ardakani R, Parvizi P. Designing and developing a high-resolution melting technique for accurate identification of Leishmania species by targeting amino acid permease 3 and cytochrome oxidase II genes using real-time PCR and in silico genetic evaluation. Acta Trop 2020; 211:105626. [PMID: 32652055 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Discrimination, accurate identification, and reliable techniques are required for accurate identification of Leishmania parasites. High-resolution melting (HRM) is recognized as an authentic and exact method. The main objective of this research was optimizing HRM analysis for detecting and screening Leishmania major, Leishmania tropica and mix infections. Thirty-six DNA samples of Leishmania parasite were prepared and analyzed. Two gene regions of amino acid permease 3 (AAP3) and cytochrome oxidase II (COII) were targeted and six pairs of specific new primers were designed. Bioinformatics analysis was employed to predict DNA temperature resolution for each species and compared with in-vitro results. The genetic diversity of the selected gene regions was analyzed using PCR-sequencing method and DnaSP 5.10.01 software. They were submitted in GenBank (KU680818- KU680821 and KY041643- KY041649). The haplotype diversity for both AAP3 and COII genes was 96% and 87%, respectively. Tajima's D index was 0.65 for AAP3 and 0.36 for COII. CLC Genomics Workbench 11 software predictions were significant and close to these findings. The designed primers could be able to identify at least two Leishmania species. Temperature variations in HRM technique separated Iranian Leishmania parasites of L. major, L. tropica and mix infections. The target genes and our modified HRM method proved this technique could be useful in both clinical and experimental settings. Also, it can be effective for detecting Leishmania parasites in different hosts such as humans, reservoir hosts and vectors. Indeed, HRM can be used as a technique in Leishmania identification as well as for ecological and epidemiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedeh Maryam Ghafari
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Reza Fotouhi-Ardakani
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran; Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
| | - Parviz Parvizi
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
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Avelar GST, Gonçalves LO, Guimarães FG, Guimarães PAS, do Nascimento Rocha LG, Carvalho MGR, de Melo Resende D, Ruiz JC. Diversity and genome mapping assessment of disordered and functional domains in trypanosomatids. J Proteomics 2020; 227:103919. [PMID: 32721629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2020.103919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The proteins that have structural disorder exemplify a class of proteins which is part of a new frontier in structural biology that demands a new understanding of the paradigm of structure/function correlations. In order to address the location, relative distances and the functional/structural correlation between disordered and conserved domains, consensus disordered predictions were mapped together with CDD domains in Leishmania braziliensis M2904, Leishmania infantum JPCM5, Trypanosoma cruzi CL-Brener Esmeraldo-like, Trypanosoma cruzi Dm28c, Trypanosoma cruzi Sylvio X10, Blechomonas ayalai B08-376 and Paratrypanosoma confusum CUL13 predicted proteomes. Our results depicts the role of protein disorder in key aspects of parasites biology highlighting: a) statistical significant association between genome structural location of protein disordered consensus stretches and functional domains; b) that disordered protein stretches appear in greater percentage at upstream or downstream position of the predicted domain; c) a possible role of structural disorder in several gene expression, control points that includes but are not limited to: i) protein folding; ii) protein transport and degradation; and iii) protein modification. In addition, for values of protein with disorder content greater than 40%, a small percentage of protein binding sites in IDPs/IDRs, a higher hypothetical protein annotation frequency was observed than expected by chance and trypanosomatid multigene families linked with virulence are rich in protein with disorder content. SIGNIFICANCE: T. cruzi and Leishmania spp are the etiological agents of Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, respectively. Currently, no vaccine or effective drug treatment is available against these neglected diseases and the knowledge about the post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms of these organisms, which are key for this scenario, remain scarce. This study depicts the potential impact of the proximity between protein structural disorder and functional domains in the post-transcriptional regulation of pathogenic versus human non-pathogenic trypanosomatids. Our results revealed a significant statistical relationship between the genome structural locations of these two variables and disordered regions appearing more frequently at upstream or downstream positions of the CDD locus domain. This flexibility feature would maintain structural accessibility of functional sites for post-translational modifications, shedding light into this important aspect of parasite biology. This hypothesis is corroborated by the functional enrichment analysis of disordered proteins subset that highlight the involvement of this class of proteins in protein folding, protein transport and degradation and protein modification. Furthermore, our results pointed out: a) the impact of protein disorder in the process of genome annotation (proteins tend to be annotated as hypothetical when the disorder content reaches ~40%); b) that trypanosomatid multigenic families linked with virulence have a key protein disorder content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Santos Tavares Avelar
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Leilane Oliveira Gonçalves
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Frederico Gonçalves Guimarães
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Paul Anderson Souza Guimarães
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Luiz Gustavo do Nascimento Rocha
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Daniela de Melo Resende
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Jeronimo Conceição Ruiz
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Grupo Informática de Biossistemas, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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9
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Borsari C, Jiménez-Antón MD, Eick J, Bifeld E, Torrado JJ, Olías-Molero AI, Corral MJ, Santarem N, Baptista C, Severi L, Gul S, Wolf M, Kuzikov M, Ellinger B, Reinshagen J, Witt G, Linciano P, Tait A, Costantino L, Luciani R, Tejera Nevado P, Zander-Dinse D, Franco CH, Ferrari S, Moraes CB, Cordeiro-da-Silva A, Ponterini G, Clos J, Alunda JM, Costi MP. Discovery of a benzothiophene-flavonol halting miltefosine and antimonial drug resistance in Leishmania parasites through the application of medicinal chemistry, screening and genomics. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 183:111676. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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10
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Sloan MA, Brooks K, Otto TD, Sanders MJ, Cotton JA, Ligoxygakis P. Transcriptional and genomic parallels between the monoxenous parasite Herpetomonas muscarum and Leishmania. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008452. [PMID: 31710597 PMCID: PMC6872171 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatid parasites are causative agents of important human and animal diseases such as sleeping sickness and leishmaniasis. Most trypanosomatids are transmitted to their mammalian hosts by insects, often belonging to Diptera (or true flies). These are called dixenous trypanosomatids since they infect two different hosts, in contrast to those that infect just insects (monoxenous). However, it is still unclear whether dixenous and monoxenous trypanosomatids interact similarly with their insect host, as fly-monoxenous trypanosomatid interaction systems are rarely reported and under-studied-despite being common in nature. Here we present the genome of monoxenous trypanosomatid Herpetomonas muscarum and discuss its transcriptome during in vitro culture and during infection of its natural insect host Drosophila melanogaster. The H. muscarum genome is broadly syntenic with that of human parasite Leishmania major. We also found strong similarities between the H. muscarum transcriptome during fruit fly infection, and those of Leishmania during sand fly infections. Overall this suggests Drosophila-Herpetomonas is a suitable model for less accessible insect-trypanosomatid host-parasite systems such as sand fly-Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A. Sloan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Karen Brooks
- The Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hixton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas D. Otto
- The Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hixton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Mandy J. Sanders
- The Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hixton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - James A. Cotton
- The Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hixton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Petros Ligoxygakis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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11
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Advances on Aptamers against Protozoan Parasites. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9120584. [PMID: 30487456 PMCID: PMC6316487 DOI: 10.3390/genes9120584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA sequences with a unique three-dimensional structure that allows them to recognize a particular target with high affinity. Although their specific recognition activity could make them similar to monoclonal antibodies, their ability to bind to a large range of non-immunogenic targets greatly expands their potential as tools for diagnosis, therapeutic agents, detection of food risks, biosensors, detection of toxins, drug carriers, and nanoparticle markers, among others. One aptamer named Pegaptanib is currently used for treating macular degeneration associated with age, and many other aptamers are in different clinical stages of development of evaluation for various human diseases. In the area of parasitology, research on aptamers has been growing rapidly in the past few years. Here we describe the development of aptamers raised against the main protozoan parasites that affect hundreds of millions of people in underdeveloped and developing countries, remaining a major health concern worldwide, i.e. Trypanosoma spp., Plasmodium spp., Leishmania spp., Entamoeba histolytica, and Cryptosporidium parvuum. The latest progress made in this area confirmed that DNA and RNA aptamers represent attractive alternative molecules in the search for new tools to detect and treat these parasitic infections that affect human health worldwide.
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12
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Reis-Cunha JL, Baptista RP, Rodrigues-Luiz GF, Coqueiro-Dos-Santos A, Valdivia HO, de Almeida LV, Cardoso MS, D'Ávila DA, Dias FHC, Fujiwara RT, Galvão LMC, Chiari E, Cerqueira GC, Bartholomeu DC. Whole genome sequencing of Trypanosoma cruzi field isolates reveals extensive genomic variability and complex aneuploidy patterns within TcII DTU. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:816. [PMID: 30424726 PMCID: PMC6234542 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-5198-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, is currently divided into six discrete typing units (DTUs), named TcI-TcVI. TcII is among the major DTUs enrolled in human infections in South America southern cone, where it is associated with severe cardiac and digestive symptoms. Despite the importance of TcII in Chagas disease epidemiology and pathology, so far, no genome-wide comparisons of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of TcII field isolates have been performed to track the variability and evolution of this DTU in endemic regions. RESULTS In the present work, we have sequenced and compared the whole nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of seven TcII strains isolated from chagasic patients from the central and northeastern regions of Minas Gerais, Brazil, revealing an extensive genetic variability within this DTU. A comparison of the phylogeny based on the nuclear or mitochondrial genomes revealed that the majority of branches were shared by both sequences. The subtle divergences in the branches are probably consequence of mitochondrial introgression events between TcII strains. Two T. cruzi strains isolated from patients living in the central region of Minas Gerais, S15 and S162a, were clustered in the nuclear and mitochondrial phylogeny analysis. These two strains were isolated from the other five by the Espinhaço Mountains, a geographic barrier that could have restricted the traffic of insect vectors during T. cruzi evolution in the Minas Gerais state. Finally, the presence of aneuploidies was evaluated, revealing that all seven TcII strains have a different pattern of chromosomal duplication/loss. CONCLUSIONS Analysis of genomic variability and aneuploidies suggests that there is significant genomic variability within Minas Gerais TcII strains, which could be exploited by the parasite to allow rapid selection of favorable phenotypes. Also, the aneuploidy patterns vary among T. cruzi strains and does not correlate with the nuclear phylogeny, suggesting that chromosomal duplication/loss are recent and frequent events in the parasite evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Luís Reis-Cunha
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo P Baptista
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,The University of Georgia, Athens, USA
| | - Gabriela F Rodrigues-Luiz
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | | | - Hugo O Valdivia
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,U.S. Naval Medical Research, Lima, Peru
| | - Laila Viana de Almeida
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mariana Santos Cardoso
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Lúcia M C Galvão
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Egler Chiari
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Daniella C Bartholomeu
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
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13
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Reis-Cunha JL, Valdivia HO, Bartholomeu DC. Gene and Chromosomal Copy Number Variations as an Adaptive Mechanism Towards a Parasitic Lifestyle in Trypanosomatids. Curr Genomics 2018; 19:87-97. [PMID: 29491737 PMCID: PMC5814966 DOI: 10.2174/1389202918666170911161311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are a group of kinetoplastid parasites including some of great public health importance, causing debilitating and life-long lasting diseases that affect more than 24 million people worldwide. Among the trypanosomatids, Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei and species from the Leishmania genus are the most well studied parasites, due to their high prevalence in human infections. These parasites have an extreme genomic and phenotypic variability, with a massive expansion in the copy number of species-specific multigene families enrolled in host-parasite interactions that mediate cellular invasion and immune evasion processes. As most trypanosomatids are heteroxenous, and therefore their lifecycles involve the transition between different hosts, these parasites have developed several strategies to ensure a rapid adaptation to changing environments. Among these strategies, a rapid shift in the repertoire of expressed genes, genetic variability and genome plasticity are key mechanisms. Trypanosomatid genomes are organized into large directional gene clusters that are transcribed polycistronically, where genes derived from the same polycistron may have very distinct mRNA levels. This particular mode of transcription implies that the control of gene expression operates mainly at post-transcriptional level. In this sense, gene duplications/losses were already associated with changes in mRNA levels in these parasites. Gene duplications also allow the generation of sequence variability, as the newly formed copy can diverge without loss of function of the original copy. Recently, aneuploidies have been shown to occur in several Leishmania species and T. cruzi strains. Although aneuploidies are usually associated with debilitating phenotypes in superior eukaryotes, recent data shows that it could also provide increased fitness in stress conditions and generate drug resistance in unicellular eukaryotes. In this review, we will focus on gene and chromosomal copy number variations and their relevance to the evolution of trypanosomatid parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Luís Reis-Cunha
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Hugo O. Valdivia
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Centro de Investigaciones Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales, Callao, Peru
| | - Daniella Castanheira Bartholomeu
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Laboratório de Imunologia e Genômica de Parasitos, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Centro de Investigaciones Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales, Callao, Peru
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14
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Schmid-Hempel P, Aebi M, Barribeau S, Kitajima T, du Plessis L, Schmid-Hempel R, Zoller S. The genomes of Crithidia bombi and C. expoeki, common parasites of bumblebees. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0189738. [PMID: 29304093 PMCID: PMC5755769 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids (Trypanosomatidae, Kinetoplastida) are flagellated protozoa containing many parasites of medical or agricultural importance. Among those, Crithidia bombi and C. expoeki, are common parasites in bumble bees around the world, and phylogenetically close to Leishmania and Leptomonas. They have a simple and direct life cycle with one host, and partially castrate the founding queens greatly reducing their fitness. Here, we report the nuclear genome sequences of one clone of each species, extracted from a field-collected infection. Using a combination of Roche 454 FLX Titanium, Pacific Biosciences PacBio RS, and Illumina GA2 instruments for C. bombi, and PacBio for C. expoeki, we could produce high-quality and well resolved sequences. We find that these genomes are around 32 and 34 MB, with 7,808 and 7,851 annotated genes for C. bombi and C. expoeki, respectively-which is somewhat less than reported from other trypanosomatids, with few introns, and organized in polycistronic units. A large fraction of genes received plausible functional support in comparison primarily with Leishmania and Trypanosoma. Comparing the annotated genes of the two species with those of six other trypanosomatids (C. fasciculata, L. pyrrhocoris, L. seymouri, B. ayalai, L. major, and T. brucei) shows similar gene repertoires and many orthologs. Similar to other trypanosomatids, we also find signs of concerted evolution in genes putatively involved in the interaction with the host, a high degree of synteny between C. bombi and C. expoeki, and considerable overlap with several other species in the set. A total of 86 orthologous gene groups show signatures of positive selection in the branch leading to the two Crithidia under study, mostly of unknown function. As an example, we examined the initiating glycosylation pathway of surface components in C. bombi, finding it deviates from most other eukaryotes and also from other kinetoplastids, which may indicate rapid evolution in the extracellular matrix that is involved in interactions with the host. Bumble bees are important pollinators and Crithidia-infections are suspected to cause substantial selection pressure on their host populations. These newly sequenced genomes provide tools that should help better understand host-parasite interactions in these pollinator pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Markus Aebi
- Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Seth Barribeau
- Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Louis du Plessis
- Institute of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Stefan Zoller
- Genetic Diversity Centre (GDC), ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
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15
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Pech-Canul ÁDLC, Monteón V, Solís-Oviedo RL. A Brief View of the Surface Membrane Proteins from Trypanosoma cruzi. J Parasitol Res 2017; 2017:3751403. [PMID: 28656101 PMCID: PMC5474541 DOI: 10.1155/2017/3751403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the causal agent of Chagas' disease which affects millions of people around the world mostly in Central and South America. T. cruzi expresses a wide variety of proteins on its surface membrane which has an important role in the biology of these parasites. Surface molecules of the parasites are the result of the environment to which the parasites are exposed during their life cycle. Hence, T. cruzi displays several modifications when they move from one host to another. Due to the complexity of this parasite's cell surface, this review presents some membrane proteins organized as large families, as they are the most abundant and/or relevant throughout the T. cruzi membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel de la Cruz Pech-Canul
- Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, The University of Nottingham, University Park, University Blvd, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Victor Monteón
- Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Av. Patricio Trueba s/n, Col. Lindavista, 24039 Campeche, CAM, Mexico
| | - Rosa-Lidia Solís-Oviedo
- Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, The University of Nottingham, University Park, University Blvd, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
- Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Av. Patricio Trueba s/n, Col. Lindavista, 24039 Campeche, CAM, Mexico
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16
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Verissimo-Villela E, Kitahara-Oliveira MY, Reis ABDBD, Albano RM, Da-Cruz AM, Bello AR. Functional complementation of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis AP endonuclease gene (lamap) in Escherichia coli mutant strains challenged with DNA damage agents. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2017; 111:349-54. [PMID: 27223868 PMCID: PMC4878305 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760150412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
During its life cycle Leishmania spp. face several stress conditions
that can cause DNA damages. Base Excision Repair plays an important role in DNA
maintenance and it is one of the most conserved mechanisms in all living organisms.
DNA repair in trypanosomatids has been reported only for Old World
Leishmania species. Here the AP endonuclease from
Leishmania (L.) amazonensis was cloned, expressed in
Escherichia coli mutants defective on the DNA repair machinery,
that were submitted to different stress conditions, showing ability to survive in
comparison to the triple null mutant parental strain BW535. Phylogenetic and multiple
sequence analyses also confirmed that LAMAP belongs to the AP endonuclease class of
proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Verissimo-Villela
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Milene Yoko Kitahara-Oliveira
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Ana Beatriz de Bragança Dos Reis
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Rodolpho Mattos Albano
- Laboratório de Genoma, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Alda Maria Da-Cruz
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Alexandre Ribeiro Bello
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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17
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Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase from Trypanosoma cruzi for the management of Chagas disease: an underexplored therapeutic opportunity. Future Med Chem 2016; 8:311-24. [DOI: 10.4155/fmc.15.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
An α-carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) was recently discovered, cloned and characterized in the genome of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, a neglected but widespread tropical disease. Inhibition of this α-CAs (TcCA) with anions, sulfonamides, sulfamates, thiols and hydroxamates has been investigated in detail, with several low nanomolar in vitro inhibitors. Although the sulfonamides were the best in vitro inhibitors, they showed no ex vivo anti-T. cruzi activity, due to poor penetration. However, some thiols and hydroxamates acting as low nanomolar TcCA inhibitors also showed significant antitrypanosomal ex vivo activity, making this enzyme an attractive yet underexplored drug target for the management of Chagas disease.
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18
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Niimi T. Leishmania tarentolae for the Production of Multi-subunit Complexes. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR PROTEIN COMPLEX PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION 2016; 896:155-65. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-27216-0_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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19
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Marchat LA, Arzola-Rodríguez SI, Hernandez-de la Cruz O, Lopez-Rosas I, Lopez-Camarillo C. DEAD/DExH-Box RNA Helicases in Selected Human Parasites. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2015; 53:583-95. [PMID: 26537038 PMCID: PMC4635832 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.5.583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
DEAD/DExH-box RNA helicases catalyze the folding and remodeling of RNA molecules in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, as well as in many viruses. They are characterized by the presence of the helicase domain with conserved motifs that are essential for ATP binding and hydrolysis, RNA interaction, and unwinding activities. Large families of DEAD/DExH-box proteins have been described in different organisms, and their role in all molecular processes involving RNA, from transcriptional regulation to mRNA decay, have been described. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge about DEAD/DExH-box proteins in selected protozoan and nematode parasites of medical importance worldwide, such as Plasmodium falciparum, Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma spp., Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Brugia malayi. We discuss the functional characterization of several proteins in an attempt to understand better the molecular mechanisms involving RNA in these pathogens. The current data also highlight that DEAD/DExH-box RNA helicases might represent feasible drug targets due to their vital role in parasite growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence A Marchat
- Institutional Program of Molecular Biomedicine, Biotechnology Program, National School of Medicine and Homeopathy of the National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, CP 07320, Mexico
| | | | | | - Itzel Lopez-Rosas
- Institutional Program of Molecular Biomedicine, Biotechnology Program, National School of Medicine and Homeopathy of the National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, CP 07320, Mexico
| | - Cesar Lopez-Camarillo
- Genomics Sciences Program, Autonomous University of Mexico City, Mexico City, CP 03100, Mexico
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20
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Monteiro LM, Tavares GD, Ferreira EI, Consiglieri VO, Bou-Chacra NA, Löbenberg R. Reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography for quantification of hydroxymethylnitrofurazone in polymeric nanoparticles. BRAZ J PHARM SCI 2015. [DOI: 10.1590/s1984-82502015000300008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydroxymethylnitrofurazone (NFOH) is a new compound with potential leishmanicidal and trypanocidal activity. Despite its effectiveness, the formulators have to overcome its poor aqueous solubility. Recently, polymeric nano-scale drug delivery systems have proposed for the treatment of neglected diseases. As several studies have confirmed the advantages of such formulations, and this approach provides new analytical challenges, including the need to detect trace amounts of the drug. A suitable method was developed and validated for NFOH determination bound to poly (n-butylcyanoacrylate) (PBCA) nanoparticles. The chromatographic separation was achieved using a C18 column maintained at 25 ºC and an isocratic mobile phase consisting of water and acetonitrile: 80:20 (v/v) at a flow rate of 1.2 mL min-1 and UV-detection at 265 nm. Investigated validation parameters included selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision and robustness (changes in column temperature, mobile phase composition and flow). The method was specific, the peak of NFOH had no interference with any nanoparticle excipients and no co-elution with main degradation product (nitrofurazone). Linearity was over the range of 0.94 13.11 μg mL-1 (r2=0.999). The method was accurate and precise, recovery of 100.7%, RSD of 0.4%; intra-day and inter-day RSD range 9.98-9.99 μg mL-1 and 0.3% to 0.5%, respectively. Robustness confirmed that method could resist the applied changes. Application of the optimized method revealed an encapsulation efficiency of 64.4% (n=3). Therefore, the method was successfully developed and validated for the determination of the encapsulation efficiency of NFOH-PBCA nanoparticles.
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Bartholomeu DC, de Paiva RMC, Mendes TAO, DaRocha WD, Teixeira SMR. Unveiling the intracellular survival gene kit of trypanosomatid parasites. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004399. [PMID: 25474314 PMCID: PMC4256449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are unicellular protozoans of medical and economical relevance since they are the etiologic agents of infectious diseases in humans as well as livestock. Whereas Trypanosoma cruzi and different species of Leishmania are obligate intracellular parasites, Trypanosoma brucei and other trypanosomatids develop extracellularly throughout their entire life cycle. After their genomes have been sequenced, various comparative genomic studies aimed at identifying sequences involved with host cell invasion and intracellular survival have been described. However, for only a handful of genes, most of them present exclusively in the T. cruzi or Leishmania genomes, has there been any experimental evidence associating them with intracellular parasitism. With the increasing number of published complete genome sequences of members of the trypanosomatid family, including not only different Trypanosoma and Leishmania strains and subspecies but also trypanosomatids that do not infect humans or other mammals, we may now be able to contemplate a slightly better picture regarding the specific set of parasite factors that defines each organism's mode of living and the associated disease phenotypes. Here, we review the studies concerning T. cruzi and Leishmania genes that have been implicated with cell invasion and intracellular parasitism and also summarize the wealth of new information regarding the mode of living of intracellular parasites that is resulting from comparative genome studies that are based on increasingly larger trypanosomatid genome datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rita Marcia Cardoso de Paiva
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Tiago A. O. Mendes
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Wanderson D. DaRocha
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
| | - Santuza M. R. Teixeira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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22
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Tschoeke DA, Nunes GL, Jardim R, Lima J, Dumaresq AS, Gomes MR, de Mattos Pereira L, Loureiro DR, Stoco PH, de Matos Guedes HL, de Miranda AB, Ruiz J, Pitaluga A, Silva FP, Probst CM, Dickens NJ, Mottram JC, Grisard EC, Dávila AM. The Comparative Genomics and Phylogenomics of Leishmania amazonensis Parasite. Evol Bioinform Online 2014; 10:131-53. [PMID: 25336895 PMCID: PMC4182287 DOI: 10.4137/ebo.s13759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2013] [Revised: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by Leishmania species. Leishmania amazonensis is a New World Leishmania species belonging to the Mexicana complex, which is able to cause all types of leishmaniasis infections. The L. amazonensis reference strain MHOM/BR/1973/M2269 was sequenced identifying 8,802 codifying sequences (CDS), most of them of hypothetical function. Comparative analysis using six Leishmania species showed a core set of 7,016 orthologs. L. amazonensis and Leishmania mexicana share the largest number of distinct orthologs, while Leishmania braziliensis presented the largest number of inparalogs. Additionally, phylogenomic analysis confirmed the taxonomic position for L. amazonensis within the “Mexicana complex”, reinforcing understanding of the split of New and Old World Leishmania. Potential non-homologous isofunctional enzymes (NISE) were identified between L. amazonensis and Homo sapiens that could provide new drug targets for development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo A Tschoeke
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gisele L Nunes
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Jardim
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Joana Lima
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Aline Sr Dumaresq
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Monete R Gomes
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leandro de Mattos Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Daniel R Loureiro
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Patricia H Stoco
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Herbert Leonel de Matos Guedes
- Laboratório de Inflamação Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Immunity, Infection and Inflammation, College of MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Antonio Basilio de Miranda
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jeronimo Ruiz
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Instituto René Rachou (Fiocruz/IRR), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - André Pitaluga
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Floriano P Silva
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Bioquímica de Proteínas e Peptídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Christian M Probst
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Instituto Carlos Chagas (Fiocruz/ICC), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Nicholas J Dickens
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Immunity, Infection and Inflammation, College of MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jeremy C Mottram
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Immunity, Infection and Inflammation, College of MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Edmundo C Grisard
- Laboratório de Protozoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Alberto Mr Dávila
- Pólo de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz/IOC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Biologia Computacional e Sistemas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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McCall LI, McKerrow JH. Determinants of disease phenotype in trypanosomatid parasites. Trends Parasitol 2014; 30:342-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Smirlis D, Soares MBP. Selection of molecular targets for drug development against trypanosomatids. Subcell Biochem 2014; 74:43-76. [PMID: 24264240 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7305-9_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatid parasites are a group of flagellated protozoa that includes the genera Leishmania and Trypanosoma, which are the causative agents of diseases (leishmaniases, sleeping sickness and Chagas disease) that cause considerable morbidity and mortality, affecting more than 27 million people worldwide. Today no effective vaccines for the prevention of these diseases exist, whereas current chemotherapy is ineffective, mainly due to toxic side effects of current drugs and to the emergence of drug resistance and lack of cost effectiveness. For these reasons, rational drug design and the search of good candidate drug targets is of prime importance. The search for drug targets requires a multidisciplinary approach. To this end, the completion of the genome project of many trypanosomatid species gives a vast amount of new information that can be exploited for the identification of good drug candidates with a prediction of "druggability" and divergence from mammalian host proteins. In addition, an important aspect in the search for good drug targets is the "target identification" and evaluation in a biological pathway, as well as the essentiality of the gene in the mammalian stage of the parasite, which is provided by basic research and genetic and proteomic approaches. In this chapter we will discuss how these bioinformatic tools and experimental evaluations can be integrated for the selection of candidate drug targets, and give examples of metabolic and signaling pathways in the parasitic protozoa that can be exploited for rational drug design.
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Pan P, Vermelho AB, Capaci Rodrigues G, Scozzafava A, Tolvanen MEE, Parkkila S, Capasso C, Supuran CT. Cloning, characterization, and sulfonamide and thiol inhibition studies of an α-carbonic anhydrase from Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. J Med Chem 2013; 56:1761-71. [PMID: 23391336 DOI: 10.1021/jm4000616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
An α-carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) has been identified, cloned, and characterized from the unicellular protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. The enzyme (TcCA) has a very high catalytic activity for the CO2 hydration reaction, being similar kinetically to the human (h) isoform hCA II, although it is devoid of the His64 proton shuttle. A large number of aromatic/heterocyclic sulfonamides and some 5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazoles were investigated as TcCA inhibitors. The aromatic sulfonamides were weak inhibitors (K(I) values of 192 nM to 84 μM), whereas some heterocyclic compounds inhibited the enzyme with K(I) values in the range 61.6-93.6 nM. The thiols were the most potent in vitro inhibitors (K(I) values of 21.1-79.0 nM), and some of them also inhibited the epimastigotes growth of two T. cruzi strains in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwen Pan
- Institute of Biomedical Technology, Fimlab Ltd., School of Medicine and BioMediTech, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Medisiinarinkatu 3, 33520 Tampere, Finland
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