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Panska L, Nedvedova S, Vacek V, Krivska D, Konecny L, Knop F, Kutil Z, Skultetyova L, Leontovyc A, Ulrychova L, Sakanari J, Asahina M, Barinka C, Macurkova M, Dvorak J. Uncovering the essential roles of glutamate carboxypeptidase 2 orthologs in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biosci Rep 2024; 44:BSR20230502. [PMID: 38108122 PMCID: PMC10794815 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20230502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Human glutamate carboxypeptidase 2 (GCP2) from the M28B metalloprotease group is an important target for therapy in neurological disorders and an established tumor marker. However, its physiological functions remain unclear. To better understand general roles, we used the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans to genetically manipulate its three existing orthologous genes and evaluate the impact on worm physiology. The results of gene knockout studies showed that C. elegans GCP2 orthologs affect the pharyngeal physiology, reproduction, and structural integrity of the organism. Promoter-driven GFP expression revealed distinct localization for each of the three gene paralogs, with gcp-2.1 being most abundant in muscles, intestine, and pharyngeal interneurons, gcp-2.2 restricted to the phasmid neurons, and gcp-2.3 located in the excretory cell. The present study provides new insight into the unique phenotypic effects of GCP2 gene knockouts in C. elegans, and the specific tissue localizations. We believe that elucidation of particular roles in a non-mammalian organism can help to explain important questions linked to physiology of this protease group and in extension to human GCP2 involvement in pathophysiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Panska
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Stepanka Nedvedova
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Vacek
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Krivska
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Lukas Konecny
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague 2 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Knop
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague 2 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Zsofia Kutil
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Prumyslova 595, Vestec 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Lubica Skultetyova
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Prumyslova 595, Vestec 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Adrian Leontovyc
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Ulrychova
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague 2 128 00, Czech Republic
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Judy Sakanari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, 1700 4th Street, CA 94143, USA
| | - Masako Asahina
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16th Street, CA 94143, U.S.A
| | - Cyril Barinka
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Prumyslova 595, Vestec 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Macurkova
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Vinicna 7, Prague 2 128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dvorak
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Kamycka 129, Prague 165 00, Czech Republic
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo n. 2, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
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Jedlickova L, Peterkova K, Boateng EM, Ulrychova L, Vacek V, Kutil Z, Jiang Z, Novakova Z, Snajdr I, Kim J, O’Donoghue AJ, Barinka C, Dvorak J. Characterization of glutamate carboxypeptidase 2 orthologs in trematodes. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:480. [PMID: 36539882 PMCID: PMC9768917 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05556-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glutamate carboxypeptidase 2 (GCP2) belongs to the M28B metalloprotease subfamily encompassing a variety of zinc-dependent exopeptidases that can be found in many eukaryotes, including unicellular organisms. Limited information exists on the physiological functions of GCP2 orthologs in mammalian tissues outside of the brain and intestine, and such data are completely absent for non-mammalian species. Here, we investigate GCP2 orthologs found in trematodes, not only as putative instrumental molecules for defining their basal function(s) but also as drug targets. METHODS Identified genes encoding M28B proteases Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola hepatica genomes were analyzed and annotated. Homology modeling was used to create three-dimensional models of SmM28B and FhM28B proteins using published X-ray structures as the template. For S. mansoni, RT-qPCR was used to evaluate gene expression profiles, and, by RNAi, we exploited the possible impact of knockdown on the viability of worms. Enzymes from both parasite species were cloned for recombinant expression. Polyclonal antibodies raised against purified recombinant enzymes and RNA probes were used for localization studies in both parasite species. RESULTS Single genes encoding M28B metalloproteases were identified in the genomes of S. mansoni and F. hepatica. Homology models revealed the conserved three-dimensional fold as well as the organization of the di-zinc active site. Putative peptidase activities of purified recombinant proteins were assayed using peptidic libraries, yet no specific substrate was identified, pointing towards the likely stringent substrate specificity of the enzymes. The orthologs were found to be localized in reproductive, digestive, nervous, and sensory organs as well as parenchymal cells. Knockdown of gene expression by RNAi silencing revealed that the genes studied were non-essential for trematode survival under laboratory conditions, reflecting similar findings for GCP2 KO mice. CONCLUSIONS Our study offers the first insight to our knowledge into M28B protease orthologs found in trematodes. Conservation of their three-dimensional structure, as well as tissue expression pattern, suggests that trematode GCP2 orthologs may have functions similar to their mammalian counterparts and can thus serve as valuable models for future studies aimed at clarifying the physiological role(s) of GCP2 and related subfamily proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Jedlickova
- grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XDepartment of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Kristyna Peterkova
- grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XDepartment of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague 6, Czech Republic ,grid.4491.80000 0004 1937 116XDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Enoch Mensah Boateng
- grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XDepartment of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Ulrychova
- grid.4491.80000 0004 1937 116XDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague 2, Czech Republic ,grid.418095.10000 0001 1015 3316Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo N. 2, 16610 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtech Vacek
- grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XDepartment of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Zsofia Kutil
- grid.418095.10000 0001 1015 3316Laboratory of Structural Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 42 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Zhenze Jiang
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Zora Novakova
- grid.418095.10000 0001 1015 3316Laboratory of Structural Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 42 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Snajdr
- grid.418095.10000 0001 1015 3316Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo N. 2, 16610 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Juan Kim
- grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XDepartment of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093 USA
| | - Cyril Barinka
- grid.418095.10000 0001 1015 3316Laboratory of Structural Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 42 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dvorak
- grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XDepartment of Zoology and Fisheries, Center of Infectious Animal Diseases, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague 6, Czech Republic ,grid.418095.10000 0001 1015 3316Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo N. 2, 16610 Prague 6, Czech Republic ,grid.15866.3c0000 0001 2238 631XFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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