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Pasupureddy R, Verma S, Goyal B, Pant A, Sharma R, Bhatt S, Vashisht K, Singh S, Saxena AK, Dixit R, Chakraborti S, Pandey KC. Understanding the complex formation of falstatin; an endogenous macromolecular inhibitor of falcipains. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 265:130420. [PMID: 38460641 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130420] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Proteolytic activity constitutes a fundamental process essential for the survival of the malaria parasite and is thus highly regulated. Falstatin, a protease inhibitor of Plasmodium falciparum, tightly regulates the activity of cysteine hemoglobinases, falcipain-2 and 3 (FP2, FP3), by inhibiting FP2 through a single surface exposed loop. However, the multimeric nature of falstatin and its interaction with FP2 remained unexplored. Here we report that the N-terminal falstatin region is highly disordered, and needs chaperone activity (heat-shock protein 70, HSP70) for its folding. Protein-protein interaction assays showed a significant interaction between falstatin and HSP70. Further, characterization of the falstatin multimer through a series of biophysical techniques identified the formation of a falstatin decamer, which was extremely thermostable. Computational analysis of the falstatin decamer showed the presence of five falstatin dimers, with each dimer aligned in a head-to-tail orientation. Further, the falstatin C-terminal region was revealed to be primarily involved in the oligomerization process. Stoichiometric analysis of the FP2-falstatin multimer showed the formation of a heterooligomeric complex in a 1:1 ratio, with the participation of ten subunits of each protein. Taken together, our results report a novel protease-inhibitor complex and strengthens our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of major plasmodium hemoglobinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Pasupureddy
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India.
| | - Sonia Verma
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Department of Biotechnology, Noida Institute of Engineering & Technology, UP, India
| | - Bharti Goyal
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP, India
| | - Akansha Pant
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Ruby Sharma
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Shruti Bhatt
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India.
| | - Kapil Vashisht
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Shailja Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
| | - Ajay K Saxena
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
| | - Rajnikant Dixit
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP, India.
| | - Soumyananda Chakraborti
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP, India.
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP, India.
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Atul, Chaudhary P, Gupta S, Shoaib R, Pasupureddy R, Goyal B, Kumar B, Singh OP, Dixit R, Singh S, Akhter M, Kapoor N, Pande V, Chakraborti S, Vashisht K, Pandey KC. Artemisinin resistance in P. falciparum: probing the interacting partners of Kelch13 protein in parasite. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2023; 35:67-75. [PMID: 37633420 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2023.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Artemisinin (ART) resistance in Plasmodium is threatening the artemisinin combination therapies-the first line of defence against malaria. ART resistance has been established to be mediated by the Plasmodium Kelch13 (PfK13) protein. For the crucial role of PfK13 in multiple pathways of the Plasmodium life cycle and ART resistance, it is imperative that we investigate its interacting partners. METHODS We recombinantly expressed PfK13-p (Bric a brac/Poxvirus and zinc finger and propeller domains), generating anti-PfK13-p antibodies to perform co-immunoprecipitation assays and probed PfK13 interacting partners. Surface plasmon resonance and pull-down assays were performed to establish physical interactions of representative proteins with PfK13-p. RESULTS The co-immunoprecipitation assays identified 17 proteins with distinct functions in the parasite life cycle- protein folding, cellular metabolism, and protein binding and invasion. In addition to the overlap with previously identified proteins, our study identified 10 unique proteins. Fructose-biphosphate aldolase and heat shock protein 70 demonstrated strong biophysical interaction with PfK13-p, with KD values of 6.6 µM and 7.6 µM, respectively. Additionally, Plasmodium merozoite surface protein 1 formed a complex with PfK13-p, which is evident from the pull-down assay. CONCLUSION This study adds to our knowledge of the PfK13 protein in mediating ART resistance by identifying new PfK13 interacting partners. Three representative proteins-fructose-biphosphate aldolase, heat shock protein 70, and merozoite surface protein 1-demonstrated clear evidence of biophysical interactions with PfK13-p. However, elucidation of the functional relevance of these physical interactions are crucial in context of PfK13 role in ART resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atul
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Preeti Chaudhary
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Department of Life Sciences, IGNOU, Delhi, India
| | - Swati Gupta
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Delhi, India
| | - Rumaisha Shoaib
- School of Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, India
| | | | - Bharti Goyal
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovation Research, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Bhumika Kumar
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Rajnikant Dixit
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Shailja Singh
- School of Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, India
| | | | - Neera Kapoor
- Department of Life Sciences, IGNOU, Delhi, India
| | - Veena Pande
- Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Soumyananda Chakraborti
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovation Research, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Kapil Vashisht
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovation Research, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Vashisht K, Goyal B, Pasupureddy R, Na BK, Shin HJ, Sahu D, De S, Chakraborti S, Pandey KC. Exploring the Immunodominant Epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein as Exposure Biomarker. Cureus 2023; 15:e34827. [PMID: 36919074 PMCID: PMC10008226 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.34827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The nucleocapsid protein (N protein) of SARS-CoV-2 is undeniably a potent target for the development of diagnostic tools due to its abundant expression and lower immune evasion pressure compared to spike (S) protein. Methods Blood samples of active COVID-19 infections (n=71) and post-COVID-19 (n=11) were collected from a tertiary care hospital in India; pre-COVID-19 (n=12) sera samples served as controls. Real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR (rRT-PCR) confirmed pooled sera samples (n=5) were used with PEPperCHIP® SARS-CoV-2 Proteome Microarray (PEPperPRINT GmbH, Germany) to screen immunodominant epitopes of SARS-CoV-2. Highly immunodominant epitopes were then commercially synthesized and further validated for their immunoreactivity by dot-blot and ELISA. Results The lowest detectable concentration (LDC) of the N1 peptide in the dot-blot assay was 12.5 µg demonstrating it to be fairly immunoreactive compared to control sera. IgG titers against the contiguous peptide (N2: 156AIVLQLPQGTTLPKGFYAEGS176) was found to be significantly higher (p=0.018) in post-COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 control sera. These results suggested that N2-specific IgG titers buildup over time as expected in post-COVID-19 sera samples, while a non-significant immunoreactivity of the N2 peptide was also observed in active-COVID-19 sera samples. However, there were no significant differences in the total IgG titers between active COVID-19 infections, post-COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 controls. Conclusion The N2-specific IgG titers in post-COVID-19 samples demonstrated the potential of N protein as an exposure biomarker, particularly in sero-surveillance studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kapil Vashisht
- Parasite-Host Biology, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR), Delhi, IND
| | - Bharti Goyal
- Parasite-Host Biology, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR), Delhi, IND.,Biological Sciences, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, IND
| | - Rahul Pasupureddy
- Parasite-Host Biology, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR), Delhi, IND
| | - Byoung-Kuk Na
- Parasitology and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, KOR
| | - Ho-Joon Shin
- Tropical Infectious Disease Cooperation Laboraory, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, KOR
| | - Dibakar Sahu
- Pulmonology Department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, IND
| | - Sajal De
- Pulmonology Department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, IND
| | - Soumyananda Chakraborti
- Parasite-Host Biology, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR), Delhi, IND.,Biological Sciences, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, IND
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- Parasite-Host Biology, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR), Delhi, IND.,Biological Sciences, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, IND
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Pasupureddy R, Atul, Seshadri S, Pande V, Dixit R, Pandey KC. Current scenario and future strategies to fight artemisinin resistance. Parasitol Res 2018; 118:29-42. [PMID: 30478733 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6126-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite several setbacks in the fight against malaria such as insecticide and drug resistance as well as low efficacy of available vaccines, considerable success in reducing malaria burden has been achieved in the past decade. Artemisinins (ARTs and their combination therapies, ACTs), the current frontline drugs against uncomplicated malaria, rapidly kill plasmodial parasites and are non-toxic at short exposures. Though the exact mode of action remains unclear, the endoperoxide bridge, indispensable for ART activity, is thought to react with heme released from hemoglobin hydrolysis and generate free radicals that alkylate multiple protein targets, thereby disrupting proteostasis pathways. However, rapid development of ART resistance in recent years with no potential alternatives on the horizon threaten the elimination efforts. The Greater Mekong Subregion in South-East Asia continues to churn out mutants resistant to multiple ACTs and detected in increasingly expanding geographies. Extensive research on ART-resistant strains have identified a potential candidate Kelch13, crucial for mediating ART resistance. Parasites with mutations in the propeller domains of Plasmodium falciparum Kelch13 protein were shown to have enhanced phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase levels that were concomitant with delayed parasite clearance. Current research focused on understanding the mechanism of Kelch13-mediated ART resistance could provide better insights into Plasmodium resistome. This review covers the current proposed mechanisms of ART activity, resistance strategies adopted by the parasite in response to ACTs and possible future approaches to mitigate the spread of resistance from South-East Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Pasupureddy
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka Sector 8, New Delhi, 110077, India.,Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382481, India
| | - Atul
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka Sector 8, New Delhi, 110077, India.,Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, 263001, India
| | - Sriram Seshadri
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 382481, India
| | - Veena Pande
- Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand, 263001, India
| | - Rajnikant Dixit
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka Sector 8, New Delhi, 110077, India
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka Sector 8, New Delhi, 110077, India. .,Department of Biochemistry, Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, 462001, India.
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Pant A, Pasupureddy R, Pande V, Seshadri S, Dixit R, Pandey KC. Proteases in Mosquito Borne Diseases: New Avenues in Drug Development. Curr Top Med Chem 2017; 17:2221-2232. [PMID: 28137230 DOI: 10.2174/1568026617666170130122231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mosquito borne diseases continue to propagate and cause millions of deaths annually. They are caused either by protozoan parasites such as Plasmodium, Toxoplasma or by flaviviruses including Dengue and Zika. Among the proteome of such parasitic organisms, proteases play essential roles in events such as host invasion, hemoglobin hydrolysis, replication and immune evasion. Plasmepsin V (PMV), an endoplasmic reticulum resident aspartic protease of Plasmodium spp., is involved in the export of ~400 proteins containing the conserved Plasmodium Export Element motif (PEXEL). Interactions and cleavage of PEXEL proteins by PM V is necessary for export to and across the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. Protease System: Similarly in flaviviruses, a two-component protease system consisting of nonstructural proteins, NS2B and NS3, interacts with other non-structural proteins and plays a major role in viral replication, polyprotein cleavage and virion particle assembly. Thus, proteases involved in indispensable roles in pathogen machinery can be considered as attractive drug targets. Inhibitors against proteases are being used in clinical trials for other communicable and non-communicable diseases. Currently, hydroxyethylamine based inhibitors targeting the catalytic site of PM V with picomolar inhibitory concentrations have been tested in vitro. CONCLUSION For recently characterized disease such as Zika, no known treatments exist while compound such as Policresulen has high affinity for Dengue NS2B/NS3 complex. Understanding proteases structure-function relationship and protease-inhibitor interactions can provide new insights for novel chemotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pant
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka Sector - 8, New Delhi - 110077, India,Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand – 263001, India
| | - R Pasupureddy
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka Sector - 8, New Delhi - 110077, India,Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat - 382481, India
| | - V Pande
- Department of Biotechnology, Kumaun University, Nainital, Uttarakhand – 263001, India
| | - S Seshadri
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG Highway, Ahmedabad, Gujarat - 382481, India
| | - R Dixit
- National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka Sector - 8, New Delhi - 110077, India
| | - K C Pandey
- Department of Biochemistry, National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, MP - 462001, India
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