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Bay ÖF, Hayes KS, Schwartz JM, Grencis RK, Roberts IS. A genome-scale metabolic model of parasitic whipworm. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6937. [PMID: 37907472 PMCID: PMC10618284 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42552-4] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-scale metabolic models are widely used to enhance our understanding of metabolic features of organisms, host-pathogen interactions and to identify therapeutics for diseases. Here we present iTMU798, the genome-scale metabolic model of the mouse whipworm Trichuris muris. The model demonstrates the metabolic features of T. muris and allows the prediction of metabolic steps essential for its survival. Specifically, that Thioredoxin Reductase (TrxR) enzyme is essential, a prediction we validate in vitro with the drug auranofin. Furthermore, our observation that the T. muris genome lacks gsr-1 encoding Glutathione Reductase (GR) but has GR activity that can be inhibited by auranofin indicates a mechanism for the reduction of glutathione by the TrxR enzyme in T. muris. In addition, iTMU798 predicts seven essential amino acids that cannot be synthesised by T. muris, a prediction we validate for the amino acid tryptophan. Overall, iTMU798 is as a powerful tool to study not only the T. muris metabolism but also other Trichuris spp. in understanding host parasite interactions and the rationale design of new intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ömer F Bay
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Bioinformatics, Abdullah Gül University, Kayseri, Türkiye
- The Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Kelly S Hayes
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- The Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jean-Marc Schwartz
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Richard K Grencis
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- The Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Ian S Roberts
- Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- The Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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