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Paredes Franco JC, Sampaio Guther ML, Lima ML, Ferguson MAJ. Characterisation of TcFUT1, a mitochondrial fucosyltransferase from Trypanosoma cruzi. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2023; 256:111590. [PMID: 37652239 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2023.111590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Previous work has shown that the TbFUT1 and LmjFUT1 genes encode essential fucosyltransferases located inside the single mitochondria of the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major, respectively. However, nothing was known about the orthologous gene TcFUT1 or its gene product in Trypanosoma cruzi, aetiological agent of Chagas disease. In this study, we describe the overexpression of TcFUT1 with a C-terminal 6xMyc epitope tag in T. cruzi epimastigote cells. Overexpressed and immunoprecipitated TcFUT1-6xMyc was used to demonstrate enzymatic activity and to explore substrate specificity. This defined TcFUT1 as a GDP-Fuc : βGal α1-2 fucosyltransferase with a strict requirement for acceptor glycans with non-reducing terminal Galβ1-3GlcNAc structures. This differs from the specificity of the T. brucei orthologue TbFUT1, which can also tolerate non-reducing terminal Galβ1-4GlcNAc and Galβ1-4Glc acceptor sites. Immunofluorescence microscopy using α-Myc tag antibodies also showed a mitochondrial location for TcFUT1 in T. cruzi epimastigote cells. Collectively, these results are like those described for TbFUT1 and LmjFUT1 from T. brucei and L. major, suggesting that FUT1 gene products have conserved function for across the trypanosomatids and may share therapeutic target potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Carlos Paredes Franco
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5HN, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Lucia Sampaio Guther
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5HN, United Kingdom
| | - Marta L Lima
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5HN, United Kingdom
| | - Michael A J Ferguson
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5HN, United Kingdom.
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2
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Serafim TD, Iniguez E, Barletta ABF, Cecilio P, Doehl JSP, Short M, Lack J, Nair V, Disotuar M, Wilson T, Coutinho-Abreu IV, Meneses C, Andersen J, Alves E Silva TL, Oliveira F, Vega-Rodriguez J, Barillas-Mury C, Ribeiro JMC, Beverley SM, Kamhawi S, Valenzuela JG. Leishmania genetic exchange is mediated by IgM natural antibodies. Nature 2023; 623:149-156. [PMID: 37880367 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06655-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Host factors that mediate Leishmania genetic exchange are not well defined. Here we demonstrate that natural IgM (IgMn)1-4 antibodies mediate parasite genetic exchange by inducing the transient formation of a spherical parasite clump that promotes parasite fusion and hybrid formation. We establish that IgMn from Leishmania-free animals binds to the surface of Leishmania parasites to induce significant changes in the expression of parasite transcripts and proteins. Leishmania binding to IgMn is partially lost after glycosidase treatment, although parasite surface phosphoglycans, including lipophosphoglycan, are not required for IgMn-induced parasite clumping. Notably, the transient formation of parasite clumps is essential for Leishmania hybridization in vitro. In vivo, we observed a 12-fold increase in hybrid formation in sand flies provided a second blood meal containing IgMn compared with controls. Furthermore, the generation of recombinant progeny from mating hybrids and parental lines were only observed in sand flies provided with IgMn. Both in vitro and in vivo IgM-induced Leishmania crosses resulted in full genome hybrids that show equal patterns of biparental contribution. Leishmania co-option of a host natural antibody to facilitate mating in the insect vector establishes a new paradigm of parasite-host-vector interdependence that contributes to parasite diversity and fitness by promoting genetic exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago D Serafim
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Eva Iniguez
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ana Beatriz F Barletta
- Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Pedro Cecilio
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Johannes S P Doehl
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Mara Short
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Justin Lack
- NIAID Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vinod Nair
- Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Maria Disotuar
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Timothy Wilson
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Iliano V Coutinho-Abreu
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Claudio Meneses
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - John Andersen
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Thiago Luiz Alves E Silva
- Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Fabiano Oliveira
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Joel Vega-Rodriguez
- Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Carolina Barillas-Mury
- Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - José M C Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Stephen M Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, School of Medicine, Washington University, St Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
| | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
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3
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Polanco G, Scott NE, Lye LF, Beverley SM. Expanded Proteomic Survey of the Human Parasite Leishmania major Focusing on Changes in Null Mutants of the Golgi GDP-Mannose/Fucose/Arabinopyranose Transporter LPG2 and of the Mitochondrial Fucosyltransferase FUT1. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0305222. [PMID: 36394313 PMCID: PMC9769760 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03052-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The trypanosomatid protozoan parasite Leishmania has a significant impact on human health globally. Understanding the pathways associated with virulence within this significant pathogen is critical for identifying novel vaccination and chemotherapy targets. Within this study we leverage an ultradeep proteomic approach to improve our understanding of two virulence-associated genes in Leishmania, encoding the Golgi mannose/arabinopyranose/fucose nucleotide-sugar transporter (LPG2) and the mitochondrial fucosyltransferase (FUT1). Using deep peptide fractionation followed by complementary fragmentation approaches with higher-energy collisional dissociation (HCD) and electron transfer dissociation (ETD) allowed the identification of over 6,500 proteins, nearly doubling the experimentally known Leishmania major proteome. This deep proteomic analysis revealed significant quantitative differences in both Δlpg2- and Δfut1s mutants with FUT1-dependent changes linked to marked alterations within mitochondrion-associated proteins, while LPG2-dependent changes impacted many pathways, including the secretory pathway. While the FUT1 enzyme has been shown to fucosylate peptides in vitro, no evidence for protein fucosylation was identified within our ultradeep analysis, nor did we observe fucosylated glycans within Leishmania glycopeptides isolated using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) enrichment. This work provides a critical resource for the community on the observable Leishmania proteome as well as highlighting phenotypic changes associated with LPG2 or FUT1, ablation of which may guide the development of future therapeutics. IMPORTANCE Leishmania is a widespread trypanosomatid protozoan parasite of humans, with ~12 million cases currently, ranging from mild to fatal, and hundreds of millions asymptomatically infected. This work advances knowledge of the experimental proteome by nearly 2-fold, to more than 6,500 proteins and thus provides a great resource to investigators seeking to decode how this parasite is transmitted and causes disease and to identify new targets for therapeutic intervention. The ultradeep proteomics approach identified potential proteins underlying the "persistence-without-pathology" phenotype of mutants with deletion of the Golgi nucleotide transporter LPG2, showing many alterations and several candidates. Studies of a rare mutant with deletion of the mitochondrial fucosyltransferase FUT1 revealed changes underlying its strong mitochondrial dysfunction but did not reveal examples of fucosylation of either peptides or N-glycans. This suggests that this vital protein's elusive target(s) may be more complex than the methods used could detect or that this target may not be a protein but perhaps another glycoconjugate or glycolipid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Polanco
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Nichollas E. Scott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lon F. Lye
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Stephen M. Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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4
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Common and unique features of glycosylation and glycosyltransferases in African trypanosomes. Biochem J 2022; 479:1743-1758. [PMID: 36066312 PMCID: PMC9472816 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic protein glycosylation is mediated by glycosyl- and oligosaccharyl-transferases. Here, we describe how African trypanosomes exhibit both evolutionary conservation and significant divergence compared with other eukaryotes in how they synthesise their glycoproteins. The kinetoplastid parasites have conserved components of the dolichol-cycle and oligosaccharyltransferases (OSTs) of protein N-glycosylation, and of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor biosynthesis and transfer to protein. However, some components are missing, and they process and decorate their N-glycans and GPI anchors in unique ways. To do so, they appear to have evolved a distinct and functionally flexible glycosyltransferases (GT) family, the GT67 family, from an ancestral eukaryotic β3GT gene. The expansion and/or loss of GT67 genes appears to be dependent on parasite biology. Some appear to correlate with the obligate passage of parasites through an insect vector, suggesting they were acquired through GT67 gene expansion to assist insect vector (tsetse fly) colonisation. Others appear to have been lost in species that subsequently adopted contaminative transmission. We also highlight the recent discovery of a novel and essential GT11 family of kinetoplastid parasite fucosyltransferases that are uniquely localised to the mitochondria of Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major. The origins of these kinetoplastid FUT1 genes, and additional putative mitochondrial GT genes, are discussed.
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Jara M, Barrett M, Maes I, Regnault C, Imamura H, Domagalska MA, Dujardin JC. Transcriptional Shift and Metabolic Adaptations during Leishmania Quiescence Using Stationary Phase and Drug Pressure as Models. Microorganisms 2022; 10:97. [PMID: 35056546 PMCID: PMC8781126 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10010097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms can adopt a quiescent physiological condition which acts as a survival strategy under unfavorable conditions. Quiescent cells are characterized by slow or non-proliferation and a deep downregulation of processes related to biosynthesis. Although quiescence has been described mostly in bacteria, this survival skill is widespread, including in eukaryotic microorganisms. In Leishmania, a digenetic parasitic protozoan that causes a major infectious disease, quiescence has been demonstrated, but the molecular and metabolic features enabling its maintenance are unknown. Here, we quantified the transcriptome and metabolome of Leishmania promastigotes and amastigotes where quiescence was induced in vitro either, through drug pressure or by stationary phase. Quiescent cells have a global and coordinated reduction in overall transcription, with levels dropping to as low as 0.4% of those in proliferating cells. However, a subset of transcripts did not follow this trend and were relatively upregulated in quiescent populations, including those encoding membrane components, such as amastins and GP63, or processes like autophagy. The metabolome followed a similar trend of overall downregulation albeit to a lesser magnitude than the transcriptome. It is noteworthy that among the commonly upregulated metabolites were those involved in carbon sources as an alternative to glucose. This first integrated two omics layers afford novel insight into cell regulation and show commonly modulated features across stimuli and stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Jara
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; (I.M.); (M.A.D.)
| | - Michael Barrett
- Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; (M.B.); (C.R.)
- Glasgow Polyomics, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Ilse Maes
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; (I.M.); (M.A.D.)
| | - Clement Regnault
- Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; (M.B.); (C.R.)
- Glasgow Polyomics, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Hideo Imamura
- Centre for Medical Genetics, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Malgorzata Anna Domagalska
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; (I.M.); (M.A.D.)
| | - Jean-Claude Dujardin
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium; (I.M.); (M.A.D.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
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6
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Bandini G, Damerow S, Sempaio Guther ML, Guo H, Mehlert A, Paredes Franco JC, Beverley S, Ferguson MAJ. An essential, kinetoplastid-specific GDP-Fuc: β-D-Gal α-1,2-fucosyltransferase is located in the mitochondrion of Trypanosoma brucei. eLife 2021; 10:e70272. [PMID: 34410224 PMCID: PMC8439653 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fucose is a common component of eukaryotic cell-surface glycoconjugates, generally added by Golgi-resident fucosyltransferases. Whereas fucosylated glycoconjugates are rare in kinetoplastids, the biosynthesis of the nucleotide sugar GDP-Fuc has been shown to be essential in Trypanosoma brucei. Here we show that the single identifiable T. brucei fucosyltransferase (TbFUT1) is a GDP-Fuc: β-D-galactose α-1,2-fucosyltransferase with an apparent preference for a Galβ1,3GlcNAcβ1-O-R acceptor motif. Conditional null mutants of TbFUT1 demonstrated that it is essential for both the mammalian-infective bloodstream form and the insect vector-dwelling procyclic form. Unexpectedly, TbFUT1 was localized in the mitochondrion of T. brucei and found to be required for mitochondrial function in bloodstream form trypanosomes. Finally, the TbFUT1 gene was able to complement a Leishmania major mutant lacking the homologous fucosyltransferase gene (Guo et al., 2021). Together these results suggest that kinetoplastids possess an unusual, conserved and essential mitochondrial fucosyltransferase activity that may have therapeutic potential across trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Bandini
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of DundeeDundeeUnited Kingdom
| | - Sebastian Damerow
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of DundeeDundeeUnited Kingdom
| | - Maria Lucia Sempaio Guther
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of DundeeDundeeUnited Kingdom
| | - Hongjie Guo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Angela Mehlert
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of DundeeDundeeUnited Kingdom
| | - Jose Carlos Paredes Franco
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of DundeeDundeeUnited Kingdom
| | - Stephen Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Michael AJ Ferguson
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of DundeeDundeeUnited Kingdom
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Guo H, Damerow S, Penha L, Menzies S, Polanco G, Zegzouti H, Ferguson MAJ, Beverley SM. A broadly active fucosyltransferase LmjFUT1 whose mitochondrial localization and activity are essential in parasitic Leishmania. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2108963118. [PMID: 34385330 PMCID: PMC8379939 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2108963118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycoconjugates play major roles in the infectious cycle of the trypanosomatid parasite Leishmania While GDP-Fucose synthesis is essential, fucosylated glycoconjugates have not been reported in Leishmania major [H. Guo et al., J. Biol. Chem. 292, 10696-10708 (2017)]. Four predicted fucosyltransferases appear conventionally targeted to the secretory pathway; SCA1/2 play a role in side-chain modifications of lipophosphoglycan, while gene deletion studies here showed that FUT2 and SCAL were not essential. Unlike most eukaryotic glycosyltransferases, the predicted α 1-2 fucosyltransferase encoded by FUT1 localized to the mitochondrion. A quantitative "plasmid segregation" assay, expressing FUT1 from the multicopy episomal pXNG vector in a chromosomal null ∆fut1- background, established that FUT1 is essential. Similarly, "plasmid shuffling" confirmed that both enzymatic activity and mitochondrial localization were required for viability, comparing import-blocked or catalytically inactive enzymes, respectively. Enzymatic assays of tagged proteins expressed in vivo or of purified recombinant FUT1 showed it had a broad fucosyltransferase activity including glycan and peptide substrates. Unexpectedly, a single rare ∆fut1- segregant (∆fut1s ) was obtained in rich media, which showed severe growth defects accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction and loss, all of which were restored upon FUT1 reexpression. Thus, FUT1 along with the similar Trypanosoma brucei enzyme TbFUT1 [G. Bandini et al., bioRxiv, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/726117v2 (2021)] joins the eukaryotic O-GlcNAc transferase isoform as one of the few glycosyltransferases acting within the mitochondrion. Trypanosomatid mitochondrial FUT1s may offer a facile system for probing mitochondrial glycosylation in a simple setting, and their essentiality for normal growth and mitochondrial function renders it an attractive target for chemotherapy of these serious human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjie Guo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Sebastian Damerow
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Trust Biocentre, College of Life Science, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Luciana Penha
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Stefanie Menzies
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Gloria Polanco
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | | | - Michael A J Ferguson
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Trust Biocentre, College of Life Science, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen M Beverley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110;
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Azevedo LG, de Queiroz ATL, Barral A, Santos LA, Ramos PIP. Proteins involved in the biosynthesis of lipophosphoglycan in Leishmania: a comparative genomic and evolutionary analysis. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:44. [PMID: 32000835 PMCID: PMC6993435 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3914-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmania spp. are digenetic parasites capable of infecting humans and causing a range of diseases collectively known as leishmaniasis. The main mechanisms involved in the development and permanence of this pathology are linked to evasion of the immune response. Crosstalk between the immune system and particularities of each pathogenic species is associated with diverse disease manifestations. Lipophosphoglycan (LPG), one of the most important molecules present on the surface of Leishmania parasites, is divided into four regions with high molecular variability. Although LPG plays an important role in host-pathogen and vector-parasite interactions, the distribution and phylogenetic relatedness of the genes responsible for its synthesis remain poorly explored. The recent availability of full genomes and transcriptomes of Leishmania parasites offers an opportunity to leverage insight on how LPG-related genes are distributed and expressed by these pathogens. RESULTS Using a phylogenomics-based framework, we identified a catalog of genes involved in LPG biosynthesis across 22 species of Leishmania from the subgenera Viannia and Leishmania, as well as 5 non-Leishmania trypanosomatids. The evolutionary relationships of these genes across species were also evaluated. Nine genes related to the production of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor were highly conserved among compared species, whereas 22 genes related to the synthesis of the repeat unit presented variable conservation. Extensive gain/loss events were verified, particularly in genes SCG1-4 and SCA1-2. These genes act, respectively, on the synthesis of the side chain attached to phosphoglycans and in the transfer of arabinose residues. Phylogenetic analyses disclosed evolutionary patterns reflective of differences in host specialization, geographic origin and disease manifestation. CONCLUSIONS The multiple gene gain/loss events identified by genomic data mining help to explain some of the observed intra- and interspecies variation in LPG structure. Collectively, our results provide a comprehensive catalog that details how LPG-related genes evolved in the Leishmania parasite specialization process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Gentil Azevedo
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Bahia Brazil
- Post-graduate Program in Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Bahia Brazil
| | - Artur Trancoso Lopo de Queiroz
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Post-graduate Program in Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Bahia Brazil
| | - Aldina Barral
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia Brazil
- Instituto de Investigação em Imunologia (iii-INCT), São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil
| | - Luciane Amorim Santos
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Bahia Brazil
| | - Pablo Ivan Pereira Ramos
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
- Post-graduate Program in Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Bahia Brazil
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9
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Mule SN, Saad JS, Fernandes LR, Stolf BS, Cortez M, Palmisano G. Protein glycosylation inLeishmaniaspp. Mol Omics 2020; 16:407-424. [DOI: 10.1039/d0mo00043d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Protein glycosylation is a co- and post-translational modification that, inLeishmaniaparasites, plays key roles in vector–parasite–vertebrate host interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Ngao Mule
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory
- Department of Parasitology
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- University of Sao Paulo
- Sao Paulo - 05508-000
| | - Joyce Silva Saad
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory
- Department of Parasitology
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- University of Sao Paulo
- Sao Paulo - 05508-000
| | - Livia Rosa Fernandes
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory
- Department of Parasitology
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- University of Sao Paulo
- Sao Paulo - 05508-000
| | - Beatriz S. Stolf
- Department of Parasitology
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- University of Sao Paulo
- Sao Paulo
- Brazil
| | - Mauro Cortez
- Department of Parasitology
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- University of Sao Paulo
- Sao Paulo
- Brazil
| | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- GlycoProteomics Laboratory
- Department of Parasitology
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- University of Sao Paulo
- Sao Paulo - 05508-000
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10
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West CM, Kim HW. Nucleocytoplasmic O-glycosylation in protists. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 56:204-212. [PMID: 31128470 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
O-Glycosylation is an increasingly recognized modification of intracellular proteins in all kingdoms of life, and its occurrence in protists has been investigated to understand its evolution and its roles in the virulence of unicellular pathogens. We focus here on two kinds of glycoregulation found in unicellular eukaryotes: one is a simple O-fucose modification of dozens if not hundreds of Ser/Thr-rich proteins, and the other a complex pentasaccharide devoted to a single protein associated with oxygen sensing and the assembly of polyubiquitin chains. These modifications are not required for life but contingently modulate biological processes in the social amoeba Dictyostelium and the human pathogen Toxoplasma gondii, and likely occur in diverse unicellular protists. O-Glycosylation that is co-localized in the cytoplasm allows for glycoregulation over the entire life of the protein, contrary to the secretory pathway where glycosylation usually occurs before its delivery to its site of function. Here, we interpret cellular roles of nucleocytoplasmic glycans in terms of current evidence for their effects on the conformation and dynamics of protist proteins, to serve as a guide for future studies to examine their broader significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M West
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA; Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA; Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA.
| | - Hyun W Kim
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 USA
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