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Trajano-Silva LAM, Mule SN, Palmisano G. Molecular tools to regulate gene expression in Trypanosoma cruzi. Adv Clin Chem 2024; 120:169-190. [PMID: 38762241 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Developing molecular strategies to manipulate gene expression in trypanosomatids is challenging, particularly with respect to the unique gene expression mechanisms adopted by these unicellular parasites, such as polycistronic mRNA transcription and multi-gene families. In the case of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), the causative agent of Chagas Disease, the lack of RNA interference machinery further complicated functional genetic studies important for understanding parasitic biology and developing biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Therefore, alternative methods of performing knockout and/or endogenous labelling experiments were developed to identify and understand the function of proteins for survival and interaction with the host. In this review, we present the main tools for the genetic manipulation of T. cruzi, focusing on the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats Cas9-associated system technique widely used in this organism. Moreover, we highlight the importance of using these tools to elucidate the function of uncharacterized and glycosylated proteins. Further developments of these technologies will allow the identification of new biomarkers, therapeutic targets and potential vaccines against Chagas disease with greater efficiency and speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lays Adrianne M Trajano-Silva
- Glycoproteomic Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Institute of Biomedical Science II, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Simon Ngao Mule
- Glycoproteomic Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Institute of Biomedical Science II, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Giuseppe Palmisano
- Glycoproteomic Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Institute of Biomedical Science II, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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2
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Niemirowicz GT, Carlevaro G, Campetella O, Bouvier LA, Mucci J. A versatile 2A peptide-based strategy for ectopic expression and endogenous gene tagging in Trypanosoma cruzi. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24595. [PMID: 38304823 PMCID: PMC10830525 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Nearly all expression vectors currently available for Trypanosoma cruzi were conceived to produce a single primary transcript containing the genes of interest along with those that confer antibiotic resistance. However, since each messenger RNA (mRNA) matures separately, drug selection will only guarantee the expression of those derived from the selectable marker. Therefore, commonly a considerable fraction of the cells recovered after selection with these expression vectors, although resistant do not express the protein of interest. Consequently, in order to counteract this disadvantage, we developed vectors with an alternative arrangement in which the gene of interest and antibiotic resistance are fused sharing the same mRNA. To test this configuration, we included the coding sequence for the green fluorescent protein (mEGFP) linked to the one conferring neomycin resistance (Neo). Additionally, to allow for the production of two independent proteins the sequence for a Thosea asigna virus self-cleaving 2A peptide (T2A) was inserted in-between. Cells obtained with these vectors displayed higher mEGFP expression levels with more homogeneous transgenic parasite populations than those transfected with more conventional independent mRNA-based alternatives. Moreover, as determined by Western blot, 2A mediated fusion protein dissociation occurred with high efficiency in all parasite stages. In addition, these vectors could easily be transformed into endogenous tagging constructs that allowed the insertion, by ends-in homologous recombination, of a hemagglutinin tag (HA) fused to the actin gene. The use of 2A self-cleaving peptides in the context of single mRNA vectors represents an interesting strategy capable of improving ectopic transgene expression in T. cruzi as well as providing a simple alternative to more sophisticated methods, such as the one based on CRISPR/Cas9, for the endogenous labeling of genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Oscar Campetella
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Universidad Nacional de San Martín–Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN). Campus Miguelete, 25 de Mayo y Francia (B1650HMP), San Martín, Argentina
| | - León A. Bouvier
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Universidad Nacional de San Martín–Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN). Campus Miguelete, 25 de Mayo y Francia (B1650HMP), San Martín, Argentina
| | - Juan Mucci
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Universidad Nacional de San Martín–Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnologías (EByN). Campus Miguelete, 25 de Mayo y Francia (B1650HMP), San Martín, Argentina
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3
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Chiurillo MA, Ahmed M, González C, Raja A, Lande N. Gene editing of putative cAMP and Ca 2+ -regulated proteins using an efficient cloning-free CRISPR/Cas9 system in Trypanosoma cruzi. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2023; 70:e12999. [PMID: 37724511 PMCID: PMC10841170 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, must adapt to a diversity of environmental conditions that it faces during its life cycle. The adaptation to these changes is mediated by signaling pathways that coordinate the cellular responses to the new environmental settings. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) and Calcium (Ca2+ ) signaling pathways regulate critical cellular processes in this parasite, such as differentiation, osmoregulation, host cell invasion and cell bioenergetics. Although the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology prompted reverse genetics approaches for functional analysis in T. cruzi, it is still necessary to expand the toolbox for genome editing in this parasite, as for example to perform multigene analysis. Here we used an efficient T7RNAP/Cas9 strategy to tag and delete three genes predicted to be involved in cAMP and Ca2+ signaling pathways: a putative Ca2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CAMK), Flagellar Member 6 (FLAM6) and Cyclic nucleotide-binding domain/C2 domain-containing protein (CC2CP). We endogenously tagged these three genes and determined the subcellular localization of the tagged proteins. Furthermore, the strategy used to knockout these genes allows us to presume that TcCC2CP is an essential gene in T. cruzi epimastigotes. Our results will open new venues for future research on the role of these proteins in T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Chiurillo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-006, United States of America
| | - Milad Ahmed
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-006, United States of America
| | - César González
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-006, United States of America
- Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud. Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
| | - Aqsa Raja
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-006, United States of America
| | - Noelia Lande
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-006, United States of America
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4
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Fesser A, Beilstein S, Kaiser M, Schmidt RS, Mäser P. Trypanosoma cruzi STIB980: A TcI Strain for Drug Discovery and Reverse Genetics. Pathogens 2023; 12:1217. [PMID: 37887733 PMCID: PMC10610277 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101217] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the first published genome sequence of Trypanosoma cruzi in 2005, there have been tremendous technological advances in genomics, reverse genetics, and assay development for this elusive pathogen. However, there is still an unmet need for new and better drugs to treat Chagas disease. Here, we introduce a T. cruzi assay strain that is useful for drug research and basic studies of host-pathogen interactions. T. cruzi STIB980 is a strain of discrete typing unit TcI that grows well in culture as axenic epimastigotes or intracellular amastigotes. We evaluated the optimal parameters for genetic transfection and constructed derivatives of T. cruzi STIB980 that express reporter genes for fluorescence- or bioluminescence-based drug efficacy testing, as well as a Cas9-expressing line for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. The genome of T. cruzi STIB980 was sequenced by combining short-read Illumina with long-read Oxford Nanopore technologies. The latter served as the primary assembly and the former to correct mistakes. This resulted in a high-quality nuclear haplotype assembly of 28 Mb in 400 contigs, containing 10,043 open-reading frames with a median length of 1077 bp. We believe that T. cruzi STIB980 is a useful addition to the antichagasic toolbox and propose that it can serve as a DTU TcI reference strain for drug efficacy testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fesser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sabina Beilstein
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Kaiser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Remo S Schmidt
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Mäser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Department Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
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5
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Minet C, Chantal I, Berthier D. Recent advances in genome editing of bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma congolense using CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins: Proof of concept. Exp Parasitol 2023; 252:108589. [PMID: 37516291 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
African Animal Trypanosomosis (AAT or Nagana) is a vector-borne disease caused by Trypanosomatidae, genus Trypanosoma. The disease is transmitted by the bite of infected hematophagous insects, mainly tsetse flies but also other blood-sucking insects including stomoxes and tabanids. Although many trypanosome species infect animals, the main agents responsible for this disease with a strong socio-economic and veterinary health impact are Trypanosoma congolense (T. congolense or Tc), Trypanosoma vivax (T.vivax), and to a lesser extent, Trypanosoma brucei brucei (T.brucei brucei or Tbb). These parasites mainly infect livestock, including cattle, in sub-Saharan Africa, with major repercussions in terms of animal productivity and poverty for populations which are often already very poor. As there is currently no vaccine, the fight against the disease is primarily based on diagnosis, treatment and vector control. To develop new tools (particularly therapeutic tools) to fight against the disease, we need to know both the biology and the genes involved in the pathogenicity and virulence of the parasites. To date, unlike for Trypanosoma brucei (T.brucei) or Trypanosoma cruzi (T.cruzi), genome editing tools has been relatively little used to study T. congolense. We present an efficient, reproducible and stable CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system for use in Tc bloodstream forms (Tc-BSF). This plasmid-free system is based on transient expression of Cas9 protein and the use of a ribonucleoprotein formed by the Cas9 and sgRNA complex. This is the first proof of concept of genome editing using CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins on Tc-BSF. This adapted protocol enriches the "toolbox" for the functional study of genes of interest in blood forms of the Trypanosoma congolense. This proof of concept is an important step for the scientific community working on the study of trypanosomes and opens up new perspectives for the control of and fight against animal trypanosomosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Minet
- CIRAD, UMR INTERTRYP, F-34398, Montpellier, France; INTERTRYP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Isabelle Chantal
- CIRAD, UMR INTERTRYP, F-34398, Montpellier, France; INTERTRYP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - David Berthier
- CIRAD, UMR INTERTRYP, F-34398, Montpellier, France; INTERTRYP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier, France
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Ansori ANM, Antonius Y, Susilo RJK, Hayaza S, Kharisma VD, Parikesit AA, Zainul R, Jakhmola V, Saklani T, Rebezov M, Ullah ME, Maksimiuk N, Derkho M, Burkov P. Application of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology in various fields: A review. NARRA J 2023; 3:e184. [PMID: 38450259 PMCID: PMC10916045 DOI: 10.52225/narra.v3i2.184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 has emerged as a revolutionary tool that enables precise and efficient modifications of the genetic material. This review provides a comprehensive overview of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its applications in genome editing. We begin by describing the fundamental principles of CRISPR-Cas9 technology, explaining how the system utilizes a single guide RNA (sgRNA) to direct the Cas9 nuclease to specific DNA sequences in the genome, resulting in targeted double-stranded breaks. In this review, we provide in-depth explorations of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its applications in agriculture, medicine, environmental sciences, fisheries, nanotechnology, bioinformatics, and biotechnology. We also highlight its potential, ongoing research, and the ethical considerations and controversies surrounding its use. This review might contribute to the understanding of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and its implications in various fields, paving the way for future developments and responsible applications of this transformative technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arif NM. Ansori
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany
| | - Yulanda Antonius
- Faculty of Biotechnology, Universitas Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Raden JK. Susilo
- Nanotechology Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Suhailah Hayaza
- Nanotechology Engineering Study Program, Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Viol D. Kharisma
- Doctoral Program of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
- Generasi Biologi Indonesia Foundation, Gresik, Indonesia
| | - Arli A. Parikesit
- Department of Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences (i3L), Jakarta,Indonesia
| | - Rahadian Zainul
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia
| | - Vikash Jakhmola
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | - Taru Saklani
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | - Maksim Rebezov
- Department of Scientific Research, V. M. Gorbatov Federal Research Center for Food Systems, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Ural State Agrarian University, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
| | - Md. Emdad Ullah
- Department of Chemistry, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, United States
| | - Nikolai Maksimiuk
- Institute of Medical Education, Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University, Velikiy Novgorod, Russian Federation
| | - Marina Derkho
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, South Ural State Agrarian University, Troitsk, Russian Federation
| | - Pavel Burkov
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, South Ural State Agrarian University, Troitsk, Russian Federation
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7
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Chiurillo MA, Ahmed M, González C, Raja A, Lander N. Gene editing of putative cAMP and Ca 2+ -regulated proteins using an efficient cloning-free CRISPR/Cas9 system in Trypanosoma cruzi. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.09.548290. [PMID: 37502958 PMCID: PMC10369910 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.09.548290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi , the agent of Chagas disease, must adapt to a diversity of environmental conditions that it faces during its life cycle. The adaptation to these changes is mediated by signaling pathways that coordinate the cellular responses to the new environmental settings. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) and Calcium (Ca 2+ ) signaling pathways regulate critical cellular processes in this parasite, such as differentiation, osmoregulation, host cell invasion and cell bioenergetics. Although the use of CRISPR/Cas9 technology prompted reverse genetics approaches for functional analysis in T. cruzi , it is still necessary to expand the toolbox for genome editing in this parasite, as for example to perform multigene analysis. Here we used an efficient T7RNAP/Cas9 strategy to tag and delete three genes predicted to be involved in cAMP and Ca 2+ signaling pathways: a putative Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase ( CAMK ), Flagellar Member 6 ( FLAM6 ) and Cyclic nucleotide-binding domain/C2 domain-containing protein ( CC2CP ). We endogenously tagged these three genes and determined the subcellular localization of the tagged proteins. Furthermore, the strategy used to knockout these genes allow us to presume that TcCC2CP is an essential gene in T. cruzi epimastigotes. Our results will open new venues for future research on the role of these proteins in T. cruzi .
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8
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Gabaldón-Figueira JC, Martinez-Peinado N, Escabia E, Ros-Lucas A, Chatelain E, Scandale I, Gascon J, Pinazo MJ, Alonso-Padilla J. State-of-the-Art in the Drug Discovery Pathway for Chagas Disease: A Framework for Drug Development and Target Validation. Res Rep Trop Med 2023; 14:1-19. [PMID: 37337597 PMCID: PMC10277022 DOI: 10.2147/rrtm.s415273] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is the most important protozoan infection in the Americas, and constitutes a significant public health concern throughout the world. Development of new medications against its etiologic agent, Trypanosoma cruzi, has been traditionally slow and difficult, lagging in comparison with diseases caused by other kinetoplastid parasites. Among the factors that explain this are the incompletely understood mechanisms of pathogenesis of T. cruzi infection and its complex set of interactions with the host in the chronic stage of the disease. These demand the performance of a variety of in vitro and in vivo assays as part of any drug development effort. In this review, we discuss recent breakthroughs in the understanding of the parasite's life cycle and their implications in the search for new chemotherapeutics. For this, we present a framework to guide drug discovery efforts against Chagas disease, considering state-of-the-art preclinical models and recently developed tools for the identification and validation of molecular targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nieves Martinez-Peinado
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisa Escabia
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Ros-Lucas
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eric Chatelain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Scandale
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joaquim Gascon
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - María-Jesús Pinazo
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
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Santi AMM, Ribeiro JM, Reis-Cunha JL, Burle-Caldas GDA, Santos IFM, Silva PA, Resende DDM, Bartholomeu DC, Teixeira SMR, Murta SMF. Disruption of multiple copies of the Prostaglandin F2alpha synthase gene affects oxidative stress response and infectivity in Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010845. [PMID: 36260546 PMCID: PMC9581433 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a serious chronic parasitic disease, currently treated with Nifurtimox (NFX) and Benznidazole (BZ). In addition to high toxicity, these drugs have low healing efficacy, especially in the chronic phase of the disease. The existence of drug-resistant T. cruzi strains and the occurrence of cross-resistance between BZ and NFX have also been described. In this context, it is urgent to study the metabolism of these drugs in T. cruzi, to better understand the mechanisms of resistance. Prostaglandin F2α synthase (PGFS) is an enzyme that has been correlated with parasite resistance to BZ, but the mechanism by which resistance occurs is still unclear. Our results show that the genome of the CL Brener clone of T. cruzi, contains five PGFS sequences and three potential pseudogenes. Using CRISPR/Cas9 we generated knockout cell lines in which all PGFS sequences were disrupted, as shown by PCR and western blotting analyses. The PGFS deletion did not alter the growth of the parasites or their susceptibility to BZ and NFX when compared to wild-type (WT) parasites. Interestingly, NTR-1 transcripts were shown to be upregulated in ΔPGFS mutants. Furthermore, the ΔPGFS parasites were 1.6 to 1.7-fold less tolerant to oxidative stress generated by menadione, presented lower levels of lipid bodies than the control parasites during the stationary phase, and were less infective than control parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Murta Santi
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Juliana Martins Ribeiro
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João Luís Reis-Cunha
- Departamento de Parasitologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Paula Alves Silva
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniela de Melo Resende
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Silvane Maria Fonseca Murta
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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10
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Kent RS, Briggs EM, Colon BL, Alvarez C, Silva Pereira S, De Niz M. Paving the Way: Contributions of Big Data to Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid Research. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:900878. [PMID: 35734575 PMCID: PMC9207352 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.900878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the age of big data an important question is how to ensure we make the most out of the resources we generate. In this review, we discuss the major methods used in Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid research to produce big datasets and advance our understanding of Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Trypanosoma and Leishmania biology. We debate the benefits and limitations of the current technologies, and propose future advancements that may be key to improving our use of these techniques. Finally, we consider the difficulties the field faces when trying to make the most of the abundance of data that has already been, and will continue to be, generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn S. Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Emma M. Briggs
- Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice L. Colon
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Catalina Alvarez
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sara Silva Pereira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana De Niz
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- *Correspondence: Mariana De Niz,
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11
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Teixeira TL, Chiurillo MA, Lander N, Rodrigues CC, Onofre TS, Ferreira ÉR, Yonamine CM, Santos JDG, Mortara RA, da Silva CV, da Silveira JF. Ablation of the P21 Gene of Trypanosoma cruzi Provides Evidence of P21 as a Mediator in the Control of Epimastigote and Intracellular Amastigote Replication. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:799668. [PMID: 35252026 PMCID: PMC8895596 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.799668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
P21 is an immunomodulatory protein expressed throughout the life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that P21 plays an important role in the invasion of mammalian host cells and establishment of infection in a murine model. P21 functions as a signal transducer, triggering intracellular cascades in host cells and resulting in the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton and parasite internalization. Furthermore, in vivo studies have shown that P21 inhibits angiogenesis, induces inflammation and fibrosis, and regulates intracellular amastigote replication. In this study, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system for P21 gene knockout and investigated whether the ablation of P21 results in changes in the phenotypes associated with this protein. Ablation of P21 gene resulted in a lower growth rate of epimastigotes and delayed cell cycle progression, accompanied by accumulation of parasites in G1 phase. However, P21 knockout epimastigotes were viable and able to differentiate into metacyclic trypomastigotes, which are infective to mammalian cells. In comparison with wild-type parasites, P21 knockout cells showed a reduced cell invasion rate, demonstrating the role of this protein in host cell invasion. However, there was a higher number of intracellular amastigotes per cell, suggesting that P21 is a negative regulator of amastigote proliferation in mammalian cells. Here, for the first time, we demonstrated the direct correlation between P21 and the replication of intracellular amastigotes, which underlies the chronicity of T. cruzi infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaise Lara Teixeira
- Departmento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Miguel Angel Chiurillo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Noelia Lander
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | | | - Thiago Souza Onofre
- Departmento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Éden Ramalho Ferreira
- Departmento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila Miyagui Yonamine
- Departmento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Renato Arruda Mortara
- Departmento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudio Vieira da Silva
- Laboratório de Tripanosomatídeos, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Claudio Vieira da Silva, ; José Franco da Silveira,
| | - José Franco da Silveira
- Departmento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Claudio Vieira da Silva, ; José Franco da Silveira,
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Niziolek M, Bicka M, Osinka A, Samsel Z, Sekretarska J, Poprzeczko M, Bazan R, Fabczak H, Joachimiak E, Wloga D. PCD Genes-From Patients to Model Organisms and Back to Humans. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031749. [PMID: 35163666 PMCID: PMC8836003 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a hereditary genetic disorder caused by the lack of motile cilia or the assembxly of dysfunctional ones. This rare human disease affects 1 out of 10,000-20,000 individuals and is caused by mutations in at least 50 genes. The past twenty years brought significant progress in the identification of PCD-causative genes and in our understanding of the connections between causative mutations and ciliary defects observed in affected individuals. These scientific advances have been achieved, among others, due to the extensive motile cilia-related research conducted using several model organisms, ranging from protists to mammals. These are unicellular organisms such as the green alga Chlamydomonas, the parasitic protist Trypanosoma, and free-living ciliates, Tetrahymena and Paramecium, the invertebrate Schmidtea, and vertebrates such as zebrafish, Xenopus, and mouse. Establishing such evolutionarily distant experimental models with different levels of cell or body complexity was possible because both basic motile cilia ultrastructure and protein composition are highly conserved throughout evolution. Here, we characterize model organisms commonly used to study PCD-related genes, highlight their pros and cons, and summarize experimental data collected using these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Niziolek
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
| | - Marta Bicka
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, 1 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Osinka
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
| | - Zuzanna Samsel
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
| | - Justyna Sekretarska
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
| | - Martyna Poprzeczko
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
- Laboratory of Immunology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 5 Pawinskiego Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Rafal Bazan
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
| | - Hanna Fabczak
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
| | - Ewa Joachimiak
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
- Correspondence: (E.J.); (D.W.); Tel.: +48-22-58-92-338 (E.J. & D.W.)
| | - Dorota Wloga
- Laboratory of Cytoskeleton and Cilia Biology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteur Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.N.); (M.B.); (A.O.); (Z.S.); (J.S.); (M.P.); (R.B.); (H.F.)
- Correspondence: (E.J.); (D.W.); Tel.: +48-22-58-92-338 (E.J. & D.W.)
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Assis LHC, Andrade-Silva D, Shiburah ME, de Oliveira BCD, Paiva SC, Abuchery BE, Ferri YG, Fontes VS, de Oliveira LS, da Silva MS, Cano MIN. Cell Cycle, Telomeres, and Telomerase in Leishmania spp.: What Do We Know So Far? Cells 2021; 10:cells10113195. [PMID: 34831418 PMCID: PMC8621916 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniases belong to the inglorious group of neglected tropical diseases, presenting different degrees of manifestations severity. It is caused by the transmission of more than 20 species of parasites of the Leishmania genus. Nevertheless, the disease remains on the priority list for developing new treatments, since it affects millions in a vast geographical area, especially low-income people. Molecular biology studies are pioneers in parasitic research with the aim of discovering potential targets for drug development. Among them are the telomeres, DNA–protein structures that play an important role in the long term in cell cycle/survival. Telomeres are the physical ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Due to their multiple interactions with different proteins that confer a likewise complex dynamic, they have emerged as objects of interest in many medical studies, including studies on leishmaniases. This review aims to gather information and elucidate what we know about the phenomena behind Leishmania spp. telomere maintenance and how it impacts the parasite’s cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz H. C. Assis
- Telomeres Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (L.H.C.A.); (D.A.-S.); (M.E.S.); (B.C.D.d.O.); (S.C.P.); (V.S.F.); (L.S.d.O.)
| | - Débora Andrade-Silva
- Telomeres Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (L.H.C.A.); (D.A.-S.); (M.E.S.); (B.C.D.d.O.); (S.C.P.); (V.S.F.); (L.S.d.O.)
| | - Mark E. Shiburah
- Telomeres Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (L.H.C.A.); (D.A.-S.); (M.E.S.); (B.C.D.d.O.); (S.C.P.); (V.S.F.); (L.S.d.O.)
| | - Beatriz C. D. de Oliveira
- Telomeres Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (L.H.C.A.); (D.A.-S.); (M.E.S.); (B.C.D.d.O.); (S.C.P.); (V.S.F.); (L.S.d.O.)
| | - Stephany C. Paiva
- Telomeres Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (L.H.C.A.); (D.A.-S.); (M.E.S.); (B.C.D.d.O.); (S.C.P.); (V.S.F.); (L.S.d.O.)
| | - Bryan E. Abuchery
- DNA Replication and Repair Laboratory (DRRL), Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (B.E.A.); (Y.G.F.)
| | - Yete G. Ferri
- DNA Replication and Repair Laboratory (DRRL), Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (B.E.A.); (Y.G.F.)
| | - Veronica S. Fontes
- Telomeres Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (L.H.C.A.); (D.A.-S.); (M.E.S.); (B.C.D.d.O.); (S.C.P.); (V.S.F.); (L.S.d.O.)
| | - Leilane S. de Oliveira
- Telomeres Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (L.H.C.A.); (D.A.-S.); (M.E.S.); (B.C.D.d.O.); (S.C.P.); (V.S.F.); (L.S.d.O.)
| | - Marcelo S. da Silva
- DNA Replication and Repair Laboratory (DRRL), Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (B.E.A.); (Y.G.F.)
- Correspondence: (M.S.d.S.); (M.I.N.C.)
| | - Maria Isabel N. Cano
- Telomeres Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil; (L.H.C.A.); (D.A.-S.); (M.E.S.); (B.C.D.d.O.); (S.C.P.); (V.S.F.); (L.S.d.O.)
- Correspondence: (M.S.d.S.); (M.I.N.C.)
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14
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Chiurillo MA, Jensen BC, Docampo R. Drug Target Validation of the Protein Kinase AEK1, Essential for Proliferation, Host Cell Invasion, and Intracellular Replication of the Human Pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0073821. [PMID: 34585973 PMCID: PMC8557885 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00738-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation is involved in several key biological roles in the complex life cycle of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, and protein kinases are potential drug targets. Here, we report that the AGC essential kinase 1 (TcAEK1) exhibits a cytosolic localization and a higher level of expression in the replicative stages of the parasite. A CRISPR/Cas9 editing technique was used to generate ATP analog-sensitive TcAEK1 gatekeeper residue mutants that were selectively and acutely inhibited by bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs). Analysis of a single allele deletion cell line (TcAEK1-SKO), and gatekeeper mutants upon treatment with inhibitor, showed that epimastigote forms exhibited a severe defect in cytokinesis. Moreover, we also demonstrated that TcAEK1 is essential for epimastigote proliferation, trypomastigote host cell invasion, and amastigote replication. We suggest that TcAEK1 is a pleiotropic player involved in cytokinesis regulation in T. cruzi and thus validate TcAEK1 as a drug target for further exploration. The gene editing strategy we applied to construct the ATP analog-sensitive enzyme could be appropriate for the study of other proteins of the T. cruzi kinome. IMPORTANCE Chagas disease affects 6 to 7 million people in the Americas, and its treatment has been limited to drugs with relatively high toxicity and low efficacy in the chronic phase of the infection. New validated targets are needed to combat this disease. In this work, we report the chemical and genetic validation of the protein kinase AEK1, which is essential for cytokinesis and infectivity, using a novel gene editing strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Chiurillo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Bryan C. Jensen
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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15
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Chiurillo MA, Lander N. The long and winding road of reverse genetics in Trypanosoma cruzi. MICROBIAL CELL 2021; 8:203-207. [PMID: 34527719 PMCID: PMC8404153 DOI: 10.15698/mic2021.09.758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosomes are early divergent protists with distinctive features among eukaryotic cells. Together with Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma cruzi has been one of the most studied members of the group. This protozoan parasite is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a leading cause of heart disease in the Americas, for which there is no vaccine or satisfactory treatment available. Understanding T. cruzi biology is crucial to identify alternative targets for antiparasitic interventions. Genetic manipulation of T. cruzi has been historically challenging. However, the emergence of CRISPR/Cas9 technology has significantly improved the ability to generate genetically modified T. cruzi cell lines. Still, the system alone is not sufficient to answer all biologically relevant questions. In general, current genetic methods have limitations that should be overcome to advance in the study of this peculiar parasite. In this brief historic overview, we highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the molecular strategies that have been developed to genetically modify T. cruzi, emphasizing the future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Chiurillo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Noelia Lander
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
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16
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Lander N, Chiurillo MA, Docampo R. Signaling pathways involved in environmental sensing in Trypanosoma cruzi. Mol Microbiol 2021; 115:819-828. [PMID: 33034088 PMCID: PMC8032824 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a unicellular parasite and the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. The parasite has a digenetic life cycle alternating between mammalian and insect hosts, where it faces a variety of environmental conditions to which it must adapt in order to survive. The adaptation to these changes is mediated by signaling pathways that coordinate the cellular responses to the new environmental settings. Major environmental changes include temperature, nutrient availability, ionic composition, pH, osmolarity, oxidative stress, contact with host cells and tissues, host immune response, and intracellular life. Some of the signaling pathways and second messengers potentially involved in the response to these changes have been elucidated in recent years and will be the subject of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Lander
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Miguel A. Chiurillo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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Chiurillo MA, Lander N, Vercesi AE, Docampo R. IP3 receptor-mediated Ca2+ release from acidocalcisomes regulates mitochondrial bioenergetics and prevents autophagy in Trypanosoma cruzi. Cell Calcium 2020; 92:102284. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2020.102284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Yagoubat A, Corrales RM, Bastien P, Lévêque MF, Sterkers Y. Gene Editing in Trypanosomatids: Tips and Tricks in the CRISPR-Cas9 Era. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:745-760. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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19
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Van den Kerkhof M, Sterckx YGJ, Leprohon P, Maes L, Caljon G. Experimental Strategies to Explore Drug Action and Resistance in Kinetoplastid Parasites. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E950. [PMID: 32599761 PMCID: PMC7356981 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8060950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Kinetoplastids are the causative agents of leishmaniasis, human African trypanosomiasis, and American trypanosomiasis. They are responsible for high mortality and morbidity in (sub)tropical regions. Adequate treatment options are limited and have several drawbacks, such as toxicity, need for parenteral administration, and occurrence of treatment failure and drug resistance. Therefore, there is an urgency for the development of new drugs. Phenotypic screening already allowed the identification of promising new chemical entities with anti-kinetoplastid activity potential, but knowledge on their mode-of-action (MoA) is lacking due to the generally applied whole-cell based approach. However, identification of the drug target is essential to steer further drug discovery and development. Multiple complementary techniques have indeed been used for MoA elucidation. In this review, the different 'omics' approaches employed to define the MoA or mode-of-resistance of current reference drugs and some new anti-kinetoplastid compounds are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Van den Kerkhof
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (M.V.d.K.); (L.M.)
| | - Yann G.-J. Sterckx
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry (LMB), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium;
| | - Philippe Leprohon
- Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie du Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada;
| | - Louis Maes
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (M.V.d.K.); (L.M.)
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; (M.V.d.K.); (L.M.)
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Rose E, Carvalho JL, Hecht M. Mechanisms of DNA repair in Trypanosoma cruzi: What do we know so far? DNA Repair (Amst) 2020; 91-92:102873. [PMID: 32505694 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2020.102873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas Disease, which affects 6-7 million people worldwide. Since the early stages of infection and throughout its life cycle, the parasite is exposed to several genotoxic agents. Furthermore, DNA damage is also part of the mechanism of action of at least a few trypanocidal drugs, including Benznidazole. Thus, it is paramount for the parasite to count on an efficient DNA repair machinery to guarantee genome integrity and survival. The present work provides an up-to-date review of both the conserved and peculiar DNA repair mechanisms described in T. cruzi against oxidative stress, ultraviolet and ionizing radiation, DNA adduct-inducing agents, and Benznidazole. The comprehension of the DNA repair mechanisms of the parasite may shed light on the parasite evolution and possibly pave the way for the development of novel and more effective trypanocidal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Rose
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
| | - Juliana Lott Carvalho
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology Program, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Mariana Hecht
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Biosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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21
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Lander N, Cruz-Bustos T, Docampo R. A CRISPR/Cas9-riboswitch-Based Method for Downregulation of Gene Expression in Trypanosoma cruzi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:68. [PMID: 32175288 PMCID: PMC7056841 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Few genetic tools were available to work with Trypanosoma cruzi until the recent introduction of the CRISPR/Cas9 technique for gene knockout, gene knock-in, gene complementation, and endogenous gene tagging. Riboswitches are naturally occurring self-cleaving RNAs (ribozymes) that can be ligand-activated. Results from our laboratory recently demonstrated the usefulness of the glmS ribozyme from Bacillus subtilis, which has been shown to control reporter gene expression in response to exogenous glucosamine, for gene silencing in Trypanosoma brucei. In this work we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system for endogenously tagging T. cruzi glycoprotein 72 (TcGP72) and vacuolar proton pyrophosphatase (TcVP1) with the active (glmS) or inactive (M9) ribozyme. Gene tagging was confirmed by PCR and protein downregulation was verified by western blot analyses. Further phenotypic characterization was performed by immunofluorescence analysis and quantification of growth in vitro. Our results indicate that the method was successful in silencing the expression of both genes without the need of glucosamine in the medium, suggesting that T. cruzi produces enough levels of endogenous glucosamine 6-phosphate to stimulate the glmS ribozyme activity under normal growth conditions. This method could be useful to obtain knockdowns of essential genes in T. cruzi and to validate potential drug targets in this parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Lander
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Teresa Cruz-Bustos
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.,Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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Benaim G, Paniz-Mondolfi AE, Sordillo EM, Martinez-Sotillo N. Disruption of Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis as a Therapeutic Target Against Trypanosoma cruzi. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:46. [PMID: 32133302 PMCID: PMC7040492 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is no effective cure for Chagas disease, which is caused by infection with the arthropod-borne parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. In the search for new drugs to treat Chagas disease, potential therapeutic targets have been identified by exploiting the differences between the mechanisms involved in intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, both in humans and in trypanosomatids. In the trypanosomatid, intracellular Ca2+ regulation requires the concerted action of three intracellular organelles, the endoplasmic reticulum, the single unique mitochondrion, and the acidocalcisomes. The single unique mitochondrion and the acidocalcisomes also play central roles in parasite bioenergetics. At the parasite plasma membrane, a Ca2+-−ATPase (PMCA) with significant differences from its human counterpart is responsible for Ca2+ extrusion; a distinctive sphingosine-activated Ca2+ channel controls Ca2+ entrance to the parasite interior. Several potential anti-trypansosomatid drugs have been demonstrated to modulate one or more of these mechanisms for Ca2+ regulation. The antiarrhythmic agent amiodarone and its derivatives have been shown to exert trypanocidal effects through the disruption of parasite Ca2+ homeostasis. Similarly, the amiodarone-derivative dronedarone disrupts Ca2+ homeostasis in T. cruzi epimastigotes, collapsing the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and inducing a large increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) from this organelle and from the acidocalcisomes in the parasite cytoplasm. The same general mechanism has been demonstrated for SQ109, a new anti-tuberculosis drug with potent trypanocidal effect. Miltefosine similarly induces a large increase in the [Ca2+]i acting on the sphingosine-activated Ca2+ channel, the mitochondrion and acidocalcisomes. These examples, in conjunction with other evidence we review herein, strongly support targeting Ca2+ homeostasis as a strategy against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Benaim
- Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, Caracas, Venezuela.,Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Biología Experimental, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Alberto E Paniz-Mondolfi
- Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, Caracas, Venezuela.,Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Emilia Mia Sordillo
- Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.,Institute for Health Sciences, Mount Sinai St. Luke's & Mount Sinai West, New York, NY, United States
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