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Parasite protein phosphatases: biological function, virulence, and host immune evasion. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:2703-2715. [PMID: 34309709 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07259-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Protein phosphatases are enzymes that dephosphorylate tyrosine and serine/threonine amino acid residues. Although their role in cellular processes has been best characterized in higher eukaryotes, they have also been identified and studied in different pathogenic microorganisms (e.g., parasites) in the last two decades. Whereas some parasite protein phosphatases carry out functions similar to those of their homologs in yeast and mammalian cells, others have unique structural and/or functional characteristics. Thus, the latter unique phosphatases may be instrumental as targets for drug therapy or as markers for diagnosis. It is important to better understand the involvement of protein phosphatases in parasites in relation to their cell cycle, metabolism, virulence, and evasion of the host immune response. The up-to-date information about parasite phosphatases of medical and veterinarian relevance is herein reviewed.
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Escalona-Montaño AR, Zuñiga-Fabián M, Cabrera N, Mondragón-Flores R, Gómez-Sandoval JN, Rojas-Bernabé A, González-Canto A, Gutiérrez-Kobeh L, Pérez-Montfort R, Becker I, Aguirre-García MM. Protein Serine/Threonine Phosphatase Type 2C of Leishmania mexicana. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:641356. [PMID: 33937094 PMCID: PMC8082450 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.641356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are increasingly recognized as important processes for regulating multiple physiological mechanisms. Phosphorylation is carried out by protein kinases and dephosphorylation by protein phosphatases. Phosphoprotein phosphatases (PPPs), one of three families of protein serine/threonine phosphatases, have great structural diversity and are involved in regulating many cell functions. PP2C, a type of PPP, is found in Leishmania, a dimorphic protozoan parasite and the causal agent of leishmaniasis. The aim of this study was to clone, purify, biochemically characterize and quantify the expression of PP2C in Leishmania mexicana (LmxPP2C). Recombinant LmxPP2C dephosphorylated a specific threonine (with optimal activity at pH 8) in the presence of the manganese divalent cation (Mn+2). LmxPP2C activity was inhibited by sanguinarine (a specific inhibitor) but was unaffected by protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors. Western blot analysis indicated that anti-LmxPP2C antibodies recognized a molecule of 45.2 kDa. Transmission electron microscopy with immunodetection localized LmxPP2C in the flagellar pocket and flagellum of promastigotes but showed poor staining in amastigotes. Interestingly, LmxPP2C belongs to the ortholog group OG6_142542, which contains only protozoa of the family Trypanosomatidae. This suggests a specific function of the enzyme in the flagellar pocket of these microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alma Reyna Escalona-Montaño
- Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez., Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Mariana Zuñiga-Fabián
- Ciencias Experimentales, Escuela Nacional Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades Plantel, Naucalpan, Mexico
| | - Nallely Cabrera
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Mondragón-Flores
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados (CINVESTAV-IPN), Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Jenny Nancy Gómez-Sandoval
- División de Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Universidad Politécnica del Valle de Toluca, Almoloya de Juárez, Mexico
| | - Araceli Rojas-Bernabé
- Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Augusto González-Canto
- Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hospital General de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Laila Gutiérrez-Kobeh
- Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez., Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ruy Pérez-Montfort
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ingeborg Becker
- Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hospital General de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Maria Magdalena Aguirre-García
- Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez., Ciudad de México, Mexico
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Prestes EB, Stoco PH, de Moraes MH, Moura H, Grisard EC. Messenger RNA levels of the Polo-like kinase gene (PLK) correlate with cytokinesis in the Trypanosoma rangeli cell cycle. Exp Parasitol 2019; 204:107727. [PMID: 31344389 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2019.107727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2019] [Revised: 07/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma rangeli is a protozoan parasite that is non-virulent to the mammalian host and is morphologically and genomically related to Trypanosoma cruzi, whose proliferation within the mammalian host is controversially discussed. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the T. rangeli cell cycle in vitro and in vivo by characterizing the timespan of the parasite life cycle and by proposing a molecular marker to assess cytokinesis. METHODOLOGY The morphological events and their timing during the cell cycle of T. rangeli epimastigotes were assessed using DNA staining, flagellum labelling and bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Messenger RNA levels of four genes previously associated with the cell cycle of trypanosomatids (AUK1, PLK, MOB1 and TRACK) were evaluated in the different T. rangeli forms. FINDINGS T. rangeli epimastigotes completed the cell cycle in vitro in 20.8 h. PLK emerged as a potential molecular marker for cell division, as its mRNA levels were significantly increased in exponentially growing epimastigotes compared with growth-arrested parasites or in vitro-differentiated trypomastigotes. PLK expression in T. rangeli can be detected near the flagellum protrusion site, reinforcing its role in the cell cycle. Interestingly, T. rangeli bloodstream trypomastigotes exhibited very low mRNA levels of PLK and were almost entirely composed of parasites in G1 phase. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Our work is the first to describe the T. rangeli cell cycle in vitro and proposes that PLK mRNA levels could be a useful tool to investigate the T. rangeli ability to proliferate within the mammalian host bloodstream.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Beatriz Prestes
- Laboratórios de Protozoologia e de Bioinformática, MIP/CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Laboratório de Inflamação e Imunidade, IMPG/CCS, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia Hermes Stoco
- Laboratórios de Protozoologia e de Bioinformática, MIP/CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Milene Höehr de Moraes
- Laboratórios de Protozoologia e de Bioinformática, MIP/CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Hércules Moura
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Edmundo Carlos Grisard
- Laboratórios de Protozoologia e de Bioinformática, MIP/CCB, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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Protein phosphatase PP2C in the flagellum of Leishmania major: cloning and characterization. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1017/pao.2017.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe main goal of this work consisted in cloning, purifying and characterizing a protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) from promastigotes ofLeishmania major. The gene was cloned and amplified by PCR using specific oligonucleotides and the recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography. The peak with maximal protein concentration was analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and revealed a protein of 44·9 kDa with PP2C activity. This activity was dependent on divalent cations (Mg+2and Mn+2) and was optimal at pH of 8·5, using phosphothreonine as the substrate. Sanguinarine inhibited the activity of the recombinantLmPP2C, while protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors had no effect. The recombinantLmPP2C was used to generate polyclonal antibodies. These antibodies recognized a protein of 44·9 kDa in differentLeishmaniaspecies; theLmPP2C was localized in the flagellar pocket and the flagellum of promastigotes.
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Sincero TCM, Stoco PH, Steindel M, Vallejo GA, Grisard EC. Trypanosoma rangeli displays a clonal population structure, revealing a subdivision of KP1(-) strains and the ancestry of the Amazonian group. Int J Parasitol 2015; 45:225-35. [PMID: 25592964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Revised: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Assessment of the genetic variability and population structure of Trypanosoma rangeli, a non-pathogenic American trypanosome, was carried out through microsatellite and single-nucleotide polymorphism analyses. Two approaches were used for microsatellite typing: data mining in expressed sequence tag /open reading frame expressed sequence tags libraries and PCR-based Isolation of Microsatellite Arrays from genomic libraries. All microsatellites found were evaluated for their abundance, frequency and usefulness as markers. Genotyping of T. rangeli strains and clones was performed for 18 loci amplified by PCR from expressed sequence tag/open reading frame expressed sequence tags libraries. The presence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the nuclear, multi-copy, spliced leader gene was assessed in 18 T. rangeli strains, and the results show that T. rangeli has a predominantly clonal population structure, allowing a robust phylogenetic analysis. Microsatellite typing revealed a subdivision of the KP1(-) genetic group, which may be influenced by geographical location and/or by the co-evolution of parasite and vectors occurring within the same geographical areas. The hypothesis of parasite-vector co-evolution was corroborated by single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis of the spliced leader gene. Taken together, the results suggest three T. rangeli groups: (i) the T. rangeli Amazonian group; (ii) the T. rangeli KP1(-) group; and (iii) the T. rangeli KP1(+) group. The latter two groups possibly evolved from the Amazonian group to produce KP1(+) and KP1(-) strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Cristine Marques Sincero
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Departamento de Análises Clínicas (ACL), Setor E, Bloco K, Florianópolis, SC 88.040-970, Brazil.
| | - Patricia Hermes Stoco
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia (MIP), Setor F, Bloco A, Florianópolis, SC 88.040-970, Brazil
| | - Mário Steindel
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia (MIP), Setor F, Bloco A, Florianópolis, SC 88.040-970, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Adolfo Vallejo
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Parasitología Tropical, Universidad del Tolima, Altos de Santa Helena, A.A. 546, Ibagué, Colombia
| | - Edmundo Carlos Grisard
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia (MIP), Setor F, Bloco A, Florianópolis, SC 88.040-970, Brazil.
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Trypanosoma rangeli: An alkaline ecto-phosphatase activity is involved with survival and growth of the parasite. Exp Parasitol 2013; 135:459-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2013.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2013] [Revised: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 08/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Lountos GT, Tropea JE, Waugh DS. Structure of the Trypanosoma cruzi protein tyrosine phosphatase TcPTP1, a potential therapeutic target for Chagas' disease. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2012; 187:1-8. [PMID: 23137716 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2012.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2012] [Revised: 10/22/2012] [Accepted: 10/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Chagas' disease, a neglected tropical affliction transmitted by the flagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is prevalent in Latin America and affects nearly 18 million people worldwide, yet few approved drugs are available to treat the disease. Moreover, the currently available drugs exhibit severe toxicity or are poorly effective in the chronic phase of the disease. This limitation, along with the large population at risk, underscores the urgent need to discover new molecular targets and novel therapeutic agents. Recently, the T. cruzi protein tyrosine phosphatase TcPTP1 has been implicated in the cellular differentiation and infectivity of the parasite and is therefore a promising target for the design of novel anti-parasitic drugs. Here, we report the X-ray crystal structure of TcPTP1 refined to a resolution of 2.18 Å, which provides structural insights into the active site environment that can be used to initiate structure-based drug design efforts to develop specific TcPTP1 inhibitors. Potential strategies to develop such inhibitors are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- George T Lountos
- Basic Science Program, SAIC-Frederick, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
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