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Cortez DR, Lima FM, Reis-Cunha JL, Bartholomeu DC, Villacis RAR, Rogatto SR, Costa-Martins AG, Marchiano FS, do Carmo RA, da Silveira JF, Marini MM. Trypanosoma cruzi Genomic Variability: Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization Analysis of Clone and Parental Strain. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:760830. [PMID: 35402315 PMCID: PMC8992781 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.760830] [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: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, exhibits extensive inter- and intrastrain genetic diversity. As we have previously described, there are some genetic differences between the parental G strain and its clone D11, which was isolated by the limiting dilution method and infection of cultured mammalian cells. Electrophoretic karyotyping and Southern blot hybridization of chromosomal bands with specific markers revealed chromosome length polymorphisms of small size with additional chromosomal bands in clone D11 and the maintenance of large syntenic groups. Both G strain and clone D11 belong to the T. cruzi lineage TcI. Here, we designed intraspecific array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to identify chromosomal regions harboring copy-number variations between clone D11 and the G strain. DNA losses were more extensive than DNA gains in clone D11. Most alterations were flanked by repeated sequences from multigene families that could be involved in the duplication and deletion events. Several rearrangements were detected by chromoblot hybridization and confirmed by aCGH. We have integrated the information of genomic sequence data obtained by aCGH to the electrophoretic karyotype, allowing the reconstruction of possible recombination events that could have generated the karyotype of clone D11. These rearrangements may be explained by unequal crossing over between sister or homologous chromatids mediated by flanking repeated sequences and unequal homologous recombination via break-induced replication. The genomic changes detected by aCGH suggest the presence of a dynamic genome that responds to environmental stress by varying the number of gene copies and generating segmental aneuploidy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Rodrigues Cortez
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio Mitsuo Lima
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Centro Universitário São Camilo, Biomedicina, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - João Luís Reis-Cunha
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | - Silvia Regina Rogatto
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Institute of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark
| | - André Guilherme Costa-Martins
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Sycko Marchiano
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Andrade do Carmo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jose Franco da Silveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Marjorie Mendes Marini, ; Jose Franco da Silveira,
| | - Marjorie Mendes Marini
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Centro Universitário São Camilo, Biomedicina, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Marjorie Mendes Marini, ; Jose Franco da Silveira,
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da Costa KM, Marques da Fonseca L, Dos Reis JS, Santos MARDC, Previato JO, Mendonça-Previato L, Freire-de-Lima L. Trypanosoma cruzi trans-Sialidase as a Potential Vaccine Target Against Chagas Disease. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:768450. [PMID: 34765570 PMCID: PMC8576188 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.768450] [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: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas’ disease is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, described in the early 20th century by the Brazilian physician Dr. Carlos Chagas. There was a great amount of research devoted to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the disease. One of the most important discoveries made since then, impacting the understanding of how the parasite interacts with the host’s immune system, was the description of trans-sialidase. It is an unique enzyme, capable of masking the parasite’s presence from the host, while at the same time dampening the activation of CD8+ T cells, the most important components of the immune response. Since the description of Chagas’ disease in 1909, extensive research has identified important events in the disease in order to understand the biochemical mechanism that modulates T. cruzi-host cell interactions and the ability of the parasite to ensure its survival. The importance of the trans-sialidase enzyme brought life to many studies for the design of diagnostic tests, drugs and vaccines. While many groups have been prolific, such efforts have encountered problems, among them: the fact that while T. cruzi have many genes that are unique to the parasite, it relies on multiple copies of them and the difficulty in providing epitopes that result in effective and robust immune responses. In this review, we aim to convey the importance of trans-sialidase as well as to provide a history, including the initial failures and the most promising successes in the chasing of a working vaccine for a disease that is endemic in many tropical countries, including Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli Monteiro da Costa
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Marques da Fonseca
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jhenifer Santos Dos Reis
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - José Osvaldo Previato
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lucia Mendonça-Previato
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Freire-de-Lima
- Laboratório de Glicobiologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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da Silva MS. DNA Double-Strand Breaks: A Double-Edged Sword for Trypanosomatids. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:669041. [PMID: 33937271 PMCID: PMC8085331 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.669041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
For nearly all eukaryotic cells, stochastic DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are one of the most deleterious types of DNA lesions. DSB processing and repair can cause sequence deletions, loss of heterozygosity, and chromosome rearrangements resulting in cell death or carcinogenesis. However, trypanosomatids (single-celled eukaryotes parasites) do not seem to follow this premise strictly. Several studies have shown that trypanosomatids depend on DSBs to perform several events of paramount importance during their life cycle. For Trypanosoma brucei, DSBs formation is associated with host immune evasion via antigenic variation. In Trypanosoma cruzi, DSBs play a crucial role in the genetic exchange, a mechanism that is still little explored but appear to be of fundamental importance for generating variability. In Leishmania spp., DSBs are necessary to generate genomic changes by gene copy number variation (CNVs), events that are essential for these organisms to overcome inhospitable conditions. As DSB repair in trypanosomatids is primarily conducted via homologous recombination (HR), most of the events associated with DSBs are HR-dependent. This review will discuss the latest findings on how trypanosomatids balance the benefits and inexorable challenges caused by DSBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Santos da Silva
- DNA Replication and Repair Laboratory (DRRL), Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
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Kirti A, Sharma M, Rani K, Bansal A. CRISPRing protozoan parasites to better understand the biology of diseases. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 180:21-68. [PMID: 33934837 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Precise gene editing techniques are paramount to gain deeper insights into the biological processes such as host-parasite interactions, drug resistance mechanisms, and gene-function relationships. Discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 system has spearheaded mechanistic understanding of protozoan parasite biology as evident from the number of reports in the last decade. Here, we have described the use of CRISPR-Cas9 in understanding the biology of medically important protozoan parasites such as Plasmodium, Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Babesia and Trichomonas. In spite of intrinsic difficulties in genome editing in these protozoan parasites, CRISPR-Cas9 has acted as a catalyst for faster generation of desired transgenic parasites. Modifications in the CRISPR-Cas9 system for improving the efficiency have been useful in better understanding the molecular mechanisms associated with repair of double strand breaks in the parasites. Moreover, improvement in reagents used for CRISPR mediated gene editing have been instrumental in addressing the issue of non-specificity and toxicity for therapeutic use. These application-based modifications may help in further increasing the efficiency of gene editing in protozoan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apurva Kirti
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Manish Sharma
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Komal Rani
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Abhisheka Bansal
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
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Genomic Organization and Generation of Genetic Variability in the RHS (Retrotransposon Hot Spot) Protein Multigene Family in Trypanosoma cruzi. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11091085. [PMID: 32957642 PMCID: PMC7563717 DOI: 10.3390/genes11091085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Retrotransposon Hot Spot (RHS) is the most abundant gene family in Trypanosoma cruzi, with unknown function in this parasite. The aim of this work was to shed light on the organization and expression of RHS in T. cruzi. The diversity of the RHS protein family in T. cruzi was demonstrated by phylogenetic and recombination analyses. Transcribed sequences carrying the RHS domain were classified into ten distinct groups of monophyletic origin. We identified numerous recombination events among the RHS and traced the origins of the donors and target sequences. The transcribed RHS genes have a mosaic structure that may contain fragments of different RHS inserted in the target sequence. About 30% of RHS sequences are located in the subtelomere, a region very susceptible to recombination. The evolution of the RHS family has been marked by many events, including gene duplication by unequal mitotic crossing-over, homologous, as well as ectopic recombination, and gene conversion. The expression of RHS was analyzed by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting using anti-RHS antibodies. RHS proteins are evenly distributed in the nuclear region of T. cruzi replicative forms (amastigote and epimastigote), suggesting that they could be involved in the control of the chromatin structure and gene expression, as has been proposed for T. brucei.
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Ramirez JL. Trypanosoma cruzi Genome 15 Years Later: What Has Been Accomplished? Trop Med Infect Dis 2020; 5:E129. [PMID: 32781761 PMCID: PMC7559697 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed5030129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
On 15 July 2020 was the 15th anniversary of the Science Magazine issue that reported three trypanosomatid genomes, namely Leishmania major, Trypanosoma brucei, and Trypanosoma cruzi. That publication was a milestone for the research community working with trypanosomatids, even more so, when considering that the first draft of the human genome was published only four years earlier after 15 years of research. Although nowadays, genome sequencing has become commonplace, the work done by researchers before that publication represented a huge challenge and a good example of international cooperation. Research in neglected diseases often faces obstacles, not only because of the unique characteristics of each biological model but also due to the lower funds the research projects receive. In the case of Trypanosoma cruzi the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, the first genome draft published in 2005 was not complete, and even after the implementation of more advanced sequencing strategies, to this date no final chromosomal map is available. However, the first genome draft enabled researchers to pick genes a la carte, produce proteins in vitro for immunological studies, and predict drug targets for the treatment of the disease or to be used in PCR diagnostic protocols. Besides, the analysis of the T. cruzi genome is revealing unique features about its organization and dynamics. In this work, I briefly summarize the actions of Latin American researchers that contributed to the first publication of the T. cruzi genome and discuss some features of the genome that may help to understand the parasite's robustness and adaptive capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Ramirez
- Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, Caracas, Venezuela and Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas 1080, Venezuela
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de Araujo CB, da Cunha JPC, Inada DT, Damasceno J, Lima ARJ, Hiraiwa P, Marques C, Gonçalves E, Nishiyama-Junior MY, McCulloch R, Elias MC. Replication origin location might contribute to genetic variability in Trypanosoma cruzi. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:414. [PMID: 32571205 PMCID: PMC7310030 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06803-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background DNA replication in trypanosomatids operates in a uniquely challenging environment, since most of their genomes are constitutively transcribed. Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, presents high variability in both chromosomes size and copy number among strains, though the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Results Here we have mapped sites of DNA replication initiation across the T. cruzi genome using Marker Frequency Analysis, which has previously only been deployed in two related trypanosomatids. The putative origins identified in T. cruzi show a notable enrichment of GC content, a preferential position at subtelomeric regions, coinciding with genes transcribed towards the telomeres, and a pronounced enrichment within coding DNA sequences, most notably in genes from the Dispersed Gene Family 1 (DGF-1). Conclusions These findings suggest a scenario where collisions between DNA replication and transcription are frequent, leading to increased genetic variability, as seen by the increase SNP levels at chromosome subtelomeres and in DGF-1 genes containing putative origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Bezerra de Araujo
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Julia Pinheiro Chagas da Cunha
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Davi Toshio Inada
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jeziel Damasceno
- The Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Alex Ranieri Jerônimo Lima
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Biomolecular - Bioinformática, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Catarina Marques
- The Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Evonnildo Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Biomolecular - Bioinformática, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Milton Yutaka Nishiyama-Junior
- Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratório Especial de Toxinologia Aplicada, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Richard McCulloch
- The Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Maria Carolina Elias
- Laboratório de Ciclo Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
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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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Ramirez JL. An Evolutionary View of Trypanosoma Cruzi Telomeres. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:439. [PMID: 31998659 PMCID: PMC6967402 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Like in most eukaryotes, the linear chromosomes of Trypanosoma cruzi end in a nucleoprotein structure called the telomere, which is preceded by regions of variable length called subtelomeres. Together telomeres and subtelomeres are dynamic sites where DNA sequence rearrangements can occur without compromising essential interstitial genes or chromosomal synteny. Good examples of subtelomeres involvement are the expansion of human olfactory receptors genes, variant surface antigens in Trypanosoma brucei, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae mating types. T. cruzi telomeres are made of long stretches of the hexameric repeat 5′-TTAGGG-OH-3′, and its subtelomeres are enriched in genes and pseudogenes from the large gene families RHS, TS and DGF1, DEAD/H-RNA helicase and N-acetyltransferase, intermingled with sequences of retrotransposons elements. In particular, members of the Trans-sialidase type II family appear to have played a role in shaping the current T. cruzi telomere structure. Although the structure and function of T. cruzi telomeric and subtelomeric regions have been documented, recent experiments are providing new insights into T. cruzi's telomere-subtelomere dynamics. In this review, I discuss the co-evolution of telomere, subtelomeres and the TS gene family, and the role that these regions may have played in shaping T. cruzi's genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Luis Ramirez
- Fundación Instituto de Estudios Avanzados and United Nations University UNU-BIOLAC, Caracas, Venezuela
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da Silva MS, Cayres-Silva GR, Vitarelli MO, Marin PA, Hiraiwa PM, Araújo CB, Scholl BB, Ávila AR, McCulloch R, Reis MS, Elias MC. Transcription activity contributes to the firing of non-constitutive origins in African trypanosomes helping to maintain robustness in S-phase duration. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18512. [PMID: 31811174 PMCID: PMC6898680 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54366-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The co-synthesis of DNA and RNA potentially generates conflicts between replication and transcription, which can lead to genomic instability. In trypanosomatids, eukaryotic parasites that perform polycistronic transcription, this phenomenon and its consequences are still little studied. Here, we showed that the number of constitutive origins mapped in the Trypanosoma brucei genome is less than the minimum required to complete replication within S-phase duration. By the development of a mechanistic model of DNA replication considering replication-transcription conflicts and using immunofluorescence assays and DNA combing approaches, we demonstrated that the activation of non-constitutive (backup) origins are indispensable for replication to be completed within S-phase period. Together, our findings suggest that transcription activity during S phase generates R-loops, which contributes to the emergence of DNA lesions, leading to the firing of backup origins that help maintain robustness in S-phase duration. The usage of this increased pool of origins, contributing to the maintenance of DNA replication, seems to be of paramount importance for the survival of this parasite that affects million people around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo S da Silva
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gustavo R Cayres-Silva
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcela O Vitarelli
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paula A Marin
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Priscila M Hiraiwa
- Plataforma de citometria de fluxo, Instituto Carlos Chagas, FIOCRUZ, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Christiane B Araújo
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruno B Scholl
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andrea R Ávila
- Laboratório de Regulação da Expressão Gênica, Instituto Carlos Chagas, FIOCRUZ, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Richard McCulloch
- The Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Marcelo S Reis
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Maria Carolina Elias
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Center of Toxins, Immune Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
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11
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Lander N, Chiurillo MA. State-of-the-art CRISPR/Cas9 Technology for Genome Editing in Trypanosomatids. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2019; 66:981-991. [PMID: 31211904 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 technology has revolutionized biology. This prokaryotic defense system against foreign DNA has been repurposed for genome editing in a broad range of cell tissues and organisms. Trypanosomatids are flagellated protozoa belonging to the order Kinetoplastida. Some of its most representative members cause important human diseases affecting millions of people worldwide, such as Chagas disease, sleeping sickness and different forms of leishmaniases. Trypanosomatid infections represent an enormous burden for public health and there are no effective treatments for most of the diseases they cause. Since the emergence of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, the genetic manipulation of these parasites has notably improved. As a consequence, genome editing is now playing a key role in the functional study of proteins, in the characterization of metabolic pathways, in the validation of alternative targets for antiparasitic interventions, and in the study of parasite biology and pathogenesis. In this work we review the different strategies that have been used to adapt the CRISPR/Cas9 system to Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, and Leishmania spp., as well as the research progress achieved using these approaches. Thereby, we will present the state-of-the-art molecular tools available for genome editing in trypanosomatids to finally point out the future perspectives in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Lander
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602
| | - Miguel A Chiurillo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602
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12
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Ding Y, Wang KF, Wang WJ, Ma YR, Shi TQ, Huang H, Ji XJ. Increasing the homologous recombination efficiency of eukaryotic microorganisms for enhanced genome engineering. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:4313-4324. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09802-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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The in vivo and in vitro roles of Trypanosoma cruzi Rad51 in the repair of DNA double strand breaks and oxidative lesions. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006875. [PMID: 30422982 PMCID: PMC6258567 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Rad51 (TcRad51) is a central enzyme for homologous recombination. Here we describe the different roles of TcRad51 in DNA repair. Epimastigotes of T. cruzi overexpressing TcRAD51 presented abundant TcRad51-labeled foci before gamma irradiation treatment, and a faster growth recovery when compared to single-knockout epimastigotes for RAD51. Overexpression of RAD51 also promoted increased resistance against hydrogen peroxide treatment, while the single-knockout epimastigotes for RAD51 exhibited increased sensitivity to this oxidant agent, which indicates a role for this gene in the repair of DNA oxidative lesions. In contrast, TcRad51 was not involved in the repair of crosslink lesions promoted by UV light and cisplatin treatment. Also, RAD51 single-knockout epimastigotes showed a similar growth rate to that exhibited by wild-type ones after treatment with hydroxyurea, but an increased sensitivity to methyl methane sulfonate. Besides its role in epimastigotes, TcRad51 is also important during mammalian infection, as shown by increased detection of T. cruzi cells overexpressing RAD51, and decreased detection of single-knockout cells for RAD51, in both fibroblasts and macrophages infected with amastigotes. Besides that, RAD51-overexpressing parasites infecting mice also presented increased infectivity and higher resistance against benznidazole. We thus show that TcRad51 is involved in the repair of DNA double strands breaks and oxidative lesions in two different T. cruzi developmental stages, possibly playing an important role in the infectivity of this parasite. Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a tropical neglected illness that affects 6 million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America. Our research group focuses on the elucidation of DNA repair and metabolism of T. cruzi, and on the possible implications of those mechanisms in both parasite genetic diversity and Chagas disease development. In this work, we investigated the involvement of homologous recombination in the oxidation-induced damage response, and in DNA repair, in T. cruzi cells after gamma radiation exposure. We also examined whether TcRad51 –a key protein for homologous recombination–could be an important factor for T. cruzi’s infectivity. We generated genetically-modified T. cruzi cells for RAD51 and studied the in vitro and in vivo infectivity of these mutant cells. Our results indicate that TcRad51 is a key protein involved in the repair of oxidative and DNA double-strand breaks lesions in two crucial developmental forms of T. cruzi.
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14
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Alves CL, Repolês BM, da Silva MS, Mendes IC, Marin PA, Aguiar PHN, Santos SDS, Franco GR, Macedo AM, Pena SDJ, Andrade LDO, Guarneri AA, Tahara EB, Elias MC, Machado CR. The recombinase Rad51 plays a key role in events of genetic exchange in Trypanosoma cruzi. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13335. [PMID: 30190603 PMCID: PMC6127316 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31541-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection of genetic exchange has been a limiting factor to deepen the knowledge on the mechanisms by which Trypanosoma cruzi is able to generate progeny and genetic diversity. Here we show that incorporation of halogenated thymidine analogues, followed by immunostaining, is a reliable method not only to detect T. cruzi fused-cell hybrids, but also to quantify their percentage in populations of this parasite. Through this approach, we were able to detect and quantify fused-cell hybrids of T. cruzi clones CL Brener and Y. Given the increased detection of fused-cell hybrids in naturally-occurring hybrid CL Brener strain, which displays increased levels of RAD51 and BRCA2 transcripts, we further investigated the role of Rad51 - a recombinase involved in homologous recombination - in the process of genetic exchange. We also verified that the detection of fused-cell hybrids in T. cruzi overexpressing RAD51 is increased when compared to wild-type cells, suggesting a key role for Rad51 either in the formation or in the stabilization of fused-cell hybrids in this organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceres Luciana Alves
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Bruno Marçal Repolês
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Santos da Silva
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Centro de Toxinas, Resposta Imune e Sinalização Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Isabela Cecília Mendes
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Paula Andrea Marin
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Centro de Toxinas, Resposta Imune e Sinalização Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Selma da Silva Santos
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Glória Regina Franco
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Andréa Mara Macedo
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Sérgio Danilo Junho Pena
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | - Erich Birelli Tahara
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Maria Carolina Elias
- Laboratório Especial de Ciclo Celular, Centro de Toxinas, Resposta Imune e Sinalização Celular, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Carlos Renato Machado
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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Möller-Hergt BV, Carlström A, Stephan K, Imhof A, Ott M. The ribosome receptors Mrx15 and Mba1 jointly organize cotranslational insertion and protein biogenesis in mitochondria. Mol Biol Cell 2018; 29:2386-2396. [PMID: 30091672 PMCID: PMC6233058 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e18-04-0227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is responsible for the production of highly hydrophobic subunits of the oxidative phosphorylation system. Membrane insertion occurs cotranslationally on membrane-bound mitochondrial ribosomes. Here, by employing a systematic mass spectrometry–based approach, we discovered the previously uncharacterized membrane protein Mrx15 that interacts via a soluble C-terminal domain with the large ribosomal subunit. Mrx15 contacts mitochondrial translation products during their synthesis and plays, together with the ribosome receptor Mba1, an overlapping role in cotranslational protein insertion. Taken together, our data reveal how these ribosome receptors organize membrane protein biogenesis in mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andreas Carlström
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katharina Stephan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Axel Imhof
- Protein Analysis Unit, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, DE-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Martin Ott
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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