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Mamudu CO, Tebamifor ME, Sule MO, Dokunmu TM, Ogunlana OO, Iheagwam FN. Apicoplast-Resident Processes: Exploiting the Chink in the Armour of Plasmodium falciparum Parasites. Adv Pharmacol Pharm Sci 2024; 2024:9940468. [PMID: 38765186 PMCID: PMC11101256 DOI: 10.1155/2024/9940468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of a relict plastid, also known as an apicoplast (apicomplexan plastid), that houses housekeeping processes and metabolic pathways critical to Plasmodium parasites' survival has prompted increased research on identifying potent inhibitors that can impinge on apicoplast-localised processes. The apicoplast is absent in humans, yet it is proposed to originate from the eukaryote's secondary endosymbiosis of a primary symbiont. This symbiotic relationship provides a favourable microenvironment for metabolic processes such as haem biosynthesis, Fe-S cluster synthesis, isoprenoid biosynthesis, fatty acid synthesis, and housekeeping processes such as DNA replication, transcription, and translation, distinct from analogous mammalian processes. Recent advancements in comprehending the biology of the apicoplast reveal it as a vulnerable organelle for malaria parasites, offering numerous potential targets for effective antimalarial therapies. We provide an overview of the metabolic processes occurring in the apicoplast and discuss the organelle as a viable antimalarial target in light of current advances in drug discovery. We further highlighted the relevance of these metabolic processes to Plasmodium falciparum during the different stages of the lifecycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collins Ojonugwa Mamudu
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence, Ota, Nigeria
| | - Mercy Eyitomi Tebamifor
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence, Ota, Nigeria
| | - Mary Ohunene Sule
- Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi, Nigeria
| | - Titilope Modupe Dokunmu
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence, Ota, Nigeria
| | - Olubanke Olujoke Ogunlana
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence, Ota, Nigeria
- Covenant University Public Health and Wellbeing Research Cluster, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
| | - Franklyn Nonso Iheagwam
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Covenant University Public Health and Wellbeing Research Cluster, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
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2
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Dong H, Yang J, He K, Zheng WB, Lai DH, Liu J, Ding HY, Wu RB, Brown KM, Hide G, Lun ZR, Zhu XQ, Long S. The Toxoplasma monocarboxylate transporters are involved in the metabolism within the apicoplast and are linked to parasite survival. eLife 2024; 12:RP88866. [PMID: 38502570 PMCID: PMC10950331 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The apicoplast is a four-membrane plastid found in the apicomplexans, which harbors biosynthesis and organelle housekeeping activities in the matrix. However, the mechanism driving the flux of metabolites, in and out, remains unknown. Here, we used TurboID and genome engineering to identify apicoplast transporters in Toxoplasma gondii. Among the many novel transporters, we show that one pair of apicomplexan monocarboxylate transporters (AMTs) appears to have evolved from a putative host cell that engulfed a red alga. Protein depletion showed that AMT1 and AMT2 are critical for parasite growth. Metabolite analyses supported the notion that AMT1 and AMT2 are associated with biosynthesis of isoprenoids and fatty acids. However, stronger phenotypic defects were observed for AMT2, including in the inability to establish T. gondii parasite virulence in mice. This study clarifies, significantly, the mystery of apicoplast transporter composition and reveals the importance of the pair of AMTs in maintaining the apicoplast activity in apicomplexans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Safety, and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiong Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai He
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Safety, and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Bin Zheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - De-Hua Lai
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Safety, and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hui-Yong Ding
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Safety, and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui-Bin Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Safety, and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Kevin M Brown
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, United States
| | - Geoff Hide
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Centre and Environmental Research and Innovation Centre, School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom
| | - Zhao-Rong Lun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Economic Animals, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China
| | - Shaojun Long
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Safety, and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and School of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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3
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Mathur V, Salomaki ED, Wakeman KC, Na I, Kwong WK, Kolisko M, Keeling PJ. Reconstruction of Plastid Proteomes of Apicomplexans and Close Relatives Reveals the Major Evolutionary Outcomes of Cryptic Plastids. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:6969433. [PMID: 36610734 PMCID: PMC9847631 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad002] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexans and related lineages comprise many obligate symbionts of animals; some of which cause notorious diseases such as malaria. They evolved from photosynthetic ancestors and transitioned into a symbiotic lifestyle several times, giving rise to species with diverse non-photosynthetic plastids. Here, we sought to reconstruct the evolution of the cryptic plastids in the apicomplexans, chrompodellids, and squirmids (ACS clade) by generating five new single-cell transcriptomes from understudied gregarine lineages, constructing a robust phylogenomic tree incorporating all ACS clade sequencing datasets available, and using these to examine in detail, the evolutionary distribution of all 162 proteins recently shown to be in the apicoplast by spatial proteomics in Toxoplasma. This expanded homology-based reconstruction of plastid proteins found in the ACS clade confirms earlier work showing convergence in the overall metabolic pathways retained once photosynthesis is lost, but also reveals differences in the degrees of plastid reduction in specific lineages. We show that the loss of the plastid genome is common and unexpectedly find many lineage- and species-specific plastid proteins, suggesting the presence of evolutionary innovations and neofunctionalizations that may confer new functional and metabolic capabilities that are yet to be discovered in these enigmatic organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric D Salomaki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Kevin C Wakeman
- Institute for the Advancement of Higher Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Ina Na
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3156-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
| | - Waldan K Kwong
- Present address: Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Martin Kolisko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Patrick J Keeling
- Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, 3156-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
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4
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Akuh OA, Elahi R, Prigge ST, Seeber F. The ferredoxin redox system - an essential electron distributing hub in the apicoplast of Apicomplexa. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:868-881. [PMID: 35999149 PMCID: PMC9481715 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The apicoplast, a relict plastid found in most species of the phylum Apicomplexa, harbors the ferredoxin redox system which supplies electrons to enzymes of various metabolic pathways in this organelle. Recent reports in Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum have shown that the iron-sulfur cluster (FeS)-containing ferredoxin is essential in tachyzoite and blood-stage parasites, respectively. Here we review ferredoxin's crucial contribution to isoprenoid and lipoate biosynthesis as well as tRNA modification in the apicoplast, highlighting similarities and differences between the two species. We also discuss ferredoxin's potential role in the initial reductive steps required for FeS synthesis as well as recent evidence that offers an explanation for how NADPH required by the redox system might be generated in Plasmodium spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ojo-Ajogu Akuh
- FG16 Parasitology, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany; Division of Biomedical Science and Biochemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Rubayet Elahi
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean T Prigge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Frank Seeber
- FG16 Parasitology, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
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5
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Fréville A, Gnangnon B, Khelifa AS, Gissot M, Khalife J, Pierrot C. Deciphering the Role of Protein Phosphatases in Apicomplexa: The Future of Innovative Therapeutics? Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030585. [PMID: 35336160 PMCID: PMC8949495 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites belonging to the Apicomplexa phylum still represent a major public health and world-wide socioeconomic burden that is greatly amplified by the spread of resistances against known therapeutic drugs. Therefore, it is essential to provide the scientific and medical communities with innovative strategies specifically targeting these organisms. In this review, we present an overview of the diversity of the phosphatome as well as the variety of functions that phosphatases display throughout the Apicomplexan parasites’ life cycles. We also discuss how this diversity could be used for the design of innovative and specific new drugs/therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Fréville
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d’Infection et d’Immunité de Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (B.G.); (A.S.K.); (M.G.); (J.K.)
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
- Correspondence: (A.F.); (C.P.)
| | - Bénédicte Gnangnon
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d’Infection et d’Immunité de Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (B.G.); (A.S.K.); (M.G.); (J.K.)
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Communicable Diseases Dynamics, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Asma S. Khelifa
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d’Infection et d’Immunité de Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (B.G.); (A.S.K.); (M.G.); (J.K.)
| | - Mathieu Gissot
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d’Infection et d’Immunité de Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (B.G.); (A.S.K.); (M.G.); (J.K.)
| | - Jamal Khalife
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d’Infection et d’Immunité de Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (B.G.); (A.S.K.); (M.G.); (J.K.)
| | - Christine Pierrot
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Centre d’Infection et d’Immunité de Lille, 59000 Lille, France; (B.G.); (A.S.K.); (M.G.); (J.K.)
- Correspondence: (A.F.); (C.P.)
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6
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Oborník M. Organellar Evolution: A Path from Benefit to Dependence. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10010122. [PMID: 35056571 PMCID: PMC8781833 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10010122] [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: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic organelles supposedly evolved from their bacterial ancestors because of their benefits to host cells. However, organelles are quite often retained, even when the beneficial metabolic pathway is lost, due to something other than the original beneficial function. The organellar function essential for cell survival is, in the end, the result of organellar evolution, particularly losses of redundant metabolic pathways present in both the host and endosymbiont, followed by a gradual distribution of metabolic functions between the organelle and host. Such biological division of metabolic labor leads to mutual dependence of the endosymbiont and host. Changing environmental conditions, such as the gradual shift of an organism from aerobic to anaerobic conditions or light to dark, can make the original benefit useless. Therefore, it can be challenging to deduce the original beneficial function, if there is any, underlying organellar acquisition. However, it is also possible that the organelle is retained because it simply resists being eliminated or digested untill it becomes indispensable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Oborník
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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7
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Oborník M, Füssy Z. Evolutionary and Molecular Aspects of Plastid Endosymbioses. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11111694. [PMID: 34827692 PMCID: PMC8615978 DOI: 10.3390/biom11111694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Oborník
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
| | - Zoltán Füssy
- Faculty of Science, BIOCEV, Charles University, 128 01 Prague, Czech Republic;
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8
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Rojas-Pirela M, Medina L, Rojas MV, Liempi AI, Castillo C, Pérez-Pérez E, Guerrero-Muñoz J, Araneda S, Kemmerling U. Congenital Transmission of Apicomplexan Parasites: A Review. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:751648. [PMID: 34659187 PMCID: PMC8519608 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.751648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexans are a group of pathogenic protists that cause various diseases in humans and animals that cause economic losses worldwide. These unicellular eukaryotes are characterized by having a complex life cycle and the ability to evade the immune system of their host organism. Infections caused by some of these parasites affect millions of pregnant women worldwide, leading to various adverse maternal and fetal/placental effects. Unfortunately, the exact pathogenesis of congenital apicomplexan diseases is far from being understood, including the mechanisms of how they cross the placental barrier. In this review, we highlight important aspects of the diseases caused by species of Plasmodium, Babesia, Toxoplasma, and Neospora, their infection during pregnancy, emphasizing the possible role played by the placenta in the host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maura Rojas-Pirela
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.,Facultad de Farmacia y Bioanálisis, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida, Venezuela
| | - Lisvaneth Medina
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Maria Verónica Rojas
- Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Ana Isabel Liempi
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian Castillo
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Núcleo de Investigación Aplicada en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de Las Américas, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Jesús Guerrero-Muñoz
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastian Araneda
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Salud y Odontología, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ulrike Kemmerling
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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9
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Kloehn J, Lacour CE, Soldati-Favre D. The metabolic pathways and transporters of the plastid organelle in Apicomplexa. Curr Opin Microbiol 2021; 63:250-258. [PMID: 34455306 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The apicoplast is the relict of a plastid organelle found in several disease-causing apicomplexan parasites such as Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii. In these organisms, the organelle has lost its photosynthetic capability but harbours several fitness-conferring or essential metabolic pathways. Although maintaining the apicoplast and fuelling the metabolic pathways within requires the challenging constant import and export of numerous metabolites across its four membranes, only few apicoplast transporters have been identified to date, most of which are orphan transporters. Here we review the roles of metabolic pathways within the apicoplast and what is currently known about the few identified apicoplast metabolite transporters. We discuss what metabolites must get in and out of the apicoplast, the many transporters that are yet to be discovered, and what role these might play in parasite metabolism and as putative drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Kloehn
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CMU, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Clément Em Lacour
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CMU, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CMU, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
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10
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Abstract
The origin of plastids (chloroplasts) by endosymbiosis stands as one of the most important events in the history of eukaryotic life. The genetic, biochemical, and cell biological integration of a cyanobacterial endosymbiont into a heterotrophic host eukaryote approximately a billion years ago paved the way for the evolution of diverse algal groups in a wide range of aquatic and, eventually, terrestrial environments. Plastids have on multiple occasions also moved horizontally from eukaryote to eukaryote by secondary and tertiary endosymbiotic events. The overall picture of extant photosynthetic diversity can best be described as “patchy”: Plastid-bearing lineages are spread far and wide across the eukaryotic tree of life, nested within heterotrophic groups. The algae do not constitute a monophyletic entity, and understanding how, and how often, plastids have moved from branch to branch on the eukaryotic tree remains one of the most fundamental unsolved problems in the field of cell evolution. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances in our understanding of the origin and spread of plastids from the perspective of comparative genomics. Recent years have seen significant improvements in genomic sampling from photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic lineages, both of which have added important pieces to the puzzle of plastid evolution. Comparative genomics has also allowed us to better understand how endosymbionts become organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon J Sibbald
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - John M Archibald
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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11
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Santos HJ, Nozaki T. Interorganellar communication and membrane contact sites in protozoan parasites. Parasitol Int 2021; 83:102372. [PMID: 33933652 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A key characteristic of eukaryotic cells is the presence of organelles with discrete boundaries and functions. Such subcellular compartmentalization into organelles necessitates platforms for communication and material exchange between each other which often involves vesicular trafficking and associated processes. Another way is via the close apposition between organellar membranes, called membrane contact sites (MCSs). Apart from lipid transfer, MCSs have been implicated to mediate in various cellular processes including ion transport, apoptosis, and organelle dynamics. In mammalian and yeast cells, contact sites have been reported between the membranes of the following: the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the plasma membrane (PM), ER and the Golgi apparatus, ER and endosomes (i.e., vacuoles, lysosomes), ER and lipid droplets (LD), the mitochondria and vacuoles, the nucleus and vacuoles, and the mitochondria and lipid droplets, whereas knowledge of MCSs in non-model organisms such as protozoan parasites is extremely limited. Growing evidence suggests that MCSs play more general and conserved roles in cell physiology. In this mini review, we summarize and discuss representative MCSs in divergent parasitic protozoa, and highlight the universality, diversity, and the contribution of MCSs to parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert J Santos
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
| | - Tomoyoshi Nozaki
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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12
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Salomaki ED, Terpis KX, Rueckert S, Kotyk M, Varadínová ZK, Čepička I, Lane CE, Kolisko M. Gregarine single-cell transcriptomics reveals differential mitochondrial remodeling and adaptation in apicomplexans. BMC Biol 2021; 19:77. [PMID: 33863338 PMCID: PMC8051059 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01007-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Apicomplexa is a diverse phylum comprising unicellular endobiotic animal parasites and contains some of the most well-studied microbial eukaryotes including the devastating human pathogens Plasmodium falciparum and Cryptosporidium hominis. In contrast, data on the invertebrate-infecting gregarines remains sparse and their evolutionary relationship to other apicomplexans remains obscure. Most apicomplexans retain a highly modified plastid, while their mitochondria remain metabolically conserved. Cryptosporidium spp. inhabit an anaerobic host-gut environment and represent the known exception, having completely lost their plastid while retaining an extremely reduced mitochondrion that has lost its genome. Recent advances in single-cell sequencing have enabled the first broad genome-scale explorations of gregarines, providing evidence of differential plastid retention throughout the group. However, little is known about the retention and metabolic capacity of gregarine mitochondria. RESULTS Here, we sequenced transcriptomes from five species of gregarines isolated from cockroaches. We combined these data with those from other apicomplexans, performed detailed phylogenomic analyses, and characterized their mitochondrial metabolism. Our results support the placement of Cryptosporidium as the earliest diverging lineage of apicomplexans, which impacts our interpretation of evolutionary events within the phylum. By mapping in silico predictions of core mitochondrial pathways onto our phylogeny, we identified convergently reduced mitochondria. These data show that the electron transport chain has been independently lost three times across the phylum, twice within gregarines. CONCLUSIONS Apicomplexan lineages show variable functional restructuring of mitochondrial metabolism that appears to have been driven by adaptations to parasitism and anaerobiosis. Our findings indicate that apicomplexans are rife with convergent adaptations, with shared features including morphology, energy metabolism, and intracellularity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Salomaki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Kristina X Terpis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Sonja Rueckert
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Michael Kotyk
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Christopher E Lane
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA.
| | - Martin Kolisko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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Tomčala A, Michálek J, Schneedorferová I, Füssy Z, Gruber A, Vancová M, Oborník M. Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Chromerids. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E1102. [PMID: 32722284 PMCID: PMC7464705 DOI: 10.3390/biom10081102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty acids are essential components of biological membranes, important for the maintenance of cellular structures, especially in organisms with complex life cycles like protozoan parasites. Apicomplexans are obligate parasites responsible for various deadly diseases of humans and livestock. We analyzed the fatty acids produced by the closest phototrophic relatives of parasitic apicomplexans, the chromerids Chromera velia and Vitrella brassicaformis, and investigated the genes coding for enzymes involved in fatty acids biosynthesis in chromerids, in comparison to their parasitic relatives. Based on evidence from genomic and metabolomic data, we propose a model of fatty acid synthesis in chromerids: the plastid-localized FAS-II pathway is responsible for the de novo synthesis of fatty acids reaching the maximum length of 18 carbon units. Short saturated fatty acids (C14:0-C18:0) originate from the plastid are then elongated and desaturated in the cytosol and the endoplasmic reticulum. We identified giant FAS I-like multi-modular enzymes in both chromerids, which seem to be involved in polyketide synthesis and fatty acid elongation. This full-scale description of the biosynthesis of fatty acids and their derivatives provides important insights into the reductive evolutionary transition of a phototropic algal ancestor to obligate parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleš Tomčala
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (J.M.); (I.S.); (Z.F.); (A.G.); (M.V.)
- Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, CENAKVA, Institute of Aquaculture and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia, Husova 458/102, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Michálek
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (J.M.); (I.S.); (Z.F.); (A.G.); (M.V.)
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Schneedorferová
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (J.M.); (I.S.); (Z.F.); (A.G.); (M.V.)
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Zoltán Füssy
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (J.M.); (I.S.); (Z.F.); (A.G.); (M.V.)
| | - Ansgar Gruber
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (J.M.); (I.S.); (Z.F.); (A.G.); (M.V.)
| | - Marie Vancová
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (J.M.); (I.S.); (Z.F.); (A.G.); (M.V.)
| | - Miroslav Oborník
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (A.T.); (J.M.); (I.S.); (Z.F.); (A.G.); (M.V.)
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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14
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Oborník M. Photoparasitism as an Intermediate State in the Evolution of Apicomplexan Parasites. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:727-734. [PMID: 32680786 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Despite the benefits of phototrophy, many algae have lost photosynthesis and have converted back to heterotrophy. Parasitism is a heterotrophic strategy, with apicomplexans being among the most devastating parasites for humans. The presence of a nonphotosynthetic plastid in apicomplexan parasites suggests their phototrophic ancestry. The discovery of related phototrophic chromerids has unlocked the possibility to study the transition between phototrophy and parasitism in the Apicomplexa. The chromerid Chromera velia can live as an intracellular parasite in coral larvae as well as a free-living phototroph, combining phototrophy and parasitism in what I call photoparasitism. Since early-branching apicomplexans live extracellularly, their evolution from an intracellular symbiont is unlikely. In this opinion article I discuss possible evolutionary trajectories from an extracellular photoparasite to an obligatory apicomplexan parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Oborník
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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15
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Kloehn J, Harding CR, Soldati-Favre D. Supply and demand-heme synthesis, salvage and utilization by Apicomplexa. FEBS J 2020; 288:382-404. [PMID: 32530125 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The Apicomplexa phylum groups important human and animal pathogens that cause severe diseases, encompassing malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis. In common with most organisms, apicomplexans rely on heme as cofactor for several enzymes, including cytochromes of the electron transport chain. This heme derives from de novo synthesis and/or the development of uptake mechanisms to scavenge heme from their host. Recent studies have revealed that heme synthesis is essential for Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites, as well as for the mosquito and liver stages of Plasmodium spp. In contrast, the erythrocytic stages of the malaria parasites rely on scavenging heme from the host red blood cell. The unusual heme synthesis pathway in Apicomplexa spans three cellular compartments and comprises enzymes of distinct ancestral origin, providing promising drug targets. Remarkably given the requirement for heme, T. gondii can tolerate the loss of several heme synthesis enzymes at a high fitness cost, while the ferrochelatase is essential for survival. These findings indicate that T. gondii is capable of salvaging heme precursors from its host. Furthermore, heme is implicated in the activation of the key antimalarial drug artemisinin. Recent findings established that a reduction in heme availability corresponds to decreased sensitivity to artemisinin in T. gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, providing insights into the possible development of combination therapies to tackle apicomplexan parasites. This review describes the microeconomics of heme in Apicomplexa, from supply, either from de novo synthesis or scavenging, to demand by metabolic pathways, including the electron transport chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Kloehn
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Clare R Harding
- Wellcome Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, University of Glasgow, UK
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16
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Salomaki ED, Lane CE. Response to Preuss and Zuccarello (2020): biological definitions that can be unambiguously applied for red algal parasites. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2020; 56:833-835. [PMID: 32160315 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In response to a comment in this issue on our proposal of new terminology to distinguish red algal parasites, we clarify a few key issues. The terms adelphoparasite and alloparasite were previously used to identify parasites that infected close or distant relatives. However, most red algal parasites have only been studied morphologically, and molecular tools have shown that these binary terms do a poor job at representing the range of parasite-host relationships. We recognize the need to clarify inferred misconceptions that appear to be drawing from historical terminology to contaminate our new definitions. We did not intend to replace the term adelphoparasite with neoplastic parasites and the term alloparasites with archaeplastic parasites. Rather, we seek to establish new terms for discussing red algal parasites, based on the retention of a native plastid, a binary biological trait that is relatively easy to identify using modern methods and has biological implications for the interactions between a parasite and its host. The new terminology can better account for the spectrum of relationships and developmental patterns found among the many independently evolved red algal parasites, and it is intended to inspire new research, particularly the role of plastids in the survival and evolution of red algal parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Salomaki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic
| | - Christopher E Lane
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
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17
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Kayama M, Maciszewski K, Yabuki A, Miyashita H, Karnkowska A, Kamikawa R. Highly Reduced Plastid Genomes of the Non-photosynthetic Dictyochophyceans Pteridomonas spp. (Ochrophyta, SAR) Are Retained for tRNA-Glu-Based Organellar Heme Biosynthesis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:602455. [PMID: 33329672 PMCID: PMC7728698 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.602455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Organisms that have lost their photosynthetic capabilities are present in a variety of eukaryotic lineages, such as plants and disparate algal groups. Most of such non-photosynthetic eukaryotes still carry plastids, as these organelles retain essential biological functions. Most non-photosynthetic plastids possess genomes with varied protein-coding contents. Such remnant plastids are known to be present in the non-photosynthetic, bacteriovorous alga Pteridomonas danica (Dictyochophyceae, Ochrophyta), which, regardless of its obligatory heterotrophic lifestyle, has been reported to retain the typically plastid-encoded gene for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) large subunit (rbcL). The presence of rbcL without photosynthetic activity suggests that investigating the function of plastids in Pteridomonas spp. would likely bring unique insights into understanding the reductive evolution of plastids, their genomes, and plastid functions retained after the loss of photosynthesis. In this study, we demonstrate that two newly established strains of the non-photosynthetic genus Pteridomonas possess highly reduced plastid genomes lacking rbcL gene, in contrast to the previous report. Interestingly, we discovered that all plastid-encoded proteins in Pteridomonas spp. are involved only in housekeeping processes (e.g., transcription, translation and protein degradation), indicating that all metabolite synthesis pathways in their plastids are supported fully by nuclear genome-encoded proteins. Moreover, through an in-depth survey of the available transcriptomic data of another strain of the genus, we detected no candidate sequences for nuclear-encoded, plastid-directed Fe-S cluster assembly pathway proteins, suggesting complete loss of this pathway in the organelle, despite its widespread conservation in non-photosynthetic plastids. Instead, the transcriptome contains plastid-targeted components of heme biosynthesis, glycolysis, and pentose phosphate pathways. The retention of the plastid genomes in Pteridomonas spp. is not explained by the Suf-mediated constraint against loss of plastid genomes, previously proposed for Alveolates, as they lack Suf genes. Bearing all these findings in mind, we propose the hypothesis that plastid DNA is retained in Pteridomonas spp. for the purpose of providing glutamyl-tRNA, encoded by trnE gene, as a substrate for the heme biosynthesis pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motoki Kayama
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kacper Maciszewski
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Akinori Yabuki
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Hideaki Miyashita
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Anna Karnkowska
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- *Correspondence: Anna Karnkowska,
| | - Ryoma Kamikawa
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Ryoma Kamikawa,
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