Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs)
play an essential
role in the
regulation of
cell differentiation in pathogenic trypanosomatids. In this study, we describe a PTP expressed by the non-pathogenic protozoan
Trypanosoma rangeli (TrPTP2). The
gene for this PTP is orthologous to the T. brucei TbPTP1 and
Trypanosoma cruzi (TcPTP2)
genes.
Cloning and expression of the TrPTP2 and TcPTP2
proteins allowed anti-PTP2
monoclonal antibodies to be generated in BALB/c
mice. When expressed by T. rangeli epimastigotes and trypomastigotes, native TrPTP2 is detected as a ~65 kDa
protein associated with the
parasite's
flagellum. Given that the
flagellum is an important structure for
cell differentiation in trypanosomatids, the presence of a
protein responsible for
tyrosine dephosphorylation in the T. rangeli
flagellum could represent an interesting mechanism of
regulation in this structure.