Expression and cellular localisation of Trypanosoma cruzi calpains
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
; 115: e200142, 2020. tab, graf
Article
in En
| LILACS, SES-SP
| ID: biblio-1135283
Responsible library:
BR1.1
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Calpains are present in almost all organisms and comprise a family of calcium-dependent cysteine peptidases implicated in crucial cellular functions. Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, presents an expansion on this gene family with unexplored biological properties. OBJECTIVES Here, we searched for calpains in the T. cruzi genome, evaluated the mRNA levels, calpain activity and the protein expression and determined the cellular localisation in all three parasite life cycle forms. METHODS/FINDINGS Sixty-three calpain sequences were identified in T. cruzi CL Brener genome, with fourteen domain arrangements. The comparison of calpain mRNA abundance by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) revealed seven up-regulated sequences in amastigotes and/or bloodstream trypomastigotes and five in epimastigotes. Western Blotting analysis revealed seven different molecules in the three parasite forms, and one amastigote-specific, while no proteolytic activity could be detected. Flow cytometry assays revealed a higher amount of intracellular calpains in amastigotes and/or trypomastigotes in comparison to epimastigotes. Finally, ultrastructural analysis revealed the presence of calpains in the cytoplasm, vesicular and plasma membranes of the three parasite forms, and in the paraflagellar rod in trypomastigotes. CONCLUSION Calpains are differentially expressed and localised in the T. cruzi life cycle forms. This study adds data on the calpain occurrence and expression pattern in T. cruzi.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
LILACS
/
SES-SP
Main subject:
Trypanosoma cruzi
/
Calpain
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz
Journal subject:
MEDICINA TROPICAL
/
PARASITOLOGIA
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Country of publication:
Brazil