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Expression and copper binding properties of the N-terminal domain of copper P-type ATPases of African trypanosomes
In conclusion, Trypanosoma species express a copper-transporting P1B-1-type ATPase and together with other copper-binding proteins identified in the genomes of kinetoplastid parasites may constitute potential targets for anti-trypanosomal drug discovery.Graphical abstract (Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology)
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - November 19, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Trypanosoma brucei: inhibition of cathepsin L is sufficient to kill bloodstream forms
Publication date: Available online 16 November 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Dietmar Steverding, Stuart A. Rushworth, Bogdan I. Florea, Herman S. OverkleeftAbstractThe lysosomal cysteine protease activity of Trypanosoma brucei comprises a cathepsin B enzyme (TbCATB) and a cathepsin L enzyme (TbCATL). Inhibition of the cysteine protease activity is lethal to bloodstream-form trypanosomes but it was not entirely clear which of the two enzymes are essential for survival of the parasites. Here we show that the vinyl sulfone compound LU-102 selectively inhibits TbCATL without affecting TbCATB and ...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - November 18, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Brugia malayi galectin 2 is a tandem-repeat type galectin capable of binding mammalian polysaccharides
Publication date: Available online 15 November 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Marla I Hertz, Philip M Glaessner, Amy Rush, Philip J BudgeAbstractGalectins are among the most abundant excretory/secretory (ES) products of filarial worms, but their role in filarial biology is poorly understood. Galectin-2 (Lec-2), a major component of Brugia malayi extracellular vesicles, is released by filarial worms, and was recently identified in the serum of persons with loiasis. We therefore sought to clone and characterize Lec-2, and to develop reagents to examine its potential as a biomarker and its role i...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - November 16, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Editorial Board
Publication date: December 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Volume 234Author(s): (Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology)
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - November 16, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Genome-wide identification of ABC transporters in monogeneans
Publication date: Available online 9 November 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Víctor Caña-Bozada, F. Neptalí Morales-Serna, Alejandra García-Gasca, Raúl Llera-Herrera, Emma J. Fajer-ÁvilaAbstractATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters are proteins that actively mediate the transport of a wide variety of molecules, including drugs. Thus, in parasitology, ABC transporters have gained attention as potential targets for therapeutic drugs. Among the parasitic Platyhelminthes, ABC transporters have been identified and classified in a few species of Trematoda and Cestoda but not in Monogenea. Mo...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - November 9, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Synthetic small molecule analogues of the immunomodulatory Acanthocheilonema viteae product ES-62 promote metabolic homeostasis during obesity in a mouse model
Publication date: Available online 18 October 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Felicity E. Lumb, Jenny Crowe, James Doonan, Colin J. Suckling, Colin Selman, Margaret M. Harnett, William HarnettAbstractOne of the most rapidly increasing human public health problems is obesity, whose sequelae like type-2 diabetes, represent continuously worsening, life-long conditions. Over the last 15 years, data have begun to emerge from human and more frequently, mouse studies, that support the idea that parasitic worm infection can protect against this condition. We have therefore investigated the potential of...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - October 19, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Molecular characterization of Schistosoma mansoni tegument annexins and comparative analysis of antibody responses following parasite infection
In conclusion, the overall results present the molecular characterization of annexin B30, annexin B5a, annexin B7a and annexin B5b from S. mansoni in host-parasite interactions and strongly suggest that the molecules could be useful candidates for vaccine or diagnostic development. (Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology)
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - October 19, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor-2α in response to endoplasmic reticulum and nitrosative stress in the human protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica
We examined the morphology of the ER, tracked phosphorylation of EheIF-2α, and assessed protein translation in control and stressed cells. While all four stress-inducing reagents caused a global reduction in protein translation, only DTT was capable of also inducing changes in the morphology of the ER (consistent with ER stress) and phosphorylation of EheIF-2α. This suggests that DTT authentically induces ER stress in E. histolytica and that this stress is managed by the eIF-2α-based system. This was supported by the observation that cells expressing a non-phosphorylatable version of eIF-2α were also highly sensitive t...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - October 10, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Editorial Board
Publication date: October 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Volume 233Author(s): (Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology)
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - October 4, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Nucleotide sugar transporters of Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba invadens involved in chitin synthesis
In this study, we have identified the putative UDP-GlcNAc transporter (EiNst5) of Ei by BLASTP analysis using the amino acid sequence of EhNst3, the UDP-GlcNAc transporter of Eh. Heterologous expression of both EhNst3 and EiNst5 was found to complement the function of Yea4p (UDP-GlcNAc transporter of S. cerevisiae) in YEA4 null mutant and increased the cell wall chitin content. Like Yea4p in S. cerevisiae, Myc-epitope tagged EhNst3 and EiNst5 were localized to the endoplasmic reticulum in Δyea4 cells. The EiNST5 transcript was up-regulated during the in vitro encystation and oxidative stress in E. invadens. Similar up...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - October 3, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Phosphorylation of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2-α in Response to Endoplasmic Reticulum and Nitrosative Stress in the human protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica
We examined the morphology of the ER, tracked phosphorylation of EheIF2α, and assessed protein translation in control and stressed cells. While all four stress-inducing reagents caused a global reduction in protein translation, only DTT was capable of also inducing changes in the morphology of the ER (consistent with ER stress) and phosphorylation of EheIF-2α. This suggests that DTT authentically induces ER stress in E. histolytica and that this stress is managed by the eIF2α-based system. This was supported by the observation that cells expressing a non-phosphorylatable version of eIF-2α were also highly sensitive to ...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - September 28, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

A membrane-associated metalloprotease of Schistosoma japonicum structurally related to the FACE-1/Ste24p protease family
In this study, a full-length cDNA putatively encoding a FACE-1/Ste24p CaaX protease (type I) of the Schistosoma japonicum was isolated. The cDNA, named SjSte24p, composed of 1,646 bp and encoded 473 amino acids with predicted Mr/pI as 54.77 kDa/8.04. SjSte24p is a monoexonic gene constantly expressed in the parasite from cercariae to adult stages. It contained the characteristic of CaaX protease topology, including seven trans-membrane domains and a metallo-protease segment with a zinc-binding motif (HEXXH). SjSte24p shared a considerable degree of sequence identity with the type I CaaX proteases. A phylogenetic analysis...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - September 21, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Characterisation of a mitochondrial iron transporter of the pathogen Trypanosoma brucei
Publication date: Available online 19 September 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Fuli Zheng, Claudia Colasante, Frank VonckenAbstractSimilar to higher eukaryotes, the protist parasite T. brucei harbours several iron-containing proteins that regulate DNA and protein processing, oxidative stress defence and mitochondrial respiration. The synthesis of these proteins occurs either in the cytoplasm or within the mitochondrion. For mitochondrial iron cluster protein synthesis, iron needs to be transported across the solute impermeable mitochondrial membrane. In T. brucei we previously identified 24 mi...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - September 21, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Helminth-microbiota cross-talk – a journey through the vertebrate digestive system
Publication date: Available online 18 September 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Alba Cortés, Laura Peachey, Riccardo Scotti, Timothy P Jenkins, Cinzia CantacessiAbstractThe gastrointestinal (GI) tract of vertebrates is inhabited by a vast array of organisms, that is, the microbiota and macrobiota. The former is composed largely of commensal microorganisms, which play vital roles in host nutrition and maintenance of energy balance, in addition to supporting the development and function of the vertebrate immune system. By contrast, the macrobiota includes parasitic helminths, which are mostly co...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - September 20, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Excystation of Eimeria acervulina, E. maxima, and E. tenella differs in response to trypsin and chymotrypsin and the presence of reducing agents DTT and TCEP
In this study, it was found that adding a reducing agent, either dithiothreitol (DTT) or Tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine hydrochloride (TCEP), increased the lifespan of sporozoites released from Eimeria maxima. While the addition of DTT or TCEP affected the apparent molecular weight of trypsin, it did not interfere with excystation of E. maxima, but rather had a positive effect on the number of viable sporozoites present after release. This effect was time-dependent in that the number of intact sporozoites at 15 and 30 min after excystation was similar between untreated and DTT- or TCEP-treated sporocysts. However, by 45 ...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - September 12, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research