Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Nuclear Hormone Receptors in Parasitic Platyhelminths
Publication date: Available online 27 August 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Wenjie Wu, Philip T. LoVerdeAbstractNuclear receptors (NRs) belong to a large protein superfamily which includes intracellular receptors for secreted hydrophobic signal molecules, such as steroid hormones and thyroid hormones. They regulate development and reproduction in metazoans by binding to the promoter region of their target gene to activate or repress mRNA synthesis. Isolation and characterization of NRs in the parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni identified two homologues of mammalian thyroid receptor (TR). ...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - August 28, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Editorial Board
Publication date: September 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Volume 232Author(s): (Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology)
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - August 28, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Isolation and partial structural characterization of new Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors from the pike cestode Triaenophorus nodulosus
Publication date: Available online 24 August 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Eugene A. Rogozhin, Mikhail M. Solovyev, Tatiana V. Frolova, Galina I. IzvekovaAbstractThe inhibitors produced by the parasitic worms successfully protect them from the host’s proteases and are supposed to underlie the host-parasite specificity. Our previous study has shown that the extracts from the pike tapeworm Triaenophorus nodulosus inhibit host proteinases and commercial trypsin. We aimed to isolate and identify the components responsible for trypsin inactivation. After a two-step separation the molecular masse...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - August 25, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Leishmania amazonensis inorganic phosphate transporter system is increased in the proliferative forms
Publication date: Available online 21 August 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Luiz Fernando Carvalho-Kelly, André Luiz Gomes-Vieira, Lisvane Paes-Vieira, Amanda Durval Zeferino da Silva, José Roberto Meyer-FernandesAbstractHere we characterize a high-affinity Pi transport system energized by a H+ gradient in Leishmania amazonensis. Pi uptake and transcription of LamPho84 gene are differentially regulated during parasite life cycle. Our data suggest that Pi acquisition could be a pivotal task for the success of the parasite throughout its life cycle.Graphical abstract (Source: Molecular and Bio...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - August 22, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

A novel GCN5b lysine acetyltransferase complex associates with distinct transcription factors in the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii
We report the greatest resolution of the GCN5b complex to date under these various culture conditions. Moreover, reciprocal co-IPs were performed with distinct GCN5b-interacting AP2 factors (AP2IX-7 and AP2XII-4) to delineate the interactomes of each putative transcription factor. Our findings suggest that GCN5b is associated with at least two distinct complexes that are characterized by two different pairs of AP2 factors, and implicate up to four AP2 proteins to be involved with GCN5b-mediated gene regulation.Graphical abstract (Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology)
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - August 3, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Same same, but different: uncovering unique features of the mitochondrial respiratory chain of apicomplexans
Publication date: Available online 2 August 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Jenni A. Hayward, Giel G. van DoorenAbstractMitochondrial respiration is a critical process for the survival of many eukaryotes, including parasites in the phylum Apicomplexa. These intracellular parasites include the causative agents of numerous serious diseases in humans and animals, including toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii) and malaria (Plasmodium species). Emerging evidence indicates that the mitochondrial respiratory chain of apicomplexans has notable differences to that of the host cells they infect. These diffe...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - August 3, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Chorismate synthase from malaria parasites is bifunctional enzyme
Publication date: Available online 2 August 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Harvinder Kour Khera, Susheel Kumar Singh, Subhash SinghAbstractChorismate synthase (Cs) is the last enzyme of the main trunk of shikimate pathway and catalyzes formation of chorismate, a major aromatic metabolite precursor. We have previously reported that Cs is highly conserved across different Plasmodium sp. Here we report that Cs from malaria parasites are bifunctional enzymes through expression and functional studies of two recombinant proteins rPfCs (Cs from P. falciparum) and rPvCs (Cs from P. vivax). We confirm ...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - August 3, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Profiling circulating microRNAs in serum of Fasciola gigantica-infected buffalo
In this study, a total of 121 host circulating miRNAs were differentially expressed (2 ≥ fold change, p < 0.05), of which 44 miRNAs were up-regulated and 77 miRNAs were significantly down-regulated. Consistent with the sequencing data, qRT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of bta-miR-21-5p and bta-miR-23a were elevated gradually and bta-miR-125a was decreased gradually at the F. gigantica infection time points. Four F. gigantica-specific miRNAs, including three known miRNAs (fgi-miR-87, fgi-miR-71, and fgi-miR-124), and one novel miRNA (novel miR-1) were identified in the sera of F. gigantica-infecte...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - August 1, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Hookworm infection aggravates metabolic disorder in obesity
Publication date: Available online 12 July 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Vivian Jordania da Silva, Sílvia Regina Costa Dias, William Pereira Alves, Luis Fernando Viana Furtado, Luciana Ribeiro Serafim, Thayse Batista Moreira, Pedro Henrique Nascimento de Aguiar, Ana Maria Caetano de Faria, Élida Mara Leite RabeloAbstractObesity and ancylostomiasis are considered public health problems. Recent studies have shown that infection by intestinal helminths in obese individuals can ameliorate metabolic disorder and improve glucose tolerance by decreasing both insulin resistance and low-intensity in...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - July 13, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

An enigmatic catalase of Blastocrithidia
Publication date: Available online 2 July 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Claretta Bianchi, Alexei Yu. Kostygov, Natalya Kraeva, Kristína Záhonová, Eva Horáková, Roman Sobotka, Julius Lukeš, Vyacheslav YurchenkoAbstractHere we report that trypanosomatid flagellates of the genus Blastocrithidia possess catalase. This enzyme is not phylogenetically related to the previously characterized catalases in other monoxenous trypanosomatids, suggesting that their genes have been acquired independently. Surprisingly, Blastocrithidia catalase is less enzymatically active, compared to its counterpart ...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - July 3, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Heavy and light chain homologs of ferritin are essential for blood-feeding and egg production of the ectoparasitic copepod Lepeophtheirus salmonis
Publication date: Available online 25 June 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Erna Irene Heggland, Christiane Tröße, Christiane Eichner, Frank NilsenAbstract•The salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, is a hematophagous ectoparasite of salmonid fish. Due to its blood-feeding activity, the louse is exposed to great amounts of iron, which is an essential, yet potentially toxic mineral. The major known iron storage protein is ferritin, which the salmon louse encodes four genes of (LsFer1-4). Two of the ferritins are predicted to be secreted. These are one of the heavy chain homologs (LsFer1) and ...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - June 27, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Plasmodium berghei sporozoite specific genes- PbS10 and PbS23/SSP3 are required for the development of Exo-erythrocytic Forms
Publication date: Available online 26 June 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Jyothi Togiri, Rameswara Reddy Segireddy, Babu S. Mastan, Dipti Singh, Surendra Kumar Kolli, Ankit Ghosh, Faisal Mohammed Abdul Al-Nihmi, Mulaka Maruthi, Hadi Hasan Choudhary, Sandeep Dey, Satish Mishra, Kota Arun KumarAbstractPlasmodium sporozoites are infective forms of the parasite to mammalian hepatocytes. Sporozoite surface or secreted proteins likely play an important role in recognition, invasion and successful establishment of hepatocyte infection. By approaches of reverse genetics, we report the functional analy...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - June 27, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Editorial Board
Publication date: July 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Volume 231Author(s): (Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology)
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - June 15, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

Schistosomes can hydrolyze proinflammatory and prothrombotic polyphosphate (polyP) via tegumental alkaline phosphatase, SmAP
Publication date: Available online 30 May 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Manal Elzoheiry, Akram A. Da’dara, Catherine S. Nation, Samar N. El-Beshbishi, Patrick J. SkellyAbstractSchistosoma mansoni is a long-lived intravascular trematode parasite that can infect humans causing the chronic debilitating disease, schistosomiasis. We hypothesize that the action of host-interactive proteins found at the schistosome surface allows the worms to maintain a safe, anti-thrombotic and anti-inflammatory environment around them in the bloodstream. One such protein is the ˜60 kDa alkaline phosphatase Sm...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - May 31, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research

The Plasmodium falciparum MESA erythrocyte cytoskeleton-binding (MEC) motif binds to erythrocyte ankyrin
In conclusion, we have provided multiple lines of evidence that the MEC motif binds to erythrocyte ANK1. (Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology)
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - May 22, 2019 Category: Parasitology Source Type: research