Article
Microbiology
Christina Wilkinson, Meredith T. Morris
Summary: This study demonstrates a complex relationship between FBPase activity and extracellular glucose levels in Trypanosoma brucei, suggesting a potential additional role for FBPase in parasite metabolism. The differential expression of FBPase in various parasite cell lines and growth conditions implies regulation via post-translational modifications. These findings provide new insights into the metabolic pathways of Trypanosoma brucei.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roberto Docampo, Anibal Eugenio Vercesi
Summary: This review discusses the mechanisms of mitochondrial oxidant generation and removal, and the involvement of Ca2+ in trypanosome cell death, highlighting the need for further studies on ROS generation, defense mechanisms, and mitochondrial permeability transition pore in trypanosomatids.
ANTIOXIDANTS & REDOX SIGNALING
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Joseph T. Smith Jr, Brianna Tylec, Arunasalam Naguleswaran, Isabel Roditi, Laurie K. Read
Summary: This study reveals the importance of mitochondrial mRNA editing in the developmental regulation of Trypanosoma brucei. The researchers found that temperature reduction and depletion of the differentiation-repressive kinase RDK1 can affect the metabolism of Trypanosoma brucei by altering the editing of mitochondrial cytochrome mRNAs.
Article
Microbiology
Kirsten J. Meyer, Theresa A. Shapiro
Summary: The study found that Hsp90 plays a central role as molecular chaperones in African trypanosomes, with unique functions in cell cycle regulation and kinetoplast DNA replication revealed through knockdown of cytosolic and mitochondrial Hsp90s.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Maria Lucia Sampaio Guther, Alan R. Prescott, Sabine Kuettel, Michele Tinti, Michael A. J. Ferguson
Summary: In Trypanosoma brucei, all nucleotide sugar biosynthesis is compartmentalized to the glycosomes in both lifecycle stages, unlike other eukaryotes. The study identifies the specific enzymatic biotransformations involved in this process and notes the heterogeneity of glycosome contents.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Justin Y. Toh, Agathe Nkouawa, Saul Rojas Sanchez, Huafang Shi, Nikolay G. Kolev, Christian Tschudi
Summary: By targeting 86 transcripts through RNAi, 22 genes that positively or negatively regulate the progression towards infectivity in Trypanosoma brucei have been identified, including the previously unknown nucleic acid binding proteins CSD1 and CSD2. The study suggests a considerable overlap between the genes that regulate stumpy bloodstream form Trypanosoma and those that govern the development of metacyclic form parasites.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Nava Raj Poudyal, Kimberly S. Paul
Summary: This review discusses the availability and uptake mechanisms of fatty acids in Trypanosoma brucei. Fatty acids can be synthesized by the parasite or acquired from the host's surroundings. Fatty acids are crucial for the growth and survival of the parasite and are implicated in the survival of specific proteins. The relative contribution of parasite-derived and host-derived fatty acids to T. brucei biology and the molecular mechanisms of fatty acid uptake are still poorly understood.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Miriam Yague-Capilla, Victor M. Castillo-Acosta, Cristina Bosch-Navarrete, Luis Miguel Ruiz-Perez, Dolores Gonzalez-Pacanowska
Summary: The study characterized the unique trypanosomal SAMHD1 orthologue TbHD52 as essential in maintaining pyrimidine dNTP homeostasis and contributing to cellular dTTP biosynthesis. Knockout of TbHD52 results in cellular dysfunction, which can be rescued by overexpression of human dCMP deaminase.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Oriana Villafraz, Helene Baudouin, Muriel Mazet, Hanna Kulyk, Jean-William Dupuy, Erika Pineda, Cyrille Botte, Daniel Ken Inaoka, Jean-Charles Portais, Frederic Bringaud
Summary: Trypanosomatids sequester glycolysis inside peroxisomes called glycosomes and have functional sugar nucleotide biosynthetic pathways in addition to cytosolic ones. The enzyme UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP) is imported into glycosomes by piggybacking on phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) without a known peroxisome-targeting signal, suggesting a unique mechanism for protein import. These findings shed light on the unconventional compartmentalization of metabolic pathways in trypanosomatids.
Review
Cell Biology
Bibo Li
Summary: Telomeres and subtelomeres play crucial roles in maintaining chromosome stability and adapting to environmental changes, particularly in the case of the Trypanosoma brucei parasite. The similarities and differences in telomere factors between T. brucei, human, and yeast cells are important for understanding genome stability mechanisms.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Samya S. Alenezi, Naif D. Alenezi, Godwin U. Ebiloma, Manal J. Natto, Marzuq A. Ungogo, John O. Igoli, Valerie A. Ferro, Alexander I. Gray, James Fearnley, Harry P. de Koning, David G. Watson
Summary: Propolis is a resin gathered by bees from plant exudates, and its composition depends on the nearby plants. It acts as an anti-infective and has anti-protozoal properties. Red Nigerian propolis was found to be highly active against Trypanosoma brucei and T. congolense, and four isoflavonoids isolated from the propolis displayed high activity against the parasites.
Article
Immunology
Manon Geerts, Nick Van Reet, Sander Leyten, Raf Berghmans, Kat S. Rock, Theresa H. T. Coetzer, Lauren E-A Eyssen, Philippe Buscher
Summary: The newly developed T. b. gambiense inhibition ELISA (g-iELISA) based on the principle of antibody binding showed high specificity and sensitivity, making it suitable for regional laboratories in gHAT endemic countries for monitoring and surveillance.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Fatihu Ahmad Rufa'i, Daniel Baecker, Muhammad Dauda Mukhtar
Summary: Trypanosomiasis is a serious disease that affects humans and animals, causing social and economic losses. Researchers investigated the phytochemical screening of a methanolic extract of Garcinia kola nuts and evaluated its biological activity on rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The extract showed evident efficacy based on physiological changes and survival rates.
Article
Entomology
Zhiyuan Yang, Mai Shi, Xiaoli Zhang, Danyu Yao
Summary: This study dissected the genomic and transcriptomic profiles of T. brucei, identifying a panel of pathogenic proteins and microRNAs. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the parasite-host interaction mechanisms and provide new insights for designing preventive and therapeutic strategies for African trypanosomiasis.
Article
Microbiology
Emilia Jane McLaughlin, Karinna Rubio-Pena, Annick Dujeancourt-Henry, Lucy Glover
Summary: This study aimed to disrupt monoallelic VSG expression and found that the DNA sequence of the ectopic VSG is lost in a transcription-dependent manner following DSB-triggered VSG switching. The loss of the ectopic VSG does not disrupt the number or variety of templates used for BES DSB repair, revealing strict mechanisms within the cell to reinforce monoallelic expression during antigenic variation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ondrej Gahura, Karolina Subrtova, Hana Vachova, Brian Panicucci, Ian M. Fearnley, Michael E. Harbour, John E. Walker, Alena Zikova
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Martin G. Montgomery, Ondrej Gahura, Andrew G. W. Leslie, Alena Zikova, John E. Walker
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michaela Prochazkova, Brian Panicucci, Alena Zikova
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2018)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Eva Dolezelova, David Teran, Ondrej Gahura, Zuzana Kotrbova, Michaela Prochazkova, Dianne Keough, Petr Spacek, Dana Hockova, Luke Guddat, Alena Zikova
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ondrej Gahura, Brian Panicucci, Hana Vachova, John E. Walker, Alena Zikova
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ondrej Gahura, Alena Zikova
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Teran, Eva Dolezelova, Dianne T. Keough, Dana Hockova, Alena Zikova, Luke W. Guddat
Article
Microbiology
Anna Nenarokova, Kristina Zahonova, Marija Krasilnikova, Ondrej Gahura, Richard McCulloch, Alena Zikova, Vyacheslav Yurchenko, Julius Lukes
Review
Parasitology
Inna Aphasizheva, Juan Alfonzo, Jason Carnes, Igor Cestari, Jorge Cruz-Reyes, H. Ulrich Goeringer, Stephen Hajduk, Julius Lukes, Susan Madison-Antenucci, Dmitri A. Maslov, Suzanne M. McDermott, Torsten Ochsenreiter, Laurie K. Read, Reza Salavati, Achim Schnaufer, Andre Schneider, Larry Simpson, Kenneth Stuart, Vyacheslav Yurchenko, Z. Hong Zhou, Alena Zikova, Liye Zhang, Sara Zimmer, Ruslan Aphasizhev
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martin Zoltner, Gustavo D. Campagnaro, Gergana Taleva, Alana Burrell, Michela Cerone, Ka-Fai Leung, Fiona Achcar, David Horn, Sue Vaughan, Catarina Gadelha, Alena Zikova, Michael P. Barrett, Harry P. de Koning, Mark C. Field
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joseph T. Smith, Eva Dolezelova, Brianna Tylec, Jonathan E. Bard, Runpu Chen, Yijun Sun, Alena Zikova, Laurie K. Read
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eva Dolezelova, Michaela Kunzova, Mario Dejung, Michal Levin, Brian Panicucci, Clement Regnault, Christian J. Janzen, Michael P. Barrett, Falk Butter, Alena Zikova
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victor Tobiasson, Ondrej Gahura, Shintaro Aibara, Rozbeh Baradaran, Alena Zikova, Alexey Amunts
Summary: This study identified key factors involved in the assembly of the mitoribosomal large subunit and revealed their functions. An extensive network of accessory factors stabilizes immature sites and connects functionally important regions of the mitoribosomal large subunit.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Filip Kalcic, Jan Frydrych, Eva Dolezelova, Martina Slapnickova, Petr Pachl, Lenka Postova Slavetinska, Martin Dracinsky, Dana Hockova, Alena Zikova, Zlatko Janeba
Summary: A study identified novel ANPs as inhibitors of key enzymes in the purine salvage pathway in certain pathogens, with two ANPs showing potent inhibition of Trypanosoma brucei adenine PRT activity. The configuration at the C1' chiral center strongly influenced their activity, with (R)-enantiomers being more potent than (S)enantiomers. These findings provide important tools for further research on purine metabolism in various parasites.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mauro Serricchio, Carolina Hierro-Yap, David Schadeli, Hisham Ben Hamidane, Andrew Hemphill, Johannes Graumann, Alena Zikova, Peter Butikofer
Summary: Cardiolipin plays a crucial role in Trypanosoma brucei bloodstream forms, where its depletion leads to decreased ATP levels and mitochondrial membrane potential, affecting respiration and cellular energy metabolism pathways. Additionally, the loss of cardiolipin also impacts protein stability, particularly those associated with oxygen consumption.