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
Srinivasan Ramakrishnan, Rodrigo P. Baptista, Beejan Asady, Guozhong Huang, Roberto Docampo
Summary: In Trypanosoma brucei, down-regulation of Vps41 expression through RNAi leads to significant inhibition of endocytosis, affecting cell growth, while other functions of Vps41 in mammalian and yeast cells remain unaffected. The essentiality of TbVps41 suggests it as a potential drug target.
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
Biology
Desislava P. Staneva, Stefan Bresson, Tatsiana Auchynnikava, Christos Spanos, Juri Rappsilber, A. Arockia Jeyaprakash, David Tollervey, Keith R. Matthews, Robin C. Allshire
Summary: This study reveals the unique gene expression regulation mechanism in kinetoplastids, a highly divergent lineage of eukaryotes. The researchers identified a complex called SPARC, which consists of SET27 and CRD1, among other components, that is involved in establishing accurate promoter position and directionality.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Cecilia Ortiz, Francesca Moraca, Marc Laverriere, Allan Jordan, Niall Hamilton, Marcelo A. Comini
Summary: G6PDH plays a crucial role in cell physiology by catalyzing the synthesis of NADPH(+) and ribose 5-phosphate. The study discovered that 16 alpha-brominated epiandrosterone is the most potent inhibitor of G6PDH in trypanosomatids. Further investigations showed that bromination at position 16 alpha of androstane derivatives yielded more potent T. cruzi G6PDH inhibitors.
Article
Immunology
Yan-Zi Wen, Hao-Tian Tang, Xiao-Li Cai, Na Wu, Jia-Zhen Xu, Bi-Xiu Su, Geoff Hide, Zhao-Rong Lun, De-Hua Lai
Summary: In this study, PAG3 was identified as a key nuclear gene involved in the slender to stumpy differentiation pathway of Trypanosoma brucei in the mammalian host. The loss of this gene might explain the inability of T. evansi and some T. equiperdum to differentiate and the adaptation to transmission cycles that bypass the tsetse vector or mechanical contact.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Marina Schock, Steffen Schmidt, Klaus Ersfeld
Summary: Trypanosome brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness, has a highly ordered subpellicular microtubule cytoskeleton associated with various proteins regulating morphology, motility, and virulence. Identified protein CAP50 colocalises with microtubules but not with the flagellum, playing a crucial role in maintaining cellular integrity. Depletion of CAP50, along with CAP52 and CAP42, results in defects in cytokinesis, morphology, and microtubule organization.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eelco C. Tromer, Thomas A. Wemyss, Patryk Ludzia, Ross F. Waller, Bungo Akiyoshi
Summary: This study demonstrates homology between axial element components of the synaptonemal complex and kinetoplastid kinetochore proteins, suggesting that the kinetoplastid kinetochore system evolved by repurposing meiotic components of chromosome synapsis. The identification of divergent orthologues in various eukaryotic supergroups provides insights into the evolutionary origin and history of these kinetochores, shedding light on the potential for new functional complexes to arise within this ancient eukaryotic gene family.
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
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Isabella E. Maudlin, Steve Kelly, Angela Schwede, Mark Carrington
Summary: The bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei relies on antigenic variation of a cell surface coat composed of variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) for survival in mammalian hosts, with the integrity of the VSG coat being crucial for its persistence. Investigation into the regulation of VSG mRNA levels revealed that the copy number varies with the identity of the VSG and that a pathway detects synthesis of non-functional VSG protein, leading to an increase in VSG mRNA levels.
MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Kyu Joon Lee, Ziyin Li
Summary: This study identifies the CRK2-CYC13 complex as an S-phase regulator in T. brucei and reveals its role in regulating DNA replication through promoting the assembly of the Cdc45-Mcm2-7-GINS complex. The findings suggest that T. brucei may utilize unique mechanisms for DNA replication compared to other organisms, as it lacks many conserved DNA replication factors.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eva Hegedusova, Veronika Marsalova, Sneha Kulkarni, Zdenek Paris
Summary: The role of nucleoporins in tRNA export in Trypanosoma brucei has been investigated. It was found that TbNup62 and TbNup53a are involved in tRNA export, while TbNup144 plays a critical role in nuclear division. These findings suggest that the location of nucleoporins within the nuclear pore complex is crucial for various cellular processes.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Kai Niu, Jincheng Dai, Shengshi Yao, Sixian Wang, Zhongwei Si, Xiaoqi Qin, Ping Zhang
Summary: This article discusses the transition of communication systems from traditional techniques to semantic communications, aiming to enhance system capabilities. The shift involves key techniques such as source coding and channel coding, and changes the design philosophy of communication systems from complexity to intelligence and simplicity. This paradigm shift holds promises in reducing data transmission requirements while providing the same quality of service.
IEEE COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Anuj Tripathi, Ujjal K. Singha, Ayorinde Cooley, Taneisha Gillyard, Evan Krystofiak, Siddharth Pratap, Jamaine Davis, Minu Chaudhuri
Summary: TbTim50 is essential for mitochondrial function, regulation of kDNA replication, and the cell cycle in the bloodstream form of T. brucei. Depletion of TbTim50 results in inhibited cell growth, changes in morphology, increased AMPK phosphorylation, and upregulation of stumpy marker genes. TbTim50 is a crucial therapeutic target for African trypanosomiasis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ambar Kachale, Zuzana Pavlikova, Anna Nenarokova, Adriana Roithova, Ignacio M. Durante, Petra Miletinova, Kristina Zahonova, Serafim Nenarokov, Jan Votypka, Eva Horakova, Robert L. Ross, Vyacheslav Yurchenko, Petra Beznoskova, Zdenek Paris, Leos Shivaya Valasek, Julius Lukes
Summary: The study discovered that Blastocrithidia nonstop, a protist, lacks in-frame stop codons in its genes. It is believed that UGA was previously a stop codon, but has now been reprogrammed as a tryptophan codon due to a deficiency in one of the bases. A mutation in a gene called B. nonstop release factor 1 was also found to restrict recognition of UGA, thereby enhancing its reassignment.
Article
Microbiology
Jana Pilatova, Daria Tashyreva, Jiri Tyc, Marie Vancova, Syed Nadeem Hussain Bokhari, Radim Skoupy, Mariana Klementova, Hendrik Kupper, Peter Mojzes, Julius Lukes
Summary: This study reveals that diplonemids, a group of marine planktonic protists, are capable of accumulating large amounts of barite and celestite crystals. These organisms have the potential to impact the cycling of barium and strontium in the ocean and contribute to the formation of sedimentary rocks. These findings provide new insights into the enrichment of barium and strontium proxies used in paleoceanographic reconstructions of global climate.
Article
Biology
Matus Valach, Sandrine Moreira, Celine Petitjean, Corinna Benz, Anzhelika Butenko, Olga Flegontova, Anna Nenarokova, Galina Prokopchuk, Tom Batstone, Pascal Lapebie, Lionnel Lemogo, Matt Sarrasin, Paul Stretenowich, Pragya Tripathi, Euki Yazaki, Takeshi Nara, Bernard Henrissat, B. Franz Lang, Michael W. Gray, Tom A. Williams, Julius Lukes, Gertraud Burger
Summary: This study presents the first nuclear genome sequence from a diplonemid, revealing its genome size and structure. The analysis shows that the metabolic capacity of diplonemids underwent significant expansion, potentially through horizontal gene transfer. Furthermore, the study finds that diplonemids have predatory capabilities, playing an important role in degrading cell walls of various organisms as an energy source.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paul A. M. Michels, Michael L. Ginger
Summary: A recent study found that a protein complex, which is responsible for mitochondrial cristae formation, also drives the formation of intracytoplasmic membranes in alphaproteobacteria, indicating a bacterial origin for the biogenesis of mitochondrial cristae.
Article
Parasitology
Maura Rojas-Pirela, Andrea Delgado, Yossmayer d. C. Rondon-Guerrero, Ana J. Caceres, Paul A. M. Michels, Juan Luis Concepcion, Wilfredo Quinones
Summary: PAS domains are a family of domains present in various prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. In Trypanosoma cruzi, the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) isoform TcPAS-PGK, which contains a PAS domain, was found to be localized in glycosomes and enriched mitochondrial fraction. The PAS domain plays an important regulatory role in the catalytic activity of PGK in T. cruzi.
EXPERIMENTAL PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shaghayegh Sheikh, Tomas Panek, Ondrej Gahura, Jiri Tyc, Kristina Zahonova, Julius Lukes, Marek Elias, Hassan Hashimi
Summary: The study identifies a novel GTPase called MidX that is present in eukaryotes and giant viruses, and it is predicted to affect mitochondrial morphology by interacting with the inner membrane. MidX has a unique structure and mode of action compared to other proteins with similar functions.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matus Valach, Corinna Benz, Lisbeth C. Aguilar, Ondrej Gahura, Drahomira Faktorova, Alena Zikova, Marlene Oeffinger, Gertraud Burger, Michael W. Gray, Julius Lukes
Summary: The mitoribosome in diplonemids, the sister-group of kinetoplastids, is even more complex than previously thought. It has a mass of >5 MDa, contains as many as 130 integral proteins, and exhibits a high protein-to-RNA ratio of 11:1. This unusual composition reflects significant structural reduction of ribosomal RNAs, increased size of canonical mitoribosomal proteins, and presence of lineage-specific components, shedding light on the early assembly stages of mitoribosomes and the impact of evolutionary divergence.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Drahomira Faktorova, Kristina Zahonova, Corinna Benz, Joel B. Dacks, Mark C. Field, Julius Lukes
Summary: Sec13 plays multiple roles in different cellular processes as a component of COPII endoplasmic reticulum export vesicle coat, nuclear pore complex (NPC), and Seh1-associated (SEA)/GATOR nutrient-sensing complex. Euglenozoa possesses two Sec13 paralogues, with Sec13a interacting with COPII and NPC, and Sec13b interacting with Sec16 and SEA/GATOR complex. This suggests a distinct organization of coatomer complexes in euglenozoan flagellates.
Article
Immunology
Zandile Nare, Tessa Moses, Karl Burgess, Achim Schnaufer, Malcolm D. Walkinshaw, Paul A. M. Michels
Summary: In this study, potent inhibitors of the glycolytic enzyme PFK were developed and found to be effective in killing Trypanosoma brucei and related protists. These inhibitors did not affect human PFKs or human cells. Changes in the metabolome of cultured trypanosomes were analyzed after treatment with a selected PFK inhibitor. The results provide insights into the metabolic network and enzyme properties of trypanosomes.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maura Rojas-Pirela, Ulrike Kemmerling, Wilfredo Quinones, Paul A. M. Michels, Veronica Rojas
Summary: Trypanosomiases are devastating tropical diseases caused by Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi, with no effective treatment currently available. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) synthesized by both prokaryotes and eukaryotes have shown activity against various pathogens, including parasitic protists. This review analyzes the potential of AMPs as therapeutic alternatives for trypanosomiasis treatment, emphasizing their possible application as candidates for the development of future natural anti-trypanosome drugs.
Article
Microbiology
Jana Vesela-Strejcova, Eleonora Scalco, Adriana Zingone, Sebastien Colin, Luigi Caputi, Diana Sarno, Jana Nebesarova, Chris Bowler, Julius Lukes
Summary: This study investigates the marine phytoplankton microflora from the vicinity of the Marquesas Islands in the Southern Pacific Ocean. A total of 289 taxa were identified, with Dinophyceae and Bacillariophyceae making up the majority. Coccolithophores and other flagellates contributed less than 8% to the species list. The microscopy-based methods revealed several unknown and poorly studied taxa.
Article
Microbiology
Daria Tashyreva, Jiri Tyc, Ales Horak, Julius Lukes
Summary: This study provides a detailed three-dimensional model of a previously undescribed diplonemid species using serial block-face scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The study also describes the cell division process and identifies a novel, ultrastructurally complex organelle.
Article
Cell Biology
Jan Pyrih, Michael Hammond, Aline Alves, Samuel Dean, Jack Daniel Sunter, Richard John Wheeler, Keith Gull, Julius Lukes
Summary: The generated MitoTag dataset provides new insights into the mitochondrial proteome of Trypanosoma brucei, identifying previously undescribed proteins and revealing sub-compartment localization and novel metabolic pathways.
Article
Microbiology
Janaina F. Nascimento, Rodolpho O. O. Souza, Mayke B. Alencar, Sabrina Marsiccobetre, Ana M. Murillo, Flavia S. Damasceno, Richard B. M. M. Girard, Leticia Marchese, Luis A. Luevano-Martinez, Renan W. Achjian, Jurgen R. Haanstra, Paul A. M. Michels, Ariel M. Silber
Summary: ATP hydrolysis plays a crucial role in various cellular processes including synthesis, transport, and polymerization of monomers. In the bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei, a single parasite produces approximately 6.0 x 10(11) molecules of ATP per cell cycle, with total biomass production accounting for about 63% of the energy budget. Translation is identified as the most energy-consuming process. These findings provide new insights into the energetic requirements of BSF trypanosomes during their cell cycle.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Peng Zhang, Jie Liu, Xiao-Ming Yin, Jun-Yu Zhou, Julius Lukes, Zhao-Rong Lun, De-Hua Lai
Summary: This study presents a detailed phylogenetic and haplotype diversity analysis of freshwater fish trypanosomes, proposing three scenarios for distinguishing T. carassii from other aquatic trypanosomes. The findings support the existence of an umbrella complex composed of T. carassii and two sister species.
MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
