Insight into the host–parasite interplay by proteomic study of host proteins copurified with the human parasite,Schistosoma japonicum

PROTEOMICS ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 450-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Liu ◽  
Wei Hu ◽  
Shu-Jian Cui ◽  
Ming Chi ◽  
Cai-Yun Fang ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ho-min Park ◽  
Yunseol Park ◽  
Joris Vankerschaver ◽  
Arnout Van Messem ◽  
Wesley De Neve ◽  
...  

Protein therapeutics play an important role in controlling the functions and activities of disease-causing proteins in modern medicine. Despite protein therapeutics having several advantages over traditional small-molecule therapeutics, further development has been hindered by drug complexity and delivery issues. However, recent progress in deep learning-based protein structure prediction approaches such as AlphaFold opens new opportunities to exploit the complexity of these macro-biomolecules for highly-specialised design to inhibit, regulate or even manipulate specific disease-causing proteins. Anti-CRISPR proteins are small proteins from bacteriophages that counter-defend against the prokaryotic adaptive immunity of CRISPR-Cas systems. They are unique examples of natural protein therapeutics that have been optimized by the host-parasite evolutionary arms race to inhibit a wide variety of host proteins. Here, we show that these Anti-CRISPR proteins display diverse inhibition mechanisms through accurate structural prediction and functional analysis. We find that these phage-derived proteins are extremely distinct in structure, some of which have no homologues in the current protein structure domain. Furthermore, we find a novel family of Anti-CRISPR proteins which are structurally homologous to the recently-discovered mechanism of manipulating host proteins through enzymatic activity, rather than through direct inference. Using highly accurate structure prediction, we present a wide variety of protein-manipulating strategies of anti-CRISPR proteins for future protein drug design.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofeng Du ◽  
Malcolm Jones ◽  
Sujeevi Nawaratna ◽  
Shiwanthi Ranasinghe ◽  
Chunrong Xiong ◽  
...  

We showed previously that the Schistosoma japonicum insulin-like peptide (SjILP) binds the worm insulin receptors, thereby, activating the parasite’s insulin pathway and emphasizing its important role in regulating uptake of glucose, a nutrient essential for parasite survival. Here we show that SjILP is differentially expressed in the schistosome life cycle and is especially highly transcribed in eggs, miracidia, and adult female worms. RNA inference was employed to knockdown SjILP in adults in vitro, with suppression confirmed by significantly reduced protein production, declined adenosine diphosphate levels, and reduction in glucose consumption. Immunolocalization showed that SjILP is located to lateral gland cells of mature intra-ovular miracidia in the schistosome egg, and is distributed on the ciliated epithelium and internal cell masses of newly transformed miracidia. In schistosomula, SjILP is present on the tegument in two antero-lateral points, indicating highly polarized expression during cercarial transformation. Analysis of serum from S. japonicum-infected mice by ELISA using a recombinant form of SjILP as an antigen revealed IgG immunoreactivity to this molecule at 7 weeks post-infection indicating it is likely secreted from mature eggs into the host circulation. These findings provide further insights on ILP function in schistosomes and its essential roles in parasite survival and growth in different development stages.


Parasitology ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Y. Xia ◽  
J. Jourdane

The routes of penetration and the strategies of invasion of Schistosoma japonicum miracidia in the snail vector Oncomelania hupensis were observed in a histological study. In all species of the genus Schistosoma, it is usually assumed that the miracidia achieve penetration through the tegument. Our results showed that at least 57% of S. japonicum miracidia penetrated the snail by natural openings (branchial cavity, mouth and rectum). Throughout the invasion phase, the larvae were observed in all the tissues and organs with the exception of the genital gland. The spatial distribution of parasites in the snail revealed that the migration towards the visceral organs such as the kidney, heart and sinuses (which are the most usual microhabitats of the mother sporocysts of S. japonicum) appeared to take place via the circulatory system. Using natural openings as routes for penetration probably provides a selective advantage in a host–parasite system in which the target mollusc is amphibious: we presume that the miracidia inside these natural openings are protected against desiccation when the snail leaves the water, and that they can subsequently invade the tissues.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e87802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Issouf ◽  
Fabrice Guégnard ◽  
Christine Koch ◽  
Yves Le Vern ◽  
Alexandra Blanchard-Letort ◽  
...  

2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. e29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Liu ◽  
Jiong Lu ◽  
Wei Hu ◽  
Sheng-Yue Wang ◽  
Shu-Jian Cui ◽  
...  

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 320-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Xun He ◽  
Buz Salafsky ◽  
Kalyanasundaram Ramaswamy

2008 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 3329-3336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane E. Blythe ◽  
Xue Yan Yam ◽  
Claudia Kuss ◽  
Zbynek Bozdech ◽  
Anthony A. Holder ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The human parasite Plasmodium falciparum has the potential to express a vast repertoire of variant proteins on the surface of the infected red blood cell (iRBC). Variation in the expression pattern of these proteins is linked to antigenic variation and thereby evasion of host antibody-mediated immunity. The genes in the stevor multigene family code for small variant antigens that are expressed in blood-stage parasites where they can be detected in membranous structures called Maurer's clefts (MC). Some studies have indicated that STEVOR protein may also be trafficked to the iRBC membrane. To address the location of STEVOR protein in more detail, we have analyzed expression in several cultured parasite lines and in parasites obtained directly from patients. We detected STEVOR expression in a higher proportion of parasites recently isolated from patients than in cultured parasite lines and show that STEVOR is trafficked in schizont-stage parasites from the MC to the RBC cytosol and the iRBC membrane. Furthermore, STEVOR protein is also detected at the apical end of merozoites. Importantly, we show that culture-adapted parasites do not require STEVOR for survival. These findings provide new insights into the role of the stevor multigene family during both the schizont and merozoite stages of the parasite and highlight the importance of studying freshly isolated parasites, rather than parasite lines maintained in culture, when investigating potential mediators of host-parasite interactions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conglian He ◽  
Shubin Sun ◽  
Yun Tang ◽  
Chenggang He ◽  
Pengfei Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Leaf senescence is one of the most common manifestations in plant senescence and has an important effect on photosynthesis. However, the molecular regulation of leaf senescence in response to photosynthesis is still poorly understood. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underpinning tobacco, we integrated photosynthesis, organelle ultrastructural, and proteomic analyses of tobacco leaves during senescence. Results The photosynthetic rate, intercellular CO 2 concentration, tomatal conductance, transpiration rate showed a downward trend and the stability of organelle decreased with the increasing of tobacco leaves age. iTRAQ and PRM verification were used to analyze the proteins expressed in different periods based on photosynthetic physiology and ultramicroscopic observation. A total of 321, 319, 223 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified from over maturity (OM) vs immature (IM), OM vs well maturity (WM) and WM vs IM, respectively, including 122/199, 124/195 and 125/98 up/down proteins, respectively. KEGG analysis of DEPs was significantly enriched in metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, starch and sucrose metabolism. In addition, down-regulated proteins were also involved in metabolic pathways such as carbon sequestration of photosynthetic organisms and photosynthesis. Furthermore, PRM analysis indicated that iTRAQ is highly reliable. Conclusions Our study provided important technical references for screening photosynthetic host proteins of tobacco leaf senescence and revealing the molecular mechanism during the senescence of tobacco leaves.


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