scholarly journals Protein O- and C-Glycosylation pathways in Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum

Parasitology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 146 (14) ◽  
pp. 1755-1766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Bandini ◽  
Andreia Albuquerque-Wendt ◽  
Jan Hegermann ◽  
John Samuelson ◽  
Françoise H. Routier
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Protein Glycosylation ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Post Translational Modifications ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites ◽  
Causative Agents ◽  
Thrombospondin Type 1 Repeats ◽  
Great Public Health

AbstractApicomplexan parasites are amongst the most prevalent and morbidity-causing pathogens worldwide. They are responsible for severe diseases in humans and livestock and are thus of great public health and economic importance. Until the sequencing of apicomplexan genomes at the beginning of this century, the occurrence of N- and O-glycoproteins in these parasites was much debated. The synthesis of rudimentary and divergent N-glycans due to lineage-specific gene loss is now well established and has been recently reviewed. Here, we will focus on recent studies that clarified classical O-glycosylation pathways and described new nucleocytosolic glycosylations in Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agents of toxoplasmosis. We will also review the glycosylation of proteins containing thrombospondin type 1 repeats by O-fucosylation and C-mannosylation, newly discovered in Toxoplasma and the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The functional significance of these post-translational modifications has only started to emerge, but the evidence points towards roles for these protein glycosylation pathways in tissue cyst wall rigidity and persistence in the host, oxygen sensing, and stability of proteins involved in host invasion.

scholarly journals C-Mannosylation of Toxoplasma gondii proteins promotes attachment to host cells and parasite virulence

2019 ◽  
Vol 295 (4) ◽  
pp. 1066-1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreia Albuquerque-Wendt ◽  
Damien Jacot ◽  
Nicolas Dos Santos Pacheco ◽  
Carla Seegers ◽  
Patricia Zarnovican ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Protective Immunity ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites ◽  
Tryptophan Residues ◽  
Parasite Survival ◽  
Parasite Motility ◽  
Parasite Egress ◽  
Thrombospondin Type 1 Repeats

C-Mannosylation is a common modification of thrombospondin type 1 repeats present in metazoans and recently identified also in apicomplexan parasites. This glycosylation is mediated by enzymes of the DPY19 family that transfer α-mannoses to tryptophan residues in the sequence WX2WX2C, which is part of the structurally essential tryptophan ladder. Here, deletion of the dpy19 gene in the parasite Toxoplasma gondii abolished C-mannosyltransferase activity and reduced levels of the micronemal protein MIC2. The loss of C-mannosyltransferase activity was associated with weakened parasite adhesion to host cells and with reduced parasite motility, host cell invasion, and parasite egress. Interestingly, the C-mannosyltransferase–deficient Δdpy19 parasites were strongly attenuated in virulence and induced protective immunity in mice. This parasite attenuation could not simply be explained by the decreased MIC2 level and strongly suggests that absence of C-mannosyltransferase activity leads to an insufficient level of additional proteins. In summary, our results indicate that T. gondii C-mannosyltransferase DPY19 is not essential for parasite survival, but is important for adhesion, motility, and virulence.

scholarly journals Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum NEDD8 and identification of cullins as its substrates

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish Bhattacharjee ◽  
Navin Adhikari ◽  
Renu Sudhakar ◽  
Zeba Rizvi ◽  
Divya Das ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Drug Target ◽  
Parasite Development ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Post Translational Modifications ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Ring E3 ◽  
Physiological Substrates

AbstractA variety of post-translational modifications of Plasmodium falciparum proteins, including phosphorylation and ubiquitination, are shown to have key regulatory roles during parasite development. NEDD8 is a ubiquitin-like modifier of cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligases, which regulates diverse cellular processes. Although neddylation is conserved in eukaryotes, it is yet to be characterized in Plasmodium and related apicomplexan parasites. We characterized P. falciparum NEDD8 (PfNEDD8) and identified cullins as its physiological substrates. PfNEDD8 is a 76 amino acid residue protein without the C-terminal tail, indicating that it can be readily conjugated. The wild type and mutant (Gly75Ala/Gly76Ala) PfNEDD8 were expressed in P. falciparum. Western blot of wild type PfNEDD8-expressing parasites indicated multiple high molecular weight conjugates, which were absent in the parasites expressing the mutant, indicating conjugation of NEDD8 through Gly76. Immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry of wild type PfNEDD8-expressing parasites identified two putative cullins. Furthermore, we expressed PfNEDD8 in mutant S. cerevisiae strains that lacked endogenous NEDD8 (rub1Δ) or NEDD8 conjugating E2 enzyme (ubc12Δ). The PfNEDD8 immunoprecipitate also contained S. cerevisiae cullin cdc53, further substantiating cullins as physiological substrates of PfNEDD8. Our findings lay ground for investigation of specific roles and drug target potential of neddylation in malaria parasites.

scholarly journals A novel heteromeric pantothenate kinase complex in apicomplexan parasites

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erick T Tjhin ◽  
Vanessa M Howieson ◽  
Christina Spry ◽  
Giel G van Dooren ◽  
Kevin J Saliba
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Coenzyme A ◽  
Functional Protein ◽  
Pantothenate Kinase ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites ◽  
Single Complex

Coenzyme A is synthesised from pantothenate via five enzyme-mediated steps. The first step is catalysed by pantothenate kinase (PanK). All PanKs characterised to date form homodimers. Many organisms express multiple PanKs. In some cases, these PanKs are not functionally redundant, and some appear to be non-functional. Here, we investigate the PanKs in two pathogenic apicomplexan parasites, Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. Each of these organisms express two PanK homologues (PanK1 and PanK2). We demonstrate that PfPanK1 and PfPanK2 associate, forming a single, functional PanK complex that includes the multi-functional protein, Pf14-3-3I. Similarly, we demonstrate that TgPanK1 and TgPanK2 form a single complex that possesses PanK activity. Both TgPanK1 and TgPanK2 are essential for T. gondii proliferation, specifically due to their PanK activity. Our study constitutes the first examples of heteromeric PanK complexes in nature and provides an explanation for the presence of multiple PanKs within certain organisms.

scholarly journals Upstream Open Reading Frames (uORFs) in the Apicomplexan Parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii: Small yet Powerful Regulators of Translation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chhaminder Kaur ◽  
Swati Patankar
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Translational Regulation ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites ◽  
Upstream Open Reading Frames ◽  
Reading Frames

During their complex life cycles, the Apicomplexan parasites, Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii employ several genetic switches to regulate their gene expression. One such switch is mediated at the level of translation through upstream Open Reading Frames (uORFs). As uORFs are found in the upstream regions of a majority of genes in both the parasites, it is essential that their roles in translational regulation be appreciated to a greater extent. This review provides a comprehensive summary of studies that show uORF-mediated gene regulation in these parasites and highlights examples of clinically and physiologically relevant proteins that exhibit uORF-mediated regulation. In addition to these examples, several studies that use bioinformatics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and ribosome profiling also indicate the possibility of widespread translational regulation by uORFs. Further analysis of genome-wide datasets will reveal novel genes involved in key biological pathways such as cell-cycle progression, stress-response, and pathogenicity. The cumulative evidence from studies presented in this review suggests that uORFs will play crucial roles in regulating gene expression during clinical disease caused by these important human pathogens.

scholarly journals A Conserved Apicomplexan Microneme Protein Contributes to Toxoplasma gondii Invasion and Virulence

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (10) ◽  
pp. 4358-4368 ◽  
Author(s):  
My-Hang Huynh ◽  
Martin J. Boulanger ◽  
Vern B. Carruthers
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Host Cell ◽  
Cell Recognition ◽  
Epidermal Growth Factor Domain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites ◽  
Epidermal Growth ◽  
The Many ◽  
Host Cell Recognition

ABSTRACTThe obligate intracellular parasiteToxoplasma gondiicritically relies on host cell invasion during infection. Proteins secreted from the apical micronemes are central components for host cell recognition, invasion, egress, and virulence. Although previous work established that the sporozoite protein with an altered thrombospondin repeat (SPATR) is a micronemal protein conserved in other apicomplexan parasites, includingPlasmodium,Neospora, andEimeria, no genetic evidence of its contribution to invasion has been reported. SPATR contains a predicted epidermal growth factor domain and two thrombospondin type 1 repeats, implying a role in host cell recognition. In this study, we assess the contribution ofT. gondiiSPATR (TgSPATR) toT. gondiiinvasion by genetically ablating it and restoring its expression by genetic complementation. Δspatrparasites were ∼50% reduced in invasion compared to parental strains, a defect that was reversed in the complemented strain. In mouse virulence assays, Δspatrparasites were significantly attenuated, with ∼20% of mice surviving infection. Given the conservation of this protein among the Apicomplexa, we assessed whether thePlasmodium falciparumSPATR ortholog (PfSPATR) could complement the absence of the TgSPATR. Although PfSPATR showed correct micronemal localization, it did not reverse the invasion deficiency of Δspatrparasites, because of an apparent failure in secretion. Overall, the results suggest that TgSPATR contributes to invasion and virulence, findings that have implications for the many genera and life stages of apicomplexans that express SPATR.

scholarly journals Formin-2 drives intracellular polymerisation of actin filaments enabling correct segregation of apicoplasts in Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Felix Stortz ◽  
Mirko Singer ◽  
Jonathan M Wilkes ◽  
Markus Meissner ◽  
Sujaan Das
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Actin Dynamics ◽  
Actin Binding ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
Actin Network ◽  
Filamentous Actin ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites

AbstractPathogenic obligate-intracellular apicomplexan parasites possess an essential chloroplast-like organelle called the apicoplast that undergoes division and segregation during replication. Parasite actin is essential during intracellular development, implicated in vesicular transport, parasite replication and apicoplast inheritance. However, the inability to visualise live actin dynamics in apicomplexan parasites limited functional characterisation of both filamentous-actin (F-actin) and actin regulatory factors. Apicomplexans possess at least two distinct formins, Formin-1 and Formin-2, predicted to serve as actin-nucleating factors, and previously implicated in regulating gliding motility and host cell invasion. Here, we expressed chromobodies and validated them as F-actin-binding sensors in Plasmodium falciparum and characterised the in vivo dynamics of the F-actin network. The F-actin network could be modulated chemically and disrupted by conditionally deleting the actin-1 gene. In a comparative approach, we demonstrate that Formin-2 is closely associated with apicoplasts and with the F-actin network in P. falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. Consequently, disruption of Formin-2 resulted not only in an apicoplast segregation defect, but also in complete abrogation of F-actin dynamics in intracellular parasites. Together, our results strongly indicate that Formin-2-mediated filament formation is the common primary mechanism for F-actin nucleation during apicomplexan intracellular growth effecting apicoplast segregation.

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