scholarly journals Immunoinformatic Analysis of Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 7 (CDPK7) Showed Potential Targets for Toxoplasma gondii Vaccine

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Ali Taghipour ◽  
Sanaz Tavakoli ◽  
Mohamad Sabaghan ◽  
Masoud Foroutan ◽  
Hamidreza Majidiani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Average Molecular Weight ◽  
Alpha Helix ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Calcium Dependent ◽  
Grand Average ◽  
Dependent Protein ◽  
Basic Features

Apicomplexan parasites, including Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), express different types of calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), which perform a variety of functions, including attacking and exiting the host cells. In the current bioinformatics study, we have used several web servers to predict the basic features and specifications of the CDPK7 protein. The findings showed that CDPK7 protein has 2133 amino acid residues with an average molecular weight (MW) of 219085.79 D. The aliphatic index with 68.78 and grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) with -0.331 score were estimated. The outcomes of current research showed that the CDPK7 protein included 502 alpha-helix, 1311 random coils, and 320 extended strands with GOR4 method. Considering the Ramachandran plot, the favored region contains more than 92% of the amino acid residues. In addition, evaluation of antigenicity and allergenicity showed that CDPK7 protein has immunogenic and nonallergenic nature. The present research provides key data for more animal-model study on the CDPK7 protein to design an efficient vaccine against toxoplasmosis in the future.

scholarly journals Bioinformatics analysis of calcium-dependent protein kinase 4 (CDPK4) as Toxoplasma gondii vaccine target

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoud Foroutan ◽  
Ali Dalir Ghaffari ◽  
Shahrzad Soltani ◽  
Hamidreza Majidiani ◽  
Ali Taghipour ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Average Molecular Weight ◽  
Alpha Helix ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
T Cell Epitopes ◽  
Calcium Dependent ◽  
Aliphatic Index ◽  
Dependent Protein

Abstract Objectives Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite, could affect numerous warm-blooded animals, such as humans. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are essential Ca2+ signaling mediators and participate in parasite host cell egress, outer membrane motility, invasion, and cell division. Results Several bioinformatics online servers were employed to analyze and predict the important properties of CDPK4 protein. The findings revealed that CDPK4 peptide has 1158 amino acid residues with average molecular weight (MW) of 126.331 KDa. The aliphatic index and GRAVY for this protein were estimated at 66.82 and – 0.650, respectively. The findings revealed that the CDPK4 protein comprised 30.14% and 34.97% alpha-helix, 59.84% and 53.54% random coils, and 10.02% and 11.49% extended strand with SOPMA and GOR4 tools, respectively. Ramachandran plot output showed 87.87%, 8.40%, and 3.73% of amino acid residues in the favored, allowed, and outlier regions, respectively. Also, several potential B and T-cell epitopes were predicted for CDPK4 protein through different bioinformatics tools. Also, antigenicity and allergenicity evaluation demonstrated that this protein has immunogenic and non-allergenic nature. This paper presents a basis for further studies, thereby provides a fundamental basis for the development of an effective vaccine against T. gondii infection.

scholarly journals A Novel Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 1 Inhibitor Potently Prevents Toxoplasma gondii Transmission to Foetuses in Mouse

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4203
Author(s):  
Héloïse Débare ◽  
Nathalie Moiré ◽  
Firmin Baron ◽  
Louis Lantier ◽  
Bruno Héraut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Intraperitoneal Administration ◽  
Congenital Toxoplasmosis ◽  
Parasite Burden ◽  
Oral Route ◽  
Dependent Protein Kinase ◽  
Calcium Dependent ◽  
Dependent Protein ◽  
Calcium Dependent Protein Kinase

Treatments currently used to prevent congenital toxoplasmosis are non-specific of Toxoplasma gondii and have grievous side effects. To develop a more specific and less toxic drug, we have designed SP230, an imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine salt targeting the Toxoplasma gondii calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 (TgCDPK1) and active against acute toxoplasmosis in mice. Efficiency of SP230 to inhibit foetal transmission of the parasite was evaluated in a mouse model of congenital toxoplasmosis. Swiss mice were infected at mid-pregnancy with tachyzoites or cysts of the ME49 strain of T. gondii by intraperitoneal and oral route, respectively, and treated with SP230 at 50 mg/kg for 5 days by the same routes. Parasite burden in organs of dams and in foetuses was measured by quantitative PCR. Intraperitoneal administration of SP230 drastically reduced the number of parasites (more than 97% of reduction) in the brain and lungs of dams, and led to a reduction of 66% of parasite burden in foetuses. Oral administration of SP230 was particularly efficient with 97% of reduction of parasite burdens in foetuses. SP230 did not impact number and weight of offspring in our conditions. This inhibitor of TgCDPK1 is a promising candidate for the development of alternative therapeutics to treat infected pregnant women.

scholarly journals Analysis of Noncanonical Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinases in Toxoplasma gondii by Targeted Gene Deletion Using CRISPR/Cas9

2016 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 1262-1273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaojun Long ◽  
Qiuling Wang ◽  
L. David Sibley
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Protein Kinases ◽  
Gene Deletion ◽  
Cyst Formation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Calcium Dependent ◽  
Targeted Gene Deletion ◽  
Dependent Protein ◽  
Calcium Dependent Protein Kinases

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are expanded in apicomplexan parasites, especially inToxoplasma gondiiwhere 14 separate genes encoding these enzymes are found. Although previous studies have shown that several CDPKs play a role in controlling invasion, egress, and cell division inT. gondii, the roles of most of these genes are unexplored. Here we developed a more efficient method for gene disruption using CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) that was modified to completely delete large, multiexonic genes from the genome and to allow serial replacement by recycling of the selectable marker using Cre-loxP. Using this system, we generated a total of 24 mutants in type 1 and 2 genetic backgrounds to ascertain the functions of noncanonical CDPKs. Remarkably, although we were able to confirm the essentiality of CDPK1 and CDPK7, the majority of CDPKs had no discernible phenotype for growthin vitroor infection in the mouse model. The exception to this was CDPK6, loss of which leads to reduced plaquing, fitness defect in a competition assay, and reduced tissue cyst formation in chronically infected mice. Our findings highlight the utility of CRISPR/Cas9 for rapid serial gene deletion and also suggest that additional models are needed to reveal the functions of many genes inT. gondii.

scholarly journals Optimizing Small Molecule Inhibitors of Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 1 to Prevent Infection by Toxoplasma gondii

2013 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 3068-3077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Lourido ◽  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Michael S. Lopez ◽  
Keliang Tang ◽  
Jennifer Barks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Small Molecule Inhibitors ◽  
Dependent Protein Kinase ◽  
Calcium Dependent ◽  
Dependent Protein ◽  
Calcium Dependent Protein Kinase

Primary Structure and Anticandidal Activity of the Major Histatin from Parotid Secretion of the Subhuman Primate, Macaca fascicularis

1990 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
pp. 1717-1723 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Xu ◽  
E. Telser ◽  
R.F. Troxler ◽  
F.G. Oppenheim
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Macaca Fascicularis ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
Alpha Helix ◽  
Reversed Phase ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Beta Turns ◽  
Anticandidal Activity

A major macaque histatin (M-histatin 1) from the parotid secretion of the subhuman primate, Macaca fascicularis, was isolated by gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-2 and purified to homogeneity by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a TSK-ODS C18 column. The complete amino acid sequence of M-histatin 1, determined by automated Edman degradation, is: 1 10 20 Asp-Pse-His-Glu-Glu-Arg-His-His-Gly-Arg-His-Gly-His-His-Lys-Tyr-Gly-Arg-Lys-Phe 21 30 38 His-Glu-Lys-His-His-Ser-His-Arg-Gly-Tyr-Arg-Ser-Asn-Tyr-Leu-Tyr-Asp-Asn M-histatin 1 contains 38 amino acid residues, a phosphoserine at residue 2, has a molecular weight of 4881.8, a calculated pI of 8.5, and histidine forms 26.3% of the mass. The hydropathicity plot of M-histatin 1 predicts that the molecule is entirely hydrophilic, and Chou-Fasman secondary prediction indicates that the polypeptide is devoid of alpha-helix and beta-sheet conformation in aqueous solutions but contains a series of beta turns. M-histatin 1 includes a six-amino-acid insert (residue 10-15) not present in human histatins and, with the introduction of gaps to maximize homology, it displays 89% and 91% sequence similarity with human histatins 1 and 3, respectively. M-histatin 1 exhibited fungicidal and fungistatic effects against the dimorphic pathogen, Candida albicans, in three separate bioassays. Its anticandidal effects were comparable with or greater than those of human histatins 1, 3, and 5. M-histatins 2, 3, and 4 were not sequenced directly because insufficient materials were available, but the amino acid composition of M-histatin 3 was nearly identical to that of the N-terminal 20 amino acid residues of M-histatin 1. There appears to be only one major histatin in macaque parotid secretion in contrast to the family of histatins in human parotid and submandibular secretions, and the significance of this in the context of evolution and mechanism of action in anticandidal assays is discussed.

scholarly journals TgCDPK3 Regulates Calcium-Dependent Egress of Toxoplasma gondii from Host Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e1003066 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. McCoy ◽  
Lachlan Whitehead ◽  
Giel G. van Dooren ◽  
Christopher J. Tonkin
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Calcium Dependent
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