scholarly journals Global Analysis of Protein Palmitoylation in African Trypanosomes

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 455-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian T. Emmer ◽  
Ernesto S. Nakayasu ◽  
Christina Souther ◽  
Hyungwon Choi ◽  
Tiago J. P. Sobreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Identification ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Selective Inhibition ◽  
Content Type ◽  
African Trypanosomes ◽  
Rich Domain ◽  
Protein Palmitoylation ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass

ABSTRACT Many eukaryotic proteins are posttranslationally modified by the esterification of cysteine thiols to long-chain fatty acids. This modification, protein palmitoylation, is catalyzed by a large family of palmitoyl acyltransferases that share an Asp-His-His-Cys Cys-rich domain but differ in their subcellular localizations and substrate specificities. In Trypanosoma brucei , the flagellated protozoan parasite that causes African sleeping sickness, protein palmitoylation has been observed for a few proteins, but the extent and consequences of this modification are largely unknown. We undertook the present study to investigate T. brucei protein palmitoylation at both the enzyme and substrate levels. Treatment of parasites with an inhibitor of total protein palmitoylation caused potent growth inhibition, yet there was no effect on growth by the separate, selective inhibition of each of the 12 individual T. brucei palmitoyl acyltransferases. This suggested either that T. brucei evolved functional redundancy for the palmitoylation of essential palmitoyl proteins or that palmitoylation of some proteins is catalyzed by a noncanonical transferase. To identify the palmitoylated proteins in T. brucei , we performed acyl biotin exchange chemistry on parasite lysates, followed by streptavidin chromatography, two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry protein identification, and QSpec statistical analysis. A total of 124 palmitoylated proteins were identified, with an estimated false discovery rate of 1.0%. This palmitoyl proteome includes all of the known palmitoyl proteins in procyclic-stage T. brucei as well as several proteins whose homologues are palmitoylated in other organisms. Their sequences demonstrate the variety of substrate motifs that support palmitoylation, and their identities illustrate the range of cellular processes affected by palmitoylation in these important pathogens.

scholarly journals Proteomic analysis of palmitoylated platelet proteins

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (13) ◽  
pp. e62-e73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisa Dowal ◽  
Wei Yang ◽  
Michael R. Freeman ◽  
Hanno Steen ◽  
Robert Flaumenhaft
Keyword(s):  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Protein Identification ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Myeloid Cell ◽  
Metabolic Labeling ◽  
Protein Protein Interactions ◽  
Proteomic Approach ◽  
Protein Palmitoylation ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass

Abstract Protein palmitoylation is a dynamic process that regulates membrane targeting of proteins and protein-protein interactions. We have previously demonstrated a critical role for protein palmitoylation in platelet activation and have identified palmitoylation machinery in platelets. Using a novel proteomic approach, Palmitoyl Protein Identification and Site Characterization, we have begun to characterize the human platelet palmitoylome. Palmitoylated proteins were enriched from membranes isolated from resting platelets using acyl-biotinyl exchange chemistry, followed by identification using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This global analysis identified > 1300 proteins, of which 215 met criteria for significance and represent the platelet palmitoylome. This collection includes 51 known palmitoylated proteins, 61 putative palmitoylated proteins identified in other palmitoylation-specific proteomic studies, and 103 new putative palmitoylated proteins. Of these candidates, we chose to validate the palmitoylation of triggering receptors expressed on myeloid cell (TREM)–like transcript-1 (TLT-1) as its expression is restricted to platelets and megakaryocytes. We determined that TLT-1 is a palmitoylated protein using metabolic labeling with [3H]palmitate and identified the site of TLT-1 palmitoylation as cysteine 196. The discovery of new platelet palmitoyl protein candidates will provide a resource for subsequent investigations to validate the palmitoylation of these proteins and to determine the role palmitoylation plays in their function.

Proteomic Analysis of Palmitoylated Platelet Proteins

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 2017-2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisa M. Dowal ◽  
Wei Yang ◽  
Christian G Peters ◽  
Michael Freeman ◽  
Hanno Steen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Protein Identification ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Global Analysis ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Phenotypic Change ◽  
Activation Process ◽  
Platelet Protein ◽  
Protein Palmitoylation ◽  
Platelet Proteins

Abstract Abstract 2017 Protein palmitoylation is a dynamic process that regulates membrane targeting of proteins and protein-protein interactions. It is unique among the fatty acid modifications as it is reversible, and its reversibility suggests that it can participate in the regulation of cell signaling. We have previously demonstrated a critical role for protein palmitoylation in platelet activation and have begun to characterize the palmitoylation machinery in platelets. We have now employed a novel proteomic approach termed Palmitoyl Protein Identification and Site Characterization (PalmPISC) to define the platelet “palmitoylome.” Using acyl biotin exchange (ABE) chemistry, we have purified palmitoylated proteins from membranes of resting platelets and identified them using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Spectral counting analysis identified 131 putative palmitoylated proteins including 58 novel palmitoylated proteins. Components of the G protein signal transduction pathways (15% of palmitoylated proteins) and membrane fusion proteins (10% of palmitoylated proteins) were highly represented. Platelets undergo a dramatic phenotypic change upon activation and platelet proteins are known to undergo activation-dependent palmitoylation. Changes in the palmitoylation state of proteins during platelet signaling may be reflective of the activation process. We have compared changes in protein palmitoylation in resting and thrombin-activated platelets to identify proteins that undergo activation-dependent palmitoylation or depalmitoylation. To quantify these changes by mass spectrometry, we employed iTRAQ labeling and identified 32 proteins that increase or decrease their palmitoylation upon activation. We have focused our initial efforts on one of these proteins, Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myloid cells (TREM)-like transcript-1 (TLT-1), an immunoglobulin domain-containing receptor expressed exclusively in platelets and megakaryocytes. We have validated that platelet TLT-1 is palmitoylated using [3H]palmitate labeling and have identified the site of TLT-1 palmitoylation as juxtamembrane Cys196, which is adjacent to an ITIM domain. Our iTRAQ results reveal that TLT-1 exhibits a 2-fold decrease in palmitoylation upon activation. A decrease in TLT-1 palmitoylation upon Par1-mediated activation was confirmed using an ABE strategy, which detects total protein palmitoylation. In contrast, there is a 2.5-fold increase in [3H]palmitate labeling of TLT-1 upon activation of platelets, indicating increased turnover of palmitate with activation. These observations suggest that activation-dependent depalmitoylation of TLT-1 occurs more rapidly than activation-dependent palmitoylation and underscores the importance of measuring both total palmitoylation and palmitate turnover in assessing activation-dependent palmitoylation. This global analysis of platelet protein palmitoylation provides a platform to inform future investigations identifying the role of palmitoylation in the function of specific platelet proteins. Identification of proteins that undergo activation-dependent palmitoylation or depalmitoylation will enable studies of the platelet protein palmitoylation machinery. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Cyclic AMP Regulates Social Behavior in African Trypanosomes

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Oberholzer ◽  
Edwin A. Saada ◽  
Kent L. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Protozoan Parasites ◽  
Content Type ◽  
African Trypanosomes ◽  
Signaling Systems ◽  
Extracellular Signals ◽  
Social Motility

ABSTRACT The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei engages in surface-induced social behavior, termed social motility, characterized by single cells assembling into multicellular groups that coordinate their movements in response to extracellular signals. Social motility requires sensing and responding to extracellular signals, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here we report that T. brucei social motility depends on cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling systems in the parasite's flagellum (synonymous with cilium). Pharmacological inhibition of cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) completely blocks social motility without impacting the viability or motility of individual cells. Using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based sensor to monitor cAMP dynamics in live cells, we demonstrate that this block in social motility correlates with an increase in intracellular cAMP levels. RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown of the flagellar PDEB1 phenocopies pharmacological PDE inhibition, demonstrating that PDEB1 is required for social motility. Using parasites expressing distinct fluorescent proteins to monitor individuals in a genetically heterogeneous community, we found that the social motility defect of PDEB1 knockdowns is complemented by wild-type parasites in trans. Therefore, PDEB1 knockdown cells are competent for social motility but appear to lack a necessary factor that can be provided by wild-type cells. The combined data demonstrate that the role of cyclic nucleotides in regulating microbial social behavior extends to African trypanosomes and provide an example of transcomplementation in parasitic protozoa. IMPORTANCE In bacteria, studies of cell-cell communication and social behavior have profoundly influenced our understanding of microbial physiology, signaling, and pathogenesis. In contrast, mechanisms underlying social behavior in protozoan parasites are mostly unknown. Here we show that social behavior in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei is governed by cyclic-AMP signaling systems in the flagellum, with intriguing parallels to signaling systems that control bacterial social behavior. We also generated a T. brucei social behavior mutant and found that the mutant phenotype is complemented by wild-type cells grown in the same culture. Our findings open new avenues for dissecting social behavior and signaling in protozoan parasites and illustrate the capacity of these organisms to influence each other's behavior in mixed communities.

scholarly journals Lysine Acetylation Is Widespread on Proteins of Diverse Function and Localization in the Protozoan Parasite Toxoplasma gondii

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 735-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Jeffers ◽  
William J. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Eukaryotic Cell ◽  
Lysine Acetylation ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Information ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Acute Toxoplasmosis

ABSTRACT While histone proteins are the founding members of lysine acetylation substrates, it is now clear that hundreds of other proteins can be acetylated in multiple compartments of the cell. Our knowledge of the scope of this modification throughout the kingdom of life is beginning to emerge, as proteome-wide lysine acetylation has been documented in prokaryotes, Arabidopsis thaliana , Drosophila melanogaster , and human cells. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify parasite peptides enriched by immunopurification with acetyl-lysine antibody, we produced the first proteome-wide analysis of acetylation for a protozoan organism, the opportunistic apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii . The results show that lysine acetylation is abundant in the actively proliferating tachyzoite form of the parasite, which causes acute toxoplasmosis. Our approach successfully identified known acetylation marks on Toxoplasma histones and α-tubulin and detected over 400 novel acetylation sites on a wide variety of additional proteins, including those with roles in transcription, translation, metabolism, and stress responses. Importantly, an extensive set of parasite-specific proteins, including those found in organelles unique to Apicomplexa , is acetylated in the parasite. Our data provide a wealth of new information that improves our understanding of the evolution of this vital regulatory modification while potentially revealing novel therapeutic avenues. We conclude from this study that lysine acetylation was prevalent in the early stages of eukaryotic cell evolution and occurs on proteins involved in a remarkably diverse array of cellular functions, including those that are specific to parasites.

scholarly journals The Distribution of Several Genomic Virulence Determinants Does Not Corroborate the Established Serotyping Classification of Bacillus thuringiensis

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2244
Author(s):  
Anton E. Shikov ◽  
Yury V. Malovichko ◽  
Arseniy A. Lobov ◽  
Maria E. Belousova ◽  
Anton A. Nizhnikov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Protein Identification ◽  
Core Gene ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Virulence Determinants ◽  
Strain Characterization ◽  
Proteomic Approach ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Identity Threshold ◽  
Genome Assemblies

Bacillus thuringiensis, commonly referred to as Bt, is an object of the lasting interest of microbiologists due to its highly effective insecticidal properties, which make Bt a prominent source of biologicals. To categorize the exuberance of Bt strains discovered, serotyping assays are utilized in which flagellin serves as a primary seroreactive molecule. Despite its convenience, this approach is not indicative of Bt strains’ phenotypes, neither it reflects actual phylogenetic relationships within the species. In this respect, comparative genomic and proteomic techniques appear more informative, but their use in Bt strain classification remains limited. In the present work, we used a bottom-up proteomic approach based on fluorescent two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS) protein identification to assess which stage of Bt culture, vegetative or spore, would be more informative for strain characterization. To this end, the proteomic differences for the israelensis-attributed strains were assessed to compare sporulating cultures of the virulent derivative to the avirulent one as well as to the vegetative stage virulent bacteria. Using the same approach, virulent spores of the israelensis strain were also compared to the spores of strains belonging to two other major Bt serovars, namely darmstadiensis and thuringiensis. The identified proteins were analyzed regarding the presence of the respective genes in the 104 Bt genome assemblies available at open access with serovar attributions specified. Of 21 proteins identified, 15 were found to be encoded in all the present assemblies at 67% identity threshold, including several virulence factors. Notable, individual phylogenies of these core genes conferred neither the serotyping nor the flagellin-based phylogeny but corroborated the reconstruction based on phylogenomics approaches in terms of tree topology similarity. In its turn, the distribution of accessory protein genes was not confined to the existing serovars. The obtained results indicate that neither gene presence nor the core gene sequence may serve as distinctive bases for the serovar attribution, undermining the notion that the serotyping system reflects strains’ phenotypic or genetic similarity. We also provide a set of loci, which fit in with the phylogenomics data plausibly and thus may serve for draft phylogeny estimation of the novel strains.

scholarly journals Loss of the Conserved Alveolate Kinase MAPK2 Decouples Toxoplasma Cell Growth from Cell Division

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyu Hu ◽  
William J. O’Shaughnessy ◽  
Tsebaot G. Beraki ◽  
Michael L. Reese
Keyword(s):  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Protein Kinases ◽  
Daughter Cell ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Productive Infection ◽  
Centrosome Duplication ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Parasite Replication

ABSTRACT Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a conserved family of protein kinases that regulate signal transduction, proliferation, and development throughout eukaryotes. The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii expresses three MAPKs. Two of these, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 7 (ERK7) and MAPKL1, have been implicated in the regulation of conoid biogenesis and centrosome duplication, respectively. The third kinase, MAPK2, is specific to and conserved throughout the Alveolata, although its function is unknown. We used the auxin-inducible degron system to determine phenotypes associated with MAPK2 loss of function in Toxoplasma. We observed that parasites lacking MAPK2 failed to duplicate their centrosomes and therefore did not initiate daughter cell budding, which ultimately led to parasite death. MAPK2-deficient parasites initiated but did not complete DNA replication and arrested prior to mitosis. Surprisingly, the parasites continued to grow and replicate their Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and apicoplasts. We found that the failure in centrosome duplication is distinct from the phenotype caused by the depletion of MAPKL1. As we did not observe MAPK2 localization at the centrosome at any point in the cell cycle, our data suggest that MAPK2 regulates a process at a distal site that is required for the completion of centrosome duplication and the initiation of parasite mitosis. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous intracellular protozoan parasite that can cause severe and fatal disease in immunocompromised patients and the developing fetus. Rapid parasite replication is critical for establishing a productive infection. Here, we demonstrate that a Toxoplasma protein kinase called MAPK2 is conserved throughout the Alveolata and essential for parasite replication. We found that parasites lacking MAPK2 protein were defective in the initiation of daughter cell budding and were rendered inviable. Specifically, T. gondii MAPK2 (TgMAPK2) appears to be required for centrosome replication at the basal end of the nucleus, and its loss causes arrest early in parasite division. MAPK2 is unique to the Alveolata and not found in metazoa and likely is a critical component of an essential parasite-specific signaling network.

scholarly journals Newly Identified Antibacterial Compounds Are Topoisomerase Poisons in African Trypanosomes

2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 620-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonya C. Tang ◽  
Theresa A. Shapiro
Keyword(s):  
Topoisomerase Ii ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Chemical Library ◽  
African Trypanosomes ◽  
Topoisomerase Poisons ◽  
Type Ia ◽  
Library Screen ◽  
Circular Dnas ◽  
Current Therapies

ABSTRACT Human African trypanosomiasis, caused by the Trypanosoma brucei protozoan parasite, is fatal when left untreated. Current therapies are antiquated, and there is a need for new pharmacologic agents against T. brucei targets that have no human ortholog. Trypanosomes have a single mitochondrion with a unique mitochondrial DNA, known as kinetoplast DNA (kDNA), a topologically complex network that contains thousands of interlocking circular DNAs, termed minicircles (∼1 kb) and maxicircles (∼23 kb). Replication of kDNA depends on topoisomerases, enzymes that catalyze reactions that change DNA topology. T. brucei has an unusual type IA topoisomerase that is dedicated to kDNA metabolism. This enzyme has no ortholog in humans, and RNA interference (RNAi) studies have shown that it is essential for parasite survival, making it an ideal drug target. In a large chemical library screen, two compounds were recently identified as poisons of bacterial topoisomerase IA. We found that these compounds are trypanocidal in the low micromolar range and that they promote the formation of linearized minicircles covalently bound to protein on the 5′ end, consistent with the poisoning of mitochondrial topoisomerase IA. Surprisingly, however, band depletion studies showed that it is topoisomerase IImt, and not topoisomerase IAmt, that is trapped. Both compounds are planar aromatic polycyclic structures that intercalate into and unwind DNA. These findings reinforce the utility of topoisomerase IImt as a target for development of new drugs for African sleeping sickness.

scholarly journals Localization and Targeting of an Unusual Pyridine Nucleotide Transhydrogenase in Entamoeba histolytica

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 926-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Abu Yousuf ◽  
Fumika Mi-ichi ◽  
Kumiko Nakada-Tsukui ◽  
Tomoyoshi Nozaki
Keyword(s):  
Entamoeba Histolytica ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Pyridine Nucleotide ◽  
Immunofluorescence Assay ◽  
Chemical Degradation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Targeting Signal ◽  
Pyridine Nucleotide Transhydrogenase

ABSTRACT Pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase (PNT) catalyzes the direct transfer of a hydride-ion equivalent between NAD(H) and NADP(H) in bacteria and the mitochondria of eukaryotes. PNT was previously postulated to be localized to the highly divergent mitochondrion-related organelle, the mitosome, in the anaerobic/microaerophilic protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica based on the potential mitochondrion-targeting signal. However, our previous proteomic study of isolated phagosomes suggested that PNT is localized to organelles other than mitosomes. An immunofluorescence assay using anti-E. histolytica PNT (EhPNT) antibody raised against the NADH-binding domain showed a distribution to the membrane of numerous vesicles/vacuoles, including lysosomes and phagosomes. The domain(s) required for the trafficking of PNT to vesicles/vacuoles was examined by using amoeba transformants expressing a series of carboxyl-terminally truncated PNTs fused with green fluorescent protein or a hemagglutinin tag. All truncated PNTs failed to reach vesicles/vacuoles and were retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. These data indicate that the putative targeting signal is not sufficient for the trafficking of PNT to the vesicular/vacuolar compartments and that full-length PNT is necessary for correct transport. PNT displayed a smear of >120 kDa on SDS-PAGE gels. PNGase F and tunicamycin treatment, chemical degradation of carbohydrates, and heat treatment of PNT suggested that the apparent aberrant mobility of PNT is likely attributable to its hydrophobic nature. PNT that is compartmentalized to the acidic compartments is unprecedented in eukaryotes and may possess a unique physiological role in E. histolytica.

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