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Apicomplexa genes involved in the host cell invasion: the Cpa135 protein family

F Tosini1, E Trasarti, E Pozio

  • 1Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases Istituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.

Parassitologia
|August 3, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Genomic data aids in identifying Apicomplexa parasite proteins. Researchers found a distinct family of Cpa135-related proteins across multiple apicomplexan species, characterized by an LCCL domain.

Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Apicomplexa parasites possess a wealth of genomic data, offering opportunities to discover conserved protein families.
  • The Cryptosporidium parvum Cpa135 protein is secreted via the apical complex during the sporozoite invasive stage.
  • Cpa135 features an LCCL domain, a characteristic shared by many Apicomplexa secreted proteins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize Cpa135 orthologous genes and related proteins in various apicomplexan species.
  • To determine if Cpa135 represents a distinct protein family within Apicomplexa.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Cpa135 protein sequence as a "virtual template" for comparative genomic analysis.
  • Performed bioinformatic searches to identify orthologous genes in Plasmodium falciparum, Theileria parva, Toxoplasma gondii, and Eimeria tenella.

Main Results:

  • Identified Cpa135 orthologous genes in four additional apicomplexan species.
  • The deduced protein structures revealed that Cpa135-related proteins constitute a distinct family among apicomplexan LCCL domain proteins.

Conclusions:

  • The study establishes Cpa135-related proteins as a unique family within the Apicomplexa phylum.
  • This finding contributes to understanding protein evolution and functional diversity in apicomplexan parasites.

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