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Purification of Extracellular Trypanosomes, Including African, from Blood by Anion-Exchangers (Diethylaminoethyl-cellulose Columns)
Published on: April 6, 2019
Lysine transporters in human trypanosomatid pathogens
Ehud Inbar1, Gaspar E Canepa, Carolina Carrillo
1Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 32000, Haifa, Israel.
Amino Acids
|December 21, 2010
Summary
Researchers identified specific lysine transporters in parasites Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania donovani. These transporters are essential for parasite survival and differ between the two species.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania donovani cause Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, respectively.
- Parasite amino acid transporters differ from those in higher eukaryotes, transporting only arginine, not lysine.
- This study investigates the identification and characterization of lysine transporters in these parasites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize lysine-specific permeases in Leishmania donovani (LdAAP7) and Trypanosoma cruzi (TcAAP7).
- To understand the biochemical properties, regulation, and localization of these lysine transporters.
- To determine the essentiality of these transporters for parasite survival.
Main Methods:
- Gene identification and characterization.
- Biochemical assays to determine specificity and kinetic parameters (Km).
- Localization studies and gene deletion attempts.
Main Results:
- LdAAP7 and TcAAP7 were identified as lysine-specific permeases belonging to the amino acid/auxin permease family.
- Both transporters share biochemical properties but exhibit differences in regulation and localization.
- LdAAP7 appears to be essential in L. donovani, as attempts to delete both alleles failed.
Conclusions:
- LdAAP7 and TcAAP7 are crucial lysine transporters in L. donovani and T. cruzi, respectively.
- Differences in transporter regulation and localization reflect the distinct life cycles of these parasites.
- These lysine permeases are essential for the survival of L. donovani promastigotes and T. cruzi epimastigotes.
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