| 1. |
- Krakovka, Sascha, et al.
(författare)
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Giardia intestinalis thymidine kinase is a high-affinity enzyme crucial for DNA synthesis and an exploitable target for drug discovery
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - : American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 298:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Giardiasis is a diarrheal disease caused by the unicellular parasite Giardia intestinalis, for which metronidazole is the main treatment option. The parasite is dependent on exogenous deoxyribonucleosides for DNA replication and thus is also potentially vulnerable to deoxyribonucleoside analogs. Here, we characterized the G. intestinalis thymidine kinase, a divergent member of the thymidine kinase 1 family that consists of two weakly homologous parts within one polypeptide. We found that the recombinantly expressed enzyme is monomeric, with 100-fold higher catalytic efficiency for thymidine compared to its second-best substrate, deoxyuridine, and is furthermore subject to feedback inhibition by dTTP. This efficient substrate discrimination is in line with the lack of thymidylate synthase and dUTPase in the parasite, which makes deoxy-UMP a dead-end product that is potentially harmful if converted to deoxy-UTP. We also found that the antiretroviral drug azidothymidine (AZT) was an equally good substrate as thymidine and was active against WT as well as metronidazole-resistant G. intestinalis trophozoites. This drug inhibited DNA synthesis in the parasite and efficiently decreased cyst production in vitro, which suggests that it could reduce infectivity. AZT also showed a good effect in G. intestinalis–infected gerbils, reducing both the number of trophozoites in the small intestine and the number of viable cysts in the stool. Taken together, these results suggest that the absolute dependency of the parasite on thymidine kinase for its DNA synthesis can be exploited by AZT, which has promise as a future medication effective against metronidazole-refractory giardiasis.
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| 2. |
- Rodriguez-Walker, Macarena, et al.
(författare)
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Comprehensive characterization of Cysteine-rich protein-coding genes of Giardia lamblia and their role during antigenic variation
- 2022
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Ingår i: Genomics. - : Elsevier. - 0888-7543 .- 1089-8646. ; 114:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Giardia lamblia encodes several families of cysteine-rich proteins, including the Variant-specific Surface Proteins (VSPs) involved in the process of antigenic variation. Their characteristics, definition and relationships are still controversial. An exhaustive analysis of the Cys-rich families including organization, features, evolution and levels of expression was performed, by combining pattern searches and predictions with massive sequencing techniques. Thus, a new classification for Cys-rich proteins, genes and pseudogenes that better describes their involvement in Giardia's biology is presented. Moreover, three novel characteristics exclusive to the VSP genes, comprising an Initiator element/Kozak-like sequence, an extended polyadenylation signal and a unique pattern of mutually exclusive transcript accumulation are presented, as well as the finding that High Cysteine Membrane Proteins, upregulated under stress, may protect the parasite during VSP switching. These results allow better interpretation of previous reports providing the basis for further studies of the biology of this early-branching eukaryote.
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| 3. |
- Carranza, Pedro G., et al.
(författare)
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Specific histone modifications play critical roles in the control of encystation and antigenic variation in the early-branching eukaryote Giardia lamblia
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1357-2725 .- 1878-5875. ; 81, s. 32-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During evolution, parasitic microorganisms have faced the challenges of adapting to different environments to colonize a variety of hosts. Giardia lamblia, a common cause of intestinal disease, has developed fascinating strategies to adapt both outside and inside its host's intestine, such as trophozoite differentiation into cyst and the switching of its major surface antigens. How gene expression is regulated during these adaptive processes remains undefined. Giardia lacks some typical eukaryotic features, like canonical transcription factors, linker histone H1, and complex promoter regions; suggesting that post transcriptional and translational control of gene expression is essential for parasite survival. However, epigenetic factors may also play critical roles at the transcriptional level. Here, we describe the most common post -translational histone modifications; characterize enzymes involved in these reactions, and analyze their association with the Giardia's differentiation processes. We present evidence that NAD(+)-dependent and NAD(+)-independent histone deacetylases regulate encystation; however, a unique NAD(+)-independent histone deacetylase modulate antigenic switching. The rates of acetylation of H4K8 and H4K16 are critical for encystation, whereas a decrease in acetylation of H4K8 and methylation of H3K9 occur preferentially during antigenic variation. These results show the complexity of the mechanisms regulating gene expression in this minimalistic protozoan parasite.
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