Biophysical and Biochemical Comparison of Extracellular Vesicles Produced by Infective and Non-Infective Stages of .

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small lipid vesicles released by either any prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell, or both, with a biological role in cell-to-cell communication. In this work, we characterize the proteomes and nanomechanical properties of EVs released by tissue-culture cell-derived trypomastigotes (mammalian infective stage; (TCT)) and epimastigotes (insect stage; (E)) of , the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. EVs of each stage were isolated by differential centrifugation and analyzed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Characterization and functional analysis of the proteins Prohibitin 1 and 2 in Trypanosoma cruzi.

Background: Chagas disease is the third most important neglected tropical disease. There is no vaccine available, and only two drugs are generally prescribed for the treatment, both of which with a wide range of side effects. Our study of T.

Characterization and functionality of two members of the SPFH protein superfamily, prohibitin 1 and 2 in Leishmania major.

Background: Leishmaniasis, a disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania, infects roughly 12 million people worldwide, with about two million new cases per year. Prohibitins (PHBs) are highly conserved proteins belonging to the stomatin-prohibitin flotillin-HflC/K (SPFH) protein superfamily. In this study, we examine the potential functions of two proteins of Leishmania major, PHB1 and PHB2, as well as how they might help protect the protozoan against oxidative stress.