Functional studies of TcRjl, a novel GTPase of Trypanosoma cruzi, reveals phenotypes related with MAPK activation during parasite differentiation and after heterologous expression in Drosophila model system.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun

Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, CCS, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia-Pesquisa Translacional em Saúde e Ambiente na Região Amazônica (INCT-IMPeTAM), Brazil. Electronic address:

Published: November 2015

The life cycle of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi comprises rounds of proliferative cycles and differentiation in distinct host environments. Ras GTPases are molecular switches that play pivotal regulatory functions in cell fate. Rjl is a novel GTPase with unknown function. Herein we show that TcRjl blocks in vivo cell differentiation. The forced expression of TcRjl leads to changes in the overall tyrosine protein phosphorylation profile of parasites. TcRjl expressing parasites sustained DNA synthesis regardless the external stimuli for differentiation. Heterologous expression in the Drosophila melanogaster genetic system strongly suggests a role from TcRjl protein in RTK-dependent pathways and MAPK activation.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.09.110DOI Listing

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