engleski

Comparative proteomics of Megatrypanum species

Background. The species of Trypanosoma are spread worldwide. According to the mode of transmission, they are divided into two large groups, stercorarian and salivarian trypanosomes. Members of numerous stercorarian group except the causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma (Schyzotrypanum) cruzi, are usually apathogenic for their hosts. Several stercorarian trypanosome species, all belonging to the Megatrypanum subgenus, were isolated in Croatia: Trypanosoma melophagium from sheep ked, T. theileri from cattle and Trypanosoma sp. from red deer. Although apathogenic and members of different subgenus than T. (Schyzotrypanum) cruzi, they belong to the same group of trypanosomes. With the development of technology, protein markers for pathogenic trypanosome species have been identified. Aim. As there are no data about the host’s immune response i.e. the appearance of antibodies in hosts infected with apathogenic species, the aim of this study was to compare the antigen from three different trypanosome species belonging to the Megatrypanum subgenus, determine their similarity, i.e. difference, and compare the obtained results with proteins of trypanosomes whose genomes were sequenced and stored in protein databases. The obtained results will provide insight into the probable reasons of their apathogenicity for their hosts. Material and methods. Proteomic profile of stercorarian trypanosomes from Croatia was analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) and mass spectrometry (precisely MALDI TOF/TOF) of the in vitro grown trypanosomes. Results. Proteomic analysis showed marked difference between analyzed trypanosome flagellates in 283 protein spots. Based on the obtained MS and MS/MS spectra, databases were searched using Mascot version 2.1. revealing 268 low score and 15 successfully identified proteins of pathogenic trypanosomatid species: Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma equiperdum, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Leishmania major. Conclusion. Comparative proteomic analysis of stercorarian trypanosome species isolated in Croatia revealed similarity with pathogenic species from the family Trypanosomatidae: Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma equiperdum, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Leishmania major.

Megatrypanum, proteomics, 2DE, MALDI TOF/TOF

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