Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas' disease that affects 15-16 million people in America. Vectorial transmission of T. cruzi still occurs in several regions. Migration from endemic areas to developed countries has led to new cases in the US, Europe, Japan and Australia. Since Triatoma infestans has been controlled and transmission by blood transfusion, halted, oral infection is admittedly the most important route for T. cruzi acquisition. Aiming at the clarification of mammalian cell invasion and colonization by T. cruzi mechanisms that have only been partially elucidated, we intend to identify cellular and molecular components, signaling pathways both in the host cell and parasite, using different parasite forms, transgenic animals and cells with altered expression of relevant proteins as well as parasites expressing variant forms of the known T. cruzi molecules involved in invasion and colonization. T. cruzi consists of genetically heterogeneous populations that differ both in genotypic aspects and phenotypic adaptations and virulence towards the mammalian host. Here we propose to perform comparative caryotype and chromosome extremities analyses of distinct T. cruzi lineages and other mammalian trypanosomatids, including chromosome evolution studies. This is a multitask project put forward by scientists with renown experience in Protozoology with emphasis in Cellular and Molecular Biology. The researchers collaborate for many years in a highly productive fashion and with the aid of colleagues both in Brazil and abroad, we intend to contribute to the advance in the proposed areas. (AU)
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