Investigation of noncoding RNAs involved in gene expression regulation in Leishmania

• Grant number: 12/17025-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: January 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Angela Kaysel Cruz
• Grantee: Felipe Freitas de Castro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Gene expression regulation occurs at the post-transcriptional level in the protozoan parasite Leishmania. Mechanisms and regulatory factors involved in this control are extensively studied and distinct classes of noncoding RNAs have been identified as regulatory factors in post-transcriptional control of gene expression in many organisms, including trypanosomatids. An investigation of unusual transcripts of unknown function in L. major led to the discovery of a short transcript (named ODD3), a putative ncRNA. Mutants expressing ODD3 ectopically presented drastic phenotypic changes. ODD3 is localized in the 3'UTR of the S16 ribosomal protein gene and its existence as an independent transcript was also confirmed. Interestingly, this ribosomal protein is coded by two genes, LmjF26.0880 and LmjF26.0890, but ODD3 sequence is only present in the 3'UTR of LmjF26.0890. Our main aim is to investigate the role of this small transcript over expression levels and subcellular localization of each copy of S16 or their potential functional divergence. We will evaluate the phenotype of LmjF26.0890 and LmjF26.0880 overexpressor mutants in which only the ODD3 sequence is knocked out from the genome. We'll investigate the expression profile and subcellular localization of the S16 protein with the aid of separate fused labels for each CDS. We'll complement this study with the investigation of the short transcripts presence, emerging from transcripts of ribosomal proteins genes, that have similar genomic organization of the S16. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CASTRO, FELIPE FREITAS; RUY, PATRICIA C.; ZEVIANI, KARMA NOGUEIRA; SANTOS, RAMON FREITAS; TOLEDO, JULIANO SIMOES; CRUZ, ANGELA KAYSEL. Evidence of putative non-coding RNAs from Leishmania untranslated regions. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, v. 214, p. 69-74, JUN 2017. (13/50219-9, 12/16749-8, 09/14184-0, 12/17025-3)