Expression, purification and kinetics and immunogenic characterization of CysA2, a putative rhodanese-like protein involved in the sulfur metabolism from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

• Grant number: 16/03196-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2016
• End date: May 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Chemistry of Macromolecules
• Principal Investigator: Andrea Balan Fernandes
• Grantee: Caio Cesar Nogueira Cambui
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Tuberculosis is an infection caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This disease is one of the greatest problems faced by the world, according to the World Health Organization. Due to its complex pharmacological regimen and the high incidence of adverse reactions, the compliance of patients to the treatment is often low, fact that facilitates and promotes the selection of resistant and multi-resistant strains of this bacterium. Sulfur and the sulfur pathways are essential for the survival of M. tuberculosis. CysA2 is a putative thiosulfate sulfurtransferase rhodanese-like (rhodanase) enzyme that seems to be involved in the sulfur metabolism. Because of the key role of sulfur metabolism in the bacterium and the lack of a similar pathway in humans, the development of drugs able to target components of this pathway represents an important step towards the elaboration of new ways to combat this disease. Our group works with both functional and structural characterization of enzymes involved with the sulfur metabolism. CyA2 was produced was produced from Escherichia coli in a stable and soluble form. Since there are data about its structure, but not about its functions, our group aims to characterize the kinetics and the pro-inflammatory activity of this enzyme and, hopefully, the knowledge that will be generated will contribute to the future development of new and more effective ways of treating tuberculosis.

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)

MEZA, A. N.; CAMBUI, C. C. N.; MORENO, A. C. R.; FESSEL, M. R.; BALAN, A.. Mycobacterium tuberculosis CysA2 is a dual sulfurtransferase with activity against thiosulfate and 3-mercaptopyruvate and interacts with mammalian cells. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 9, NOV 14 2019. (14/20921-6, 15/14514-1, 16/03196-1, 18/20162-9)