Fucose metabolism at Amblyomma sculptum (tick: Ixodidae): catalysis in fucosidases and fucose kinase

• Grant number: 18/23405-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2019
• End date: January 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Enzymology
• Principal Investigator: Adriana Rios Lopes
• Grantee: Neice Caramigo Barros
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Fucose residues are between the carbohydrates added to proteins in the post-translate modification process like the ones present at the antigens from the ABO blood group system and the Lewis antigens. Changes in the synthesis of the Lewis antigens and at the enzymes involved in Lewis antigens processing (fucosidases and fucosyltransferases, for example) were associated to cancer and metastasis as well as hyperfucosilated proteins. The removal of those fucose residues modify tumor metastatic profile.Fucose residues are also involved in the interaction of virus, bacterias and fungi to cells during the infection process. Until the present moment, structural and specificity characterization of eukaryotic fucosidases are not completely understood. However, some data obtained in our group indicate structural and specificity differences among Arachnida fucosidases, suggesting a broad diversity to these enzymes.The tick Amblyomma sculptum have two distinct fucosidases very active at the digestive system: AsFucI and AsFucII. Preliminary results indicate that the add of AsFucI heterologously expressed to the medium of tumoral salivary gland cells in a healing assay can diminish cell migration. Besides that, literature have many examples of the fucose involvement in infection similar to the one described to Anaplasma and cells from tick midgut. The comprehension of the infective process might result in alternatives to disease prevention or treatment. The aim of this project is the kinetic, specificity and thermodynamic characterization of AsFuc I; cloning and expression of AsFuc II as well as the treatment of BM26 tick cells with fucosidase and the evaluation of this treatment during infection with Rickettsia rickettsii.