Outcomes of the duplication of ribosomal protein coding genes in Leishmania

• Grant number: 19/05257-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2019
• End date: August 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Angela Kaysel Cruz
• Grantee: Francisca dos Santos Borges
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In Leishmania parasites, most genes encoding ribosomal proteins (RPs) are present as two or more copies, and their transcripts have identical or similar coding regions (CDSs) and, mostly divergent untranslated regions (UTRs). The divergence in the UTRs may be associated with differential gene expression and the divergence in the CDSs might lead to loss or gain of function. In this context, we formulated the present research project to investigate the genes of two RPs, S16 and L19. The two copies of S16 have transcripts with divergent UTRs, and copies of L19 have, in addition to divergent UTRs, non-identical CDSs in Leishmania major. We know that from one of the S16 transcripts emerges a putative regulatory ncRNA (CASTRO et al., 2017). For L19, also previously studied in the laboratory, phenotypic alterations due to altered expression levels were demonstrated (ALMEIDA-BIZZO, 2014). Each copy of these proteins will be labeled with markers that allow their identification by immuno-detection or fluorescence and L. major knockout parasites for each of the four genes will be generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. For both S16 genes, tag insertion has already been successfully obtained. Subsequent strategies will be to analyze the modulation of the expression of RPs S16 and L19, evaluation of transcript level and subcellular localization of proteins. We will complete the study by analyzing phenotypic changes in response to nutritional stress and growth in culture from the knockout of one and another copy of the S16 and L19 genes compared to the wild type strain. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

BORGES, Francisca dos Santos. Outcomes of the duplication of ribosomal protein coding genes in Leishmania. 2022. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.