Interrogation of a potential transcription regulation in Trypanosoma cruzi by evaluation of nascent transcripts genome-widely

• Grant number: 21/03219-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: July 01, 2021
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Julia Pinheiro Chagas da Cunha
• Grantee: Natália Karla Bellini
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/15553-9 - Going deeper into Trypanosoma cruzi chromatin regulation: identifying new players and quizzing its impact on a potential transcription control, AP.JP2
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/14056-7 - Interrogating the nuclear genome organization in Trypnanosoma cruzi replicative and non-replicative life forms by using high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) approach, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

In trypanosomes, it is general accepted that gene expression is mainly regulated by post transcriptional mechanisms due to the lack of classical RNA Pol II promoters regions and policistronic transcription. However, previous low-scale run-on experiments indicate that satellites genes have lower expression, and a significant decrease in global transcription is observed when replicative forms are compared to non-replicative forms (ie. Metacyclics) suggesting some layer of transcription regulation (Elias, Marques-Porto et al. 2001, Ferreira, Dossin Fde et al. 2008). In addition, it was observed in Leishmania (genus of Trypanosomatid order) that genes associated to cell cycle can be regulated at transcription level (Chandra, Yadav et al. 2017). Thus, here we want to investigate, in a genome-wide scale, the transcription rate of all genomic regions of T.cruzi. To that, we will perform Global Run-On sequencing (GRO-seq) followed by an intense computational analysis including the integration with public datasets. Nascent transcripts analysis will also be expanded to interrogate a potential transcription regulation along EàM differentiation and during cell cycle using some selected genomic regions detected at genome-wide analysis. This project requires both an intense wet- and dry-lab efforts to reach their full potential; therefore, postdoctoral students with a previous background on both training will be preferable. (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)

MENEZES, ANA PAULA; MURILLO, ANA MILENA; DE CASTRO, CAMILA GACHET; BELLINI, NATALIA KARLA; TOSI, LUIZ RICARDO ORSINI; THIEMANN, OTAVIO HENRIQUE; ELIAS, MARIA CAROLINA; SILBER, ARIEL MARIANO; DA CUNHA, JULIA PINHEIRO CHAGAS. Navigating the boundaries between metabolism and epigenetics in trypanosomes. Trends in Parasitology, v. 39, n. 8, p. 14-pg., 2023-08-01. (21/12469-0, 18/14432-3, 18/15553-9, 21/03219-0, 19/21354-1, 20/00694-6)