Cloning, expression and purification of metacaspase (PfMCA-Ia) from Plasmodium falciparum

• Grant number: 23/16091-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Enzymology
• Principal Investigator: Mauricio Ferreira Marcondes Machado
• Grantee: Beatriz Vieira Pereira
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Acadêmica. Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes (UMC). Campus da Sede Mogi das Cruzes. Mogi das Cruzes , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The present research project aims to obtain Plasmodium falciparum metacaspase 1 (PfMCA-Ia), protozoan metacaspases, which belong to group II of these enzymes, which have the characteristic of not presenting the non-polar portion in their N-terminus, being soluble and active in their monomeric form. In previous work by our group, we have already cloned, performed site-directed mutations and biochemically characterized T. brucei metacaspase-2 (TbMCA2). In this research project, we intend to obtain recombinant metacaspase from Plasmodium falciparum, so that in the future, using this recombinant enzyme, we can evaluate its biochemical characteristics. Such biochemical characterization will be important so that in future experiments with collaborators we can test and evaluate the action of molecules with the ability to modulate the activity of mecaspases, being of great interest for the development of new drugs against these neglected diseases.