The recombinase Rad51 plays a key role in events of genetic exchange in Trypanosoma cruzi

Author(s):Show less -

Alves, Ceres Luciana ^[1] ; Repoles, Bruno Marcal ^[1] ; da Silva, Marcelo Santos ^[2] ; Mendes, Isabela Cecilia ^[1] ; Marin, Paula Andrea ^[2] ; Nascimento Aguiar, Pedro Henrique ^[1] ; Santos, Selma da Silva ^[1] ; Franco, Gloria Regina ^[1] ; Macedo, Andrea Mara ^[1] ; Junho Pena, Sergio Danilo ^[1] ; Andrade, Luciana de Oliveira ^[3] ; Guarneri, Alessandra Aparecida ^[4] ; Tahara, Erich Birelli ^[1] ; Elias, Maria Carolina ^[2] ; Machado, Carlos Renato ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Bioquim & Imunol, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[2] Inst Butantan, Lab Especial Ciclo Celular, Ctr Toxinas Resposta Imune & Sinalizacao Celular, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Morfol, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

^[4] Fiocruz MS, Ctr Pesquisas Rene Rachou, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 8, SEP 6 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 2

Abstract

Detection of genetic exchange has been a limiting factor to deepen the knowledge on the mechanisms by which Trypanosoma cruzi is able to generate progeny and genetic diversity. Here we show that incorporation of halogenated thymidine analogues, followed by immunostaining, is a reliable method not only to detect T. cruzifused-cell hybrids, but also to quantify their percentage in populations of this parasite. Through this approach, we were able to detect and quantify fused-cell hybrids of T. cruzi clones CL Brener andY. Given the increased detection of fused-cell hybrids in naturally-occurring hybrid CL Brener strain, which displays increased levels of RAD51 and BRCA2 transcripts, we further investigated the role of Rad51 - a recombinase involved in homologous recombination - in the process of genetic exchange. We also verified that the detection of fused-cell hybrids in T. cruzi overexpressing RAD51 is increased when compared to wild-type cells, suggesting a key role for Rad51 either in the formation or in the stabilization of fused-cell hybrids in this organism. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/07467-1 - CeTICS - Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling
• Grantee: Hugo Aguirre Armelin
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC
• FAPESP's process: 14/24170-5 - DNA replication dynamics in Trypanosoma cruzi: licensing and replication rate characterization
• Grantee: Marcelo Santos da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/50050-2 - How do common and diverged features of the replicative stress response shape the biology of TriTryp parasites?
• Grantee: Maria Carolina Quartim Barbosa Elias Sabbaga
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants