The Genome Sequence of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis: Functional Annotation and Extended Analysis of Gene Models

Author(s):Show less -

Real, Fernando ^[1] ; Vidal, Ramon Oliveira ^[2] ; Carazzolle, Marcelo Falsarella ^{[3, 2]} ; Costa Mondego, Jorge Mauricio ^[4] ; Lacerda Costa, Gustavo Gilson ^[3] ; Herai, Roberto Hirochi ^[5] ; Wuertele, Martin ^[6] ; de Carvalho, Lucas Miguel ^[2] ; Ferreira, Renata Carmona e ^[1] ; Mortara, Renato Arruda ^[1] ; Barbieri, Clara Lucia ^[1] ; Mieczkowski, Piotr ^[7] ; da Silveira, Jose Franco ^[1] ; da Silva Briones, Marcelo Ribeiro ^[1] ; Guimaraes Pereira, Goncalo Amarante ^[2] ; Bahia, Diana ^{[1, 8]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, EPM UNIFESP, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] LNBio CNPEM, Lab Nacl Biociencias, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] LGE UNICAMP, Lab Genom & Expressao, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[4] Inst Agron Campinas, Ctr Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento Recursos Geneti Ve, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Calif San Diego, Sch Med, Dept Pediat, San Diego, CA 92103 - USA

^[6] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, UNIFESP, Dept Ciencia & Tecnol, Sao Jose Dos Campos - Brazil

^[7] Univ N Carolina, Sch Med, Dept Genet, Chapel Hill, NC - USA

^[8] Univ Fed Minas Gerais, ICB UFMG, Inst Ciencias Biol, Dept Biol Geral, Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: DNA Research; v. 20, n. 6, p. 567-581, DEC 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 41

Abstract

We present the sequencing and annotation of the Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis genome, an etiological agent of human cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Amazon region of Brazil. L. (L.) amazonensis shares features with Leishmania (L.) mexicana but also exhibits unique characteristics regarding geographical distribution and clinical manifestations of cutaneous lesions (e.g. borderline disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis). Predicted genes were scored for orthologous gene families and conserved domains in comparison with other human pathogenic Leishmania spp. Carboxypeptidase, aminotransferase, and 3'-nucleotidase genes and ATPase, thioredoxin, and chaperone-related domains were represented more abundantly in L. (L.) amazonensis and L. (L.) mexicana species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these two species share groups of amastin surface proteins unique to the genus that could be related to specific features of disease outcomes and host cell interactions. Additionally, we describe a hypothetical hybrid interactome of potentially secreted L. (L.) amazonensis proteins and host proteins under the assumption that parasite factors mimic their mammalian counterparts. The model predicts an interaction between an L. (L.) amazonensis heat-shock protein and mammalian Toll-like receptor 9, which is implicated in important immune responses such as cytokine and nitric oxide production. The analysis presented here represents valuable information for future studies of leishmaniasis pathogenicity and treatment. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/19335-4 - Experimental study on the mechanisms of fusion between heterotypic Leishmania spp. parasitophorous vacuoles
• Grantee: Fernando Roberto Oliveira Real
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral