Characterization of the small RNA content of Trypanosoma cruzi extracellular vesicles

Author(s)

Bayer-Santos, Ethel ^{[1, 2]} ; Lima, Fabio Mitsuo ^[1] ; Ruiz, Jeronimo Conceicao ^[3] ; Almeida, Igor C. ^[2] ; da Silveira, Jose Franco ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, BR-04023062 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Texas El Paso, Dept Biol Sci, Border Biomed Res Ctr, El Paso, TX 79968 - USA

^[3] Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Ctr Pesquisas Rene Rachou, BR-30190002 Belo Horizonte, MG - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology; v. 193, n. 2, p. 71-74, FEB 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 29

Abstract

A growing body of evidence in mammalian cells indicates that secreted vesicles can be used to mediate intercellular communication processes by transferring various bioactive molecules, including mRNAs and microRNAs. Based on these findings, we decided to analyze whether Trypanosoma cruzi-derived extracellular vesicles contain RNA molecules and performed a deep sequencing and genome-wide analysis of a size-fractioned cDNA library (16-40 nt) from extracellular vesicles secreted by noninfective epimastigote and infective metacyclic trypomastigote forms. Our data show that the small RNAs contained in these extracellular vesicles originate from multiple sources, including tRNAs. In addition, our results reveal that the variety and expression of small RNAs are different between parasite stages, suggesting diverse functions. Taken together, these observations call attention to the potential regulatory functions that these RNAs might play once transferred between parasites and/or to mammalian host cells. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/51475-3 - Molecular and cellular biology of the parasitism by Trypanosoma cruzi
• Grantee: José Franco da Silveira Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants