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ON THE THREE-FINGER PROTEIN DOMAIN FOLD AND CD59-LIKE PROTEINS IN SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI
Author
Affilliation
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Department of Infectious Diseases and Global Health. North Grafton, Massachussets, USA.
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil / Universidade de São Paulo. Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil / Universidade de São Paulo. Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Bioquímica de Proteínas e Peptídeos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade de São Paulo. Departamento de Imunologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil / Universidade de São Paulo. Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Bioquímica de Proteínas e Peptídeos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade de São Paulo. Departamento de Imunologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Department of Infectious Diseases and Global Health. North Grafton, Massachussets, USA.
University of York. Department of Biology. York, UK.
Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Department of Infectious Diseases and Global Health. North Grafton, Massachussets, USA.
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Department of Infectious Diseases and Global Health. North Grafton, Massachussets, USA.
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil / Universidade de São Paulo. Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil / Universidade de São Paulo. Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil / Fundação Oswaldo cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Bioquímica de Proteínas e Peptídeos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade de São Paulo. Departamento de Imunologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil / Universidade de São Paulo. Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Bioquímica de Proteínas e Peptídeos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade de São Paulo. Departamento de Imunologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Department of Infectious Diseases and Global Health. North Grafton, Massachussets, USA.
University of York. Department of Biology. York, UK.
Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Department of Infectious Diseases and Global Health. North Grafton, Massachussets, USA.
Instituto Butantan. Centro de Biotecnologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Abstract
Background: It is believed that schistosomes evade complement-mediated killing by expressing regulatory proteins on
their surface. Recently, six homologues of human CD59, an important inhibitor of the complement system membrane attack
complex, were identified in the schistosome genome. Therefore, it is important to investigate whether these molecules
could act as CD59-like complement inhibitors in schistosomes as part of an immune evasion strategy.
Methodology/Principal Findings: Herein, we describe the molecular characterization of seven putative SmCD59-like genes
and attempt to address the putative biological function of two isoforms. Superimposition analysis of the 3D structure of
hCD59 and schistosome sequences revealed that they contain the three-fingered protein domain (TFPD). However, the
conserved amino acid residues involved in complement recognition in mammals could not be identified. Real-time RT-PCR
and Western blot analysis determined that most of these genes are up-regulated in the transition from free-living cercaria to
adult worm stage. Immunolocalization experiments and tegument preparations confirm that at least some of the SmCD59-
like proteins are surface-localized; however, significant expression was also detected in internal tissues of adult worms.
Finally, the involvement of two SmCD59 proteins in complement inhibition was evaluated by three different approaches: (i)
a hemolytic assay using recombinant soluble forms expressed in Pichia pastoris and E. coli; (ii) complement-resistance of
CHO cells expressing the respective membrane-anchored proteins; and (iii) the complement killing of schistosomula after
gene suppression by RNAi. Our data indicated that these proteins are not involved in the regulation of complement
activation.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that this group of proteins belongs to the TFPD superfamily. Their expression is associated
to intra-host stages, present in the tegument surface, and also in intra-parasite tissues. Three distinct approaches using
SmCD59 proteins to inhibit complement strongly suggested that these proteins are not complement inhibitors and their
function in schistosomes remains to be determined.
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