The Inositol Pyrophosphate Biosynthetic Pathway of Trypanosoma cruzi. 2021

Brian S Mantilla, and Leticia D Do Amaral, and Henning J Jessen, and Roberto Docampo
Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States.

Inositol phosphates (IPs) are phosphorylated derivatives of myo-inositol involved in the regulation of several cellular processes through their interaction with specific proteins. Their synthesis relies on the activity of specific kinases that use ATP as phosphate donor. Here, we combined reverse genetics and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to dissect the inositol phosphate biosynthetic pathway and its metabolic intermediates in the main life cycle stages (epimastigotes, cell-derived trypomastigotes, and amastigotes) of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. We found evidence of the presence of highly phosphorylated IPs, like inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6), inositol heptakisphosphate (IP7), and inositol octakisphosphate (IP8), that were not detected before by HPLC analyses of the products of radiolabeled exogenous inositol. The kinases involved in their synthesis (inositol polyphosphate multikinase (TcIPMK), inositol 5-phosphate kinase (TcIP5K), and inositol 6-phosphate kinase (TcIP6K)) were also identified. TcIPMK is dispensable in epimastigotes, important for the synthesis of polyphosphate, and critical for the virulence of the infective stages. TcIP5K is essential for normal epimastigote growth, while TcIP6K mutants displayed defects in epimastigote motility and growth. Our results demonstrate the relevance of highly phosphorylated IPs in the life cycle of T. cruzi.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007295 Inositol Phosphates Phosphoric acid esters of inositol. They include mono- and polyphosphoric acid esters, with the exception of inositol hexaphosphate which is PHYTIC ACID. Inositol Phosphate,Phosphate, Inositol,Phosphates, Inositol
D014349 Trypanosoma cruzi The agent of South American trypanosomiasis or CHAGAS DISEASE. Its vertebrate hosts are man and various domestic and wild animals. Insects of several species are vectors. Trypanosoma cruzus,cruzi, Trypanosoma
D014774 Virulence The degree of pathogenicity within a group or species of microorganisms or viruses as indicated by case fatality rates and/or the ability of the organism to invade the tissues of the host. The pathogenic capacity of an organism is determined by its VIRULENCE FACTORS. Pathogenicity
D017238 Genes, Helminth The functional hereditary units of HELMINTHS. Helminth Genes,Gene, Helminth,Helminth Gene
D055786 Gene Knockout Techniques Techniques to alter a gene sequence that result in an inactivated gene, or one in which the expression can be inactivated at a chosen time during development to study the loss of function of a gene. Gene Knock-Out Techniques,Gene Knock Out,Gene Knock Out Techniques,Gene Knockout,Gene Knock Outs,Gene Knock-Out Technique,Gene Knockout Technique,Gene Knockouts,Knock Out, Gene,Knock Outs, Gene,Knock-Out Technique, Gene,Knock-Out Techniques, Gene,Knockout Technique, Gene,Knockout Techniques, Gene,Knockout, Gene,Knockouts, Gene,Out, Gene Knock,Outs, Gene Knock,Technique, Gene Knock-Out,Technique, Gene Knockout,Techniques, Gene Knock-Out,Techniques, Gene Knockout
D017853 Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) A group of enzymes that transfers a phosphate group onto an alcohol group acceptor. EC 2.7.1.

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