Genome-Wide Libraries for Protozoan Pathogen Drug Target Screening Using Yeast Surface Display. 2023

Rhiannon Heslop, and Mengjin Gao, and Andressa Brito Lira, and Tamara Sternlieb, and Mira Loock, and Sahil Rao Sanghi, and Igor Cestari
Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada.

The lack of genetic tools to manipulate protozoan pathogens has limited the use of genome-wide approaches to identify drug or vaccine targets and understand these organisms' biology. We have developed an efficient method to construct genome-wide libraries for yeast surface display (YSD) and developed a YSD fitness screen (YSD-FS) to identify drug targets. We show the efficacy of our method by generating genome-wide libraries for Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Giardia lamblia parasites. Each library has a diversity of ∼105 to 106 clones, representing ∼6- to 30-fold of the parasite's genome. Nanopore sequencing confirmed the libraries' genome coverage with multiple clones for each parasite gene. Western blot and imaging analysis confirmed surface expression of the G. lamblia library proteins in yeast. Using the YSD-FS assay, we identified bonafide interactors of metronidazole, a drug used to treat protozoan and bacterial infections. We also found enrichment in nucleotide-binding domain sequences associated with yeast increased fitness to metronidazole, indicating that this drug might target multiple enzymes containing nucleotide-binding domains. The libraries are valuable biological resources for discovering drug or vaccine targets, ligand receptors, protein-protein interactions, and pathogen-host interactions. The library assembly approach can be applied to other organisms or expression systems, and the YSD-FS assay might help identify new drug targets in protozoan pathogens.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008795 Metronidazole A nitroimidazole used to treat AMEBIASIS; VAGINITIS; TRICHOMONAS INFECTIONS; GIARDIASIS; ANAEROBIC BACTERIA; and TREPONEMAL INFECTIONS. 2-Methyl-5-nitroimidazole-1-ethanol,Bayer 5360,Clont,Danizol,Flagyl,Gineflavir,Metric,MetroGel,Metrodzhil,Metrogyl,Metronidazole Hydrochloride,Metronidazole Monohydrochloride,Metronidazole Phosphate,Metronidazole Phosphoester,Satric,Trichazol,Trichopol,Trivazol,Vagilen,2 Methyl 5 nitroimidazole 1 ethanol
D009711 Nucleotides The monomeric units from which DNA or RNA polymers are constructed. They consist of a purine or pyrimidine base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group. (From King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Nucleotide
D012441 Saccharomyces cerevisiae A species of the genus SACCHAROMYCES, family Saccharomycetaceae, order Saccharomycetales, known as "baker's" or "brewer's" yeast. The dried form is used as a dietary supplement. Baker's Yeast,Brewer's Yeast,Candida robusta,S. cerevisiae,Saccharomyces capensis,Saccharomyces italicus,Saccharomyces oviformis,Saccharomyces uvarum var. melibiosus,Yeast, Baker's,Yeast, Brewer's,Baker Yeast,S cerevisiae,Baker's Yeasts,Yeast, Baker
D014346 Trypanosoma brucei brucei A hemoflagellate subspecies of parasitic protozoa that causes nagana in domestic and game animals in Africa. It apparently does not infect humans. It is transmitted by bites of tsetse flies (Glossina). Trypanosoma brucei,Trypanosoma brucei bruceus,Trypanosoma bruceus,brucei brucei, Trypanosoma,brucei, Trypanosoma brucei,bruceus, Trypanosoma,bruceus, Trypanosoma brucei
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

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