Biomaterial Database

Differential turn-over of beta-tubulin during the cell differentiation of Trypanosoma cruzi. 1993

F Rodriguez, and J L Ramirez, and R Rangel-Aldao

Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad de Carabobo, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, La Morita, Maracay, Venezuela.

We investigated the expression of beta-tubulin during the differentiation of non-infective epimastigotes to infective metacyclics of Trypanosoma cruzi to underlay some of the regulatory mechanisms of the gene expression in this pathogenic parasite. Given the strong evolutionary conservation of tubulin, it was possible to study its translational and transcriptional products with heterologous probes. Quantitative Western blotting with specific monoclonal antibodies against beta-tubulin revealed an increase in the relative amounts of this protein in metacyclics with respect to epimastigotes. Pulse-chase experiments with radioactive methionine followed by immunoprecipitation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that beta-tubulin has a slower degradation in metacyclics, which may contribute to its relative higher abundance in these parasite forms. In contrast with these results, both in vitro translation of poly (A+) mRNA in a wheat germ system and Northern blots of total and poly (A+) mRNA with a heterologous DNA probe from Leishmania enriettii, revealed a significant decrease (5 fold) in the specific transcripts of beta-tubulin in the metacyclics with respect to epimastigotes. It thus appeared that after differentiation of T. cruzi the translational machinery for a key protein such as beta-tubulin is shut off by a decrease in its specific message. The protein levels of this protein are maintained, however, by a compensatory mechanism that involves a slower turn-over of the synthesized protein.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011061	Poly A	A group of adenine ribonucleotides in which the phosphate residues of each adenine ribonucleotide act as bridges in forming diester linkages between the ribose moieties.	Adenine Polynucleotides,Polyadenylic Acids,Poly(rA),Polynucleotides, Adenine
D011233	Precipitin Tests	Serologic tests in which a positive reaction manifested by visible CHEMICAL PRECIPITATION occurs when a soluble ANTIGEN reacts with its precipitins, i.e., ANTIBODIES that can form a precipitate.	Precipitin Test,Test, Precipitin,Tests, Precipitin
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D004591	Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel	Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGE,Gel Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide,SDS PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGEs
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000911	Antibodies, Monoclonal	Antibodies produced by a single clone of cells.	Monoclonal Antibodies,Monoclonal Antibody,Antibody, Monoclonal
D012333	RNA, Messenger	RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm.	Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated
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
D014404	Tubulin	A microtubule subunit protein found in large quantities in mammalian brain. It has also been isolated from SPERM FLAGELLUM; CILIA; and other sources. Structurally, the protein is a dimer with a molecular weight of approximately 120,000 and a sedimentation coefficient of 5.8S. It binds to COLCHICINE; VINCRISTINE; and VINBLASTINE.	alpha-Tubulin,beta-Tubulin,delta-Tubulin,epsilon-Tubulin,gamma-Tubulin,alpha Tubulin,beta Tubulin,delta Tubulin,epsilon Tubulin,gamma Tubulin