The Entamoeba histolytica Vps26 (EhVps26) retromeric protein is involved in phagocytosis: Bioinformatic and experimental approaches

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304842
• Publication Date: 2024-08-08T17:29:59Z
• Authors: Diana Martínez-Va...; Cecilia Bañuelos; Guillermina Garcí...; Daniel Talamás-Lara; Esther Orozco
• Keywords: Retromer; Vesicular Transport Proteins; Transport protein

The retromer is a cellular structure that recruits and recycles proteins inside the cell. In mammalian yeast, components have been widely studied, but very little in parasites. it formed by SNX-BAR membrane remodeling heterodimer cargo selecting complex (CSC), composed three proteins. One of them, Vps26 protein, possesses flexible intrinsically disordered region (IDR), facilitates interactions with other contributes to binding endosomal membrane. Entamoeba histolytica, protozoan parasite responsible for human amoebiasis, actively participates during high mobility phagocytosis trophozoites, molecular details these events, are almost unknown. Here, we studied EhVps26 role phagocytosis. Bioinformatic analyses revealed typical arrestin folding long charged IDR, as described systems. dynamics simulations (MDS) allowed us predict pockets EhVps35, EhSNX3, PX domain-containing protein; were disorganized truncated version lacking IDR. AlphaFold2 software predicted interaction EhVps29 model similar reported crystals. By confocal transmission electron microscopy, was found trophozoites plasma membrane, cytosol, endosomes, Golgi-like apparatus. During phagocytosis, followed erythrocytes pathway, probably participating cargoes selection recycling. Ehvps26 gene knocking down evidenced protein necessary efficient