A5083304783- Trypanosoma species research and implications
- Research on Leishmaniasis Studies
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Biochemical and Molecular Research
- Signaling Pathways in Disease
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Helminth infection and control
- Lysosomal Storage Disorders Research
- Complement system in diseases
- Calcium signaling and nucleotide metabolism
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
- Toxin Mechanisms and Immunotoxins
- Cardiomyopathy and Myosin Studies
- Connective tissue disorders research
- Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Disease
- Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
- Nuclear Structure and Function
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Medicinal Plants and Bioactive Compounds
- Enzyme Production and Characterization
- Mast cells and histamine
- Phosphodiesterase function and regulation
- Fibroblast Growth Factor Research
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
2014-2025
UCLouvain
2022
Université Libre de Bruxelles
1994-2016
In-Q-Tel
2012
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz
2001
University of Cambridge
1996
Rhodnius prolixus not only has served as a model organism for the study of insect physiology, but also is major vector Chagas disease, an illness that affects approximately seven million people worldwide. We sequenced genome R. prolixus, generated assembled sequences covering 95% (∼ 702 Mb), including 15,456 putative protein-coding genes, and completed comprehensive genomic analyses this obligate blood-feeding insect. Although immune-deficiency (IMD)-mediated immune responses were observed,...
The bloodsucking hemipteran Rhodnius prolixus is a vector of Chagas' disease, which affects 7–8 million people today in Latin America. In contrast to other hematophagous insects, the triatomine gut compartmentalized into three segments that perform different functions during blood digestion. Here we report analysis transcriptomes for each using pyrosequencing technology. Comparison transcript frequency digestive libraries with whole-body library was used evaluate expression levels. All...
Tricky Tryps African trypanosomes, responsible for human sleeping sickness, are known their powerful strategies of immune evasion, in particular antigenic variation. Adding another facet to this adaptive potential, Salmon et al. (p. 463 , published online 14 June; see the cover) now show that early after infection, these parasites subvert first line innate host defense by inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-α synthesis myeloid cells. This occurs through stress-induced and release cyclic...
Abstract Signaling from ciliary microdomains controls developmental processes in metazoans. Trypanosome transmission requires development and migration the tsetse vector alimentary tract. Flagellar cAMP signaling has been linked to parasite social motility (SoMo) vitro, yet uncovering control of directed fly organs is challenging. Here we show that composition an adenylate cyclase (AC) complex flagellar tip microdomain essential for salivary gland (SG) colonization SoMo. Cyclic AMP response...
Background Here we report the monitoring of digestive tract colonization Rhodnius prolixus by Trypanosoma cruzi using an accurate determination parasite load qPCR coupled with fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging (BLI). These complementary methods revealed critical steps necessary for population to colonize insect gut establish vector infection. Methodology/Principal Findings analysis in showed several limitations due mainly presence digestive-derived products that are thought degrade...
Antigenic variation of the parasite Trypanosoma brucei operates by monoallelic expression a variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) from collection multiple telomeric sites (ESs). Each these ESs harbours long polycistronic transcription unit containing several site-associated genes (ESAGs). ESAG4 copies encode bloodstream stage-specific adenylyl cyclases (AC) and belong to larger gene family around 80 members, majority which, termed related (GRESAG4s), are not encoded in expressed constitutively...
Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has left a legacy in the management of health emergencies, but sentinel surveillance was relatively underused, despite its significant role decision-making during epidemics. Here we describe for anti-SARS-CoV-2 serology carried out on cohort 395 individuals at Brazilian institution, from October 2020 to December 2022. A total 1,507 serum samples were analyzed IgG and IgA against SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) or nucleocapsid (N) proteins, pre- post-vaccination periods....
Previous observations suggested a concomitant relationship between the release of variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) and activation adenylate cyclase in bloodstream form parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma brucei. In order to evaluate this hypothesis, activity was measured live trypanosomes subjected different treatments known induce shedding VSG coat, namely low pH trypsin digestion. both cases occurred parallel with VSG. The latter found be mediated by glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific...
The Trypanosoma cruzi adenylyl cyclase (AC) multigene family encodes different isoforms (around 15) sharing a variable large N-terminal domain, which is extracellular and receptor-like, followed by transmembrane helix conserved C-terminal catalytic domain. It was proposed that these key enzymes in the cAMP signalling pathway allow parasite to sense its changing milieu order rapidly adapt new environment, generally achieved through differentiation process. One of critical events parasitic...
Trypanosoma cruzi is transmitted to humans by hematophagous bugs belonging the Triatominae subfamily. Its intra-vectorial cycle complex and occurs exclusively in insect's midgut. Dissecting elements involved cross-talk between parasite its vector within digestive tract should provide novel targets for interrupting parasitic life affecting vectorial competence. These interactions are shaped strategies that parasites use infect exploit their hosts, host's responses designed detect eliminate...
ABC transporter mitochondrial 1 (Atm1) and multidrug resistance-like (Mdl) are transporters. Although Atm1 was recently suggested to transport different forms of glutathione from the mitochondrion, which used for iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster maturation in cytosol, function Mdl remains elusive. In Trypanosoma brucei, we identified one homolog each these genes, TbAtm TbMdl, were downregulated either separately or simultaneously using RNA interference. Individual depletion TbMdl led limited...
Chagas disease is one of the most common parasitic infections in Latin America, which transmitted by hematophagous triatomine bugs, Rhodnius prolixus vector prototype for study this disease. The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, etiologic agent disease, to humans through bite wound or mucosa. passage digestive tract its constitutes a key step developmental cycle. Herewith, using high-throughput proteomic tool order characterize midgut proteome R. prolixus, we describe set functional...
Chagas disease is a vector-borne parasitic caused by the flagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and transmitted to humans large group of bloodsucking triatomine bugs. Triatomine insects, such as Rhodnius prolixus, ingest huge amount blood in single meal. Their midgut represents an important interface for triatomine–trypanosome interactions. Furthermore, development parasites their vectorial transmission are closely linked feeding digestion; thus, understanding physiology essential new...
Understanding the development of
The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas Disease, undergoes through a complex life cycle where rounds cell division and differentiation occur initially in gut triatominae vectors and, after transmission, inside infected cells vertebrate hosts. Members Ras superfamily GTPases are molecular switches which play pivotal regulatory functions growth differentiation. We have previously described novel GTPase T. TcRjl, belongs to RJL family Ras-related GTP binding...
FKBP12 proteins are able to inhibit TOR kinases or calcineurin phosphatases upon binding of rapamycin FK506 drugs, respectively. The Trypanosoma brucei homologue (TbFKBP12) was found be a cytoskeleton-associated protein with specific localization in the flagellar pocket area bloodstream form. In insect procyclic form, RNA interference-mediated knockdown TbFKBP12 affected motility. cells, depletion cytokinesis and cytoskeleton architecture. These last effects were associated presence internal...
In eukaryotes, proteins homologous to the bacterial DnaJ protein are involved in regulation of Hsp70 molecular chaperones, which implicated a variety biogenesis pathways. We report herewith characterization <i>T. cruzi DnaJ</i> gene, termed <i>TcJ6</i>, encoding that displays high sequence homology with <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> Sis1 co-chaperone required for initiation translation. TcJ6 was expressed as polypeptide 36.5 kDa at constant level during parasite differentiation and...