PhyloQuant approach provides insights into Trypanosoma cruzi evolution using a systems-wide mass spectrometry-based quantitative protein profile

• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01762-6
• Publication Date: 2021-03-11T11:03:49Z
• Authors: Simon Ngao Mule; André Guilherme C...; Livia Rosa-Fernandes; Gilberto Santos d...; Carla Monadeli F....; Daniel Quina; Graziella E. Rosein; Marta Maria Geral...; Giuseppe Palmisano
• Keywords: Chagas Disease

Abstract The etiological agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi , is a complex seven genetic subdivisions termed discrete typing units (DTUs), TcI-TcVI and Tcbat. relevance T. diversity to the variable clinical course virulence, pathogenicity, drug resistance, transmission cycles ecological distribution requires understanding parasite origin population structure. In this study, we introduce PhyloQuant approach infer evolutionary relationships between organisms based on differential mass spectrometry-based quantitative features. particular, large scale bottom-up proteomics features (MS1, iBAQ LFQ) were analyzed using maximum parsimony, showing correlation DTUs closely related trypanosomes’ protein expression sequence-based clustering. Character mapping enabled identification synapomorphies, herein proteins their respective profiles that differentiate trypanosome species. distance matrices phylogenetics clustering showed statistically significant highlighting complementarity two strategies. Moreover, allows differentially regulated strain/DTU/species-specific proteins, has potential application in specific biomarkers candidate therapeutic targets.