title: Trypanosoma cruzi poly-zinc finger protein: a novel DNA/RNA-binding CCHC-zinc finger protein.
abstract: A poly-zinc finger protein, designated PZFP1 was identified in Trypanosoma cruzi for the first time. The protein has 191 amino acids, contains seven motifs Cys(X)(2)Cys(X)(4)His(X)(4)Cys. A recombinant PZFP1 was generated in E. coli and the expected 21kDa polypeptide co-purified with two other inducible products of about 42 and 63kDa. Western blot analysis of cell extracts using an anti-PZFP1 antibody recognized a major band of 41kDa. Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis demonstrated that both, recombinant and native PZFP1, specifically interact with single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides carrying recognition sequences of other CCHC proteins. The protein was localized mainly in the cytoplasm and nucleus as observed by indirect immunofluorescence analysis. PZFP1 interacted specifically with a T. cruzi serine-arginine-rich protein (TcSR) in a yeast two-hybrid assay, suggesting a role in pre-mRNA processing.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Joaquín M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Portal
authors.forename: Guillermo S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.forename: Claudio A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Guillermo D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Eliana B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Graciela Humbert
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Rolando V Rivera
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Pomar
authors.forename: Mirtha M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Flawiá
authors.forename: Héctor N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Torres
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C480685:PZFP1 protein, Trypanosoma cruzi; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins