Arginine kinase overexpression improves Trypanosoma cruzi survival capability.
Arginine kinase catalyzes the reversible transphosphorylation between adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and phosphoarginine, which is involved in temporal and spatial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) buffering. Here we demonstrate that the homologous overexpression of the Trypanosoma cruzi arginine kinase improves the ability of the transfectant cells to grow and resist nutritional and pH stress conditions. The stable transfected parasites showed an increased cell density since day 10 of culture, when the carbon sources became scarce, which resulted 2.5-fold higher than the control group on day 28. Additional stress conditions were also tested. We propose that arginine kinase is involved in the adaptation of the parasite to environmental changes.
Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Claudio A
CA
Pereira
Guillermo D
GD
Alonso
Soledad
S
Ivaldi
Ariel M
AM
Silber
Maria Júlia M
MJ
Alves
Héctor N
HN
Torres
Mirtha M
MM
Flawiá
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001122:Arginine Kinase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002021:Buffers; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D014162:Transfection; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*
D002021:Buffers; D003470:Culture Media; D001122:Arginine Kinase