title: Identification and characterization of a new Leishmania major specific 3'nucleotidase/nuclease protein.
abstract: We report the characterization of a new Leishmania major gene, lmaj3'nt/nu, encoding a 382 amino acids protein, Lmaj3'NT/NU, that belongs to the 3'nucleotidase/nuclease family. Interestingly, sequence and phylogenetic analysis show that this protein is Leishmania major specific and thus constitutes a new 3'nucleotidase/nuclease subgroup. Lmaj3'NT/NU displays nuclease enzymatic activity and Western blot analysis shows that it is exclusively expressed in promastigotes. Immunofluorescence microscopy using a specific anti-Lmaj3'NT/NU shows that the protein has a plasma membrane localization. Surprisingly, contrary to the previously described Leishmania mexicana 3'NT/NU, lmaj3'nt/nu is not up-regulated when parasites are cultured under purine starvation conditions. Together, these findings suggest Lmaj3'NT/NU may constitute a new important compound of the L. major purine scavenging pathway and could be involved in sandfly parasite survival and colonization.
authors.affiliation: LIVGM, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, 13, Place Pasteur, 1002 Tunis-Belvédère, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Inès
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lakhal-Naouar
authors.forename: Yosser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ben Achour-Chenik
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Boublik
authors.forename: Mounira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meddeb
authors.forename: Ahlem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aamouri
authors.forename: Abdellatif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fattoum
authors.forename: Hechmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Louzir
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chenik
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009708:Nucleotidases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011687:Purines / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011687:Purines; D009708:Nucleotidases