The Trypanosoma cruzi proteins TcCox10 and TcCox15 catalyze the formation of heme A in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent for Chagas’ disease, has requirements for several cofactors, one of which is heme. Because this organism is unable to synthesize heme, which serves as a prosthetic group for several heme proteins (including the respiratory chain complexes), it therefore must be acquired from the environment. Considering this deficiency, it is an open question as to how heme A, the essential cofactor for eukaryotic CcO enzymes, is acquired by this parasite. In the present work, we provide evidence for the presence and functionality of genes coding for heme O and heme A synthases, which catalyze the synthesis of heme O and its conversion into heme A, respectively. The functions of these T. cruzi proteins were evaluated using yeast complementation assays, and the mRNA levels of their respective genes were analyzed at the different T. cruzi life stages. It was observed that the amount of mRNA coding for these proteins changes during the parasite life cycle, suggesting that this variation could reflect different respiratory requirements in the different parasite life stages.
Buchensky
Celeste
C
Departamento de Química Biológica, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina.
Almirón
Paula
P
Mantilla
Brian Suarez
BS
Silber
Ariel M
AM
Cricco
Julia A
JA
D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003573:Cytochrome b Group / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006418:Heme / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
D003573:Cytochrome b Group; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C555777:heme A synthase, Trypanosoma cruzi; C069808:heme O; C027728:heme a; D006418:Heme; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; C555778:heme O synthase, Trypanosoma cruzi