title: Identification, molecular and functional characterization of calmodulin gene of Phytomonas serpens 15T that shares high similarity with its pathogenic counterparts Trypanosoma cruzi.
abstract: In trypanosomatids, Ca²+-binding proteins can affect parasite growth, differentiation and invasion. Due to their importance for parasite maintenance, they become an attractive target for drug discovery and design. Phytomonas serpens 15T is a non-human pathogenic trypanosomatid that expresses important protein homologs of human pathogenic trypanosomatids. In this study, the coding sequence of calmodulin, a Ca²+-binding protein, of P. serpens 15T was cloned and characterized. The encoded polypeptide (CaMP) displayed high amino acid identity to homolog protein of Trypanosoma cruzi and four helix-loop-helix motifs were found. CaMP sequence analysis showed 20 amino acid substitutions compared to its mammalian counterparts. This gene is located on a chromosomal band with estimated size of 1,300 kb and two transcripts were detected by Northern blot analysis. A polyclonal antiserum raised against the recombinant protein recognized a polypeptide with an estimated size of 17 kDa in log-phase promastigote extracts. The recombinant CaMP retains its Ca²+-binding capacity.
authors: Departamento de Microbiologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445, Km 380, Londrina, Paraná CEP 86051-980, Brazil.
authors: Tatiana de Arruda Campos Brasil
authors: Tde A
authors: de Souza
authors: Viviane Krominski
authors: VK
authors: Graça-de Souza
authors: César Armando Contreras
authors: CA
authors: Lancheros
authors: Viviane
authors: V
authors: Monteiro-Góes
authors: Marco Aurélio
authors: MA
authors: Krieger
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Goldenberg
authors: Lucy Megumi
authors: LM
authors: Yamauchi
authors: Sueli Fumie
authors: SF
authors: Yamada-Ogatta
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014351:Trypanosomatina / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D002118:Calcium