title: Molecular diversity of the Trypanosoma cruzi TcSMUG family of mucin genes and proteins.
abstract: The surface of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is covered by a dense coat of mucin-type glycoconjugates, which make a pivotal contribution to parasite protection and host immune evasion. Their importance is further underscored by the presence of >1000 mucin-like genes in the parasite genome. In the present study we demonstrate that one such group of genes, termed TcSMUG L, codes for previously unrecognized mucin-type glycoconjugates anchored to and secreted from the surface of insect-dwelling epimastigotes. These features are supported by the in vivo tracing and characterization of endogenous TcSMUG L products and recombinant tagged molecules expressed by transfected parasites. Besides displaying substantial homology to TcSMUG S products, which provide the scaffold for the major Gp35/50 mucins also present in insect-dwelling stages of the T. cruzi lifecycle, TcSMUG L products display unique structural and functional features, including being completely refractory to sialylation by parasite trans-sialidases. Although quantitative real time-PCR and gene sequencing analyses indicate a high degree of genomic conservation across the T. cruzi species, TcSMUG L product expression and processing is quite variable among different parasite isolates.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas, Universidad Nacional de General San Martín-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: Lucía Boiani
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Santurio
authors.forename: Agustina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chidichimo
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mucci
authors.forename: Fernán
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agüero
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Buscaglia
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D056915:DNA Copy Number Variations / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017125:Genes, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009077:Mucins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009077:Mucins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid