title: Quantitative proteomics of Trypanosoma cruzi during metacyclogenesis.
abstract: Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, which is estimated to affect over eight million people around the world. Trypanosoma cruzi has a complex life cycle, involving insect and mammalian hosts and four distinct developmental stages: epimastigotes, metacyclic trypomastigotes, amastigotes, and bloodstream trypomastigotes. Metacyclogenesis is the process by which T. cruzi epimastigotes differentiate into metacyclic trypomastigotes and acquire infectivity, and involves differential gene expression associated with acquisition of virulence. In T. cruzi, gene expression regulation is achieved mainly posttranscriptionally. Therefore, proteomics-based approaches are extremely useful for gaining a better understanding of the changes that occur in the stage-regulated gene expression program of the parasite at the molecular level. Here, we performed an in-depth quantitative MS-based proteomic study of T. cruzi metacyclogenesis and quantified almost 3000 proteins expressed during the process of differentiation. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the most comprehensive quantitative proteomics study of different cell populations of T. cruzi available so far. We identified relevant proteins and pathways involved in the parasite's differentiation and infectivity acquisition, opening new perspectives for further studies that could, ultimately, lead to the identification of new targets for chemotherapy.
authors: Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
authors: Lyris Martins Franco
authors: LM
authors: de Godoy
authors: Fabricio Klerynton
authors: FK
authors: Marchini
authors: Daniela Parada
authors: DP
authors: Pavoni
authors: Rita de Cássia Pontello
authors: Rde C
authors: Rampazzo
authors: Christian Macagnan
authors: CM
authors: Probst
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Goldenberg
authors: Marco Aurelio
authors: MA
authors: Krieger
mesh_terms: D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000469:parasitology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins