title: The genome sequence of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis: functional annotation and extended analysis of gene models.
abstract: We present the sequencing and annotation of the Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis genome, an etiological agent of human cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Amazon region of Brazil. L. (L.) amazonensis shares features with Leishmania (L.) mexicana but also exhibits unique characteristics regarding geographical distribution and clinical manifestations of cutaneous lesions (e.g. borderline disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis). Predicted genes were scored for orthologous gene families and conserved domains in comparison with other human pathogenic Leishmania spp. Carboxypeptidase, aminotransferase, and 3'-nucleotidase genes and ATPase, thioredoxin, and chaperone-related domains were represented more abundantly in L. (L.) amazonensis and L. (L.) mexicana species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these two species share groups of amastin surface proteins unique to the genus that could be related to specific features of disease outcomes and host cell interactions. Additionally, we describe a hypothetical hybrid interactome of potentially secreted L. (L.) amazonensis proteins and host proteins under the assumption that parasite factors mimic their mammalian counterparts. The model predicts an interaction between an L. (L.) amazonensis heat-shock protein and mammalian Toll-like receptor 9, which is implicated in important immune responses such as cytokine and nitric oxide production. The analysis presented here represents valuable information for future studies of leishmaniasis pathogenicity and treatment.
authors.affiliation: 1Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - EPM/UNIFESP, Rua Botucatu 862, 6 andar, 04023-062 São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Real
authors.forename: Ramon Oliveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.forename: Marcelo Falsarella
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Carazzolle
authors.forename: Jorge Maurício Costa
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mondego
authors.forename: Gustavo Gilson Lacerda
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Roberto Hirochi
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Herai
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Würtele
authors.forename: Lucas Miguel
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carmona e Ferreira
authors.forename: Renato Arruda
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mortara
authors.forename: Clara Lucia
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Barbiéri
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mieczkowski
authors.forename: José Franco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: da Silveira
authors.forename: Marcelo Ribeiro da Silva
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Briones
authors.forename: Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bahia
mesh_terms: D018503:Genome, Protozoan; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000469:parasitology; D008957:Models, Genetic; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny
keywords: Leishmania amazonensis; amastin; genome; heat-shock protein; interactome