title: Phytomonas: A non-pathogenic trypanosomatid model for functional expression of proteins.
abstract: Phytomonas are protozoan parasites from the Trypanosomatidae family which infect a wide variety of plants. Herein, Phytomonas Jma was tested as a model for functional expression of heterologous proteins. Green fluorescent protein expression was evaluated in Phytomonas and compared with Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease. Phytomonas was able to express GFP at levels similar to T. cruzi although the transgenic selection time was higher. It was possible to establish an efficient transfection and selection protocol for protein expression. These results demonstrate that Phytomonas can be a good model for functional expression of proteins from other trypanosomatids, presenting the advantage of being completely safe for humans.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Alfredo Lanari, Universidad de Buenos Aires and CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mariana R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Alfredo Lanari, Universidad de Buenos Aires and CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Melisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sayé
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Alfredo Lanari, Universidad de Buenos Aires and CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reigada
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (ICT Milstein), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carrillo
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas Alfredo Lanari, Universidad de Buenos Aires and CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: cpereira@retina.ar.
authors.forename: Claudio A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection; D014351:Trypanosomatina / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins
keywords: Phytomonas; Protein expression; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosomatids