title: Functional studies of TcRjl, a novel GTPase of Trypanosoma cruzi, reveals phenotypes related with MAPK activation during parasite differentiation and after heterologous expression in Drosophila model system.
abstract: The life cycle of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi comprises rounds of proliferative cycles and differentiation in distinct host environments. Ras GTPases are molecular switches that play pivotal regulatory functions in cell fate. Rjl is a novel GTPase with unknown function. Herein we show that TcRjl blocks in vivo cell differentiation. The forced expression of TcRjl leads to changes in the overall tyrosine protein phosphorylation profile of parasites. TcRjl expressing parasites sustained DNA synthesis regardless the external stimuli for differentiation. Heterologous expression in the Drosophila melanogaster genetic system strongly suggests a role from TcRjl protein in RTK-dependent pathways and MAPK activation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, CCS, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme Rodrigo Reis Monteiro
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: dos-Santos
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, CCS, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcio Ribeiro
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fontenele
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, CCS, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe de Almeida
authors.initials: Fde A
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, CCS, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Lagerblad
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Integrado de Bioquímica Hatisaburo Masuda, NUPEM/UFRJ, Pólo Barreto, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Macaé, Macaé, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Luciano
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Nepomuceno-Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Genética Molecular, Departamento de Biotecnologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro, IFRJ, Campus Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: luiz.melo@ifrj.edu.br.
authors.forename: Luiz Dione Barbosa
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: de Melo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Desenvolvimento Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, CCS, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil. Electronic address: haraujo@histo.ufrj.br.
authors.forename: Helena Maria Marcolla
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, CCS, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia-Pesquisa Translacional em Saúde e Ambiente na Região Amazônica (INCT-IMPeTAM), Brazil. Electronic address: lopesu@biof.ufrj.br.
authors.forename: Ulisses Gazos
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Differentiation; GTPase; Metacyclogenesis; Rjl; Trypanosoma cruzi