title: Evolution and Structural Analyses of Glossina morsitans (Diptera; Glossinidae) Tetraspanins.
abstract: Tetraspanins are important conserved integral membrane proteins expressed in many organisms. Although there is limited knowledge about the full repertoire, evolution and structural characteristics of individual members in various organisms, data obtained so far show that tetraspanins play major roles in membrane biology, visual processing, memory, olfactory signal processing, and mechanosensory antennal inputs. Thus, these proteins are potential targets for control of insect pests. Here, we report that the genome of the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae) encodes at least seventeen tetraspanins (GmTsps), all containing the signature features found in the tetraspanin superfamily members. Whereas six of the GmTsps have been previously reported, eleven could be classified as novel because their amino acid sequences do not map to characterized tetraspanins in the available protein data bases. We present a model of the GmTsps by using GmTsp42Ed, whose presence and expression has been recently detected by transcriptomics and proteomics analyses of G. morsitans. Phylogenetically, the identified GmTsps segregate into three major clusters. Structurally, the GmTsps are largely similar to vertebrate tetraspanins. In view of the exploitation of tetraspanins by organisms for survival, these proteins could be targeted using specific antibodies, recombinant large extracellular loop (LEL) domains, small-molecule mimetics and siRNAs as potential novel and efficacious putative targets to combat African trypanosomiasis by killing the tsetse fly vector.
authors.affiliation: South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI), University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X79, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa. eddkimm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Edwin K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Murungi
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Institute, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), P.O. Box 57811, Kaptagat Rd, Nairobi 00200, Kenya. henry.kariithi@kalro.org.|Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, Wageningen 6708 PB, The Netherlands. henry.kariithi@kalro.org.
authors.forename: Henry M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kariithi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536, Egerton 20115, Kenya. vowino@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Adunga
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536, Egerton 20115, Kenya. obonyom@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Meshack
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Obonyo
authors.affiliation: South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI), University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X79, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa. alan.christoffels@uwc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christoffels
keywords: CD63; Glossina morsitans; GmTsp; LEL; Trypanosoma; modeling; phylogenetics; positive selection; tetraspanins