title: Genetic differences between two Leishmania major-like strains revealed by suppression subtractive hybridization.
abstract: Leishmania major, the causative agent of zoonotic leishmaniasis, is restricted to Old World countries. Molecular and biochemical techniques have been used to identify some L. major-like isolated in South America including Brazil. Here, two L. major-like strains, one virulent (BH49) and one non-virulent (BH121), were subjected to suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technique in order to identify differentially expressed genes. SSH technique identified nine cDNA fragments exhibiting high homology to previously sequenced L. major genes. Five cDNAs (four specific for BH49 and one for BH121) were confirmed by RT-PCR. Among those differentially expressed subtracted genes, some were involved in physiological processes including metabolism, translation and destination of proteins, production of energy, virulence factors and unknown functions. Western-blot analysis confirmed a higher expression level of β-1,3-galactosyl residues in L. major-like lipophosphoglycan (LPG). This molecular analysis opens the possibility for identification of potential virulence factors not only in different strains, but also in others species of Leishmania.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ângela C A
authors.initials: ÂC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Campus Umuarama, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michelle A R
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Soraia de O
authors.initials: Sde O
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou/FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: João Bosco
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Pesquero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pesquero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: melo@icb.ufmg.br.
authors.forename: Maria N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Melo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D005700:Galactosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000469:parasitology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000469:parasitology; D008647:Mesocricetus; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D066251:Subtractive Hybridization Techniques; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C008290:lipophosphonoglycan; D005700:Galactosyltransferases
keywords: Differential gene expression; Leishmania major-like; Lipophosphoglycan; Phosphoglycan β-1,3-galactosyltransferase; Virulence