Leishmania aethiopica: Identification and characterization of cathepsin L-like cysteine protease genes

• Published in: Experimental parasitology Vol. 115; no. 3; pp. 283 - 290
• Main Authors: Kuru, Teklu, Jirata, Dagim, Genetu, Abebe, Barr, Stephen, Mengistu, Yohannes, Aseffa, Abraham, Gedamu, Lashitew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2007
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Bayes Theorem; Cathepsin L; Cell Line; Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Cysteine Endopeptidases - chemistry; Cysteine Endopeptidases - genetics; Cysteine Endopeptidases - physiology; Cysteine Proteases; DNA, Protozoan - analysis; Gene Duplication; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Humans; Leishmania; Leishmania - classification; Leishmania - enzymology; Leishmania - genetics; Leishmania aethiopica; Likelihood Functions; Molecular Sequence Data; Monocytes - parasitology; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Protein Sorting Signals - physiology; RNA, Protozoan - analysis; Sequence Alignment; CL; Cysteine Proteases; Cathepsin L; Leishmania aethiopica
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2006.09.011

There is limited information on the biology and pathogenesis of Leishmania aethiopica, causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Ethiopia. In this study we have identified and characterized two cathepsin L-like cysteine protease genes, Lae cpa and Lae cpb, from L. aethiopica. The predicted amino acid sequence of Lae cpa and Lae cpb is more than 75% identical with homologous cathepsin L-like cysteine protease genes of other Leishmania species and less than 50% identical with human cathepsin L. Lae cpa is expressed predominantly in the stationary, and to a lower level, during the amastigote stage while Lae cpb is specifically expressed in the stationary stage of L. aethiopica development. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the two genes are grouped into separate clades which are the result of gene duplication. The isolation of these genes will be useful in developing Leishmania species specific diagnostics for molecular epidemiological studies and serves as a first step to study the role of cysteine proteases in L. aethiopica pathogenesis.