Acid phosphatase-like proteins, a biogenic amine and leukotriene-binding salivary protein family from the flea Xenopsylla cheopis

• Published in: Communications biology Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 1280
• Main Authors: Lu, Stephen, Andersen, John F., Bosio, Christopher F., Hinnebusch, B. Joseph, Ribeiro, José M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 18.12.2023; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/45/535/1266; 631/45/612; 82; 82/16; 82/80; 82/83; Acid Phosphatase; Acids; Amines; Animals; Biogenic Amines; Biology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Crystallography; Enzymes; Exocrine glands; Hemostasis; Hypotheses; Immune response; Infectious diseases; Leukotrienes; Life Sciences; Mutation; Phosphatase; Proteins; Rats; Salivary gland; Salivary Proteins and Peptides - genetics; Siphonaptera - physiology; Structure-function relationships; X-ray crystallography; Xenopsylla; Xenopsylla cheopis
• ISSN: 2399-3642; 2399-3642
• DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05679-0

The salivary glands of hematophagous arthropods contain pharmacologically active molecules that interfere with host hemostasis and immune responses, favoring blood acquisition and pathogen transmission. Exploration of the salivary gland composition of the rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis , revealed several abundant acid phosphatase-like proteins whose sequences lacked one or two of their presumed catalytic residues. In this study, we undertook a comprehensive characterization of the tree most abundant X. cheopis salivary acid phosphatase-like proteins. Our findings indicate that the three recombinant proteins lacked the anticipated catalytic activity and instead, displayed the ability to bind different biogenic amines and leukotrienes with high affinity. Moreover, X-ray crystallography data from the XcAP-1 complexed with serotonin revealed insights into their binding mechanisms. A structural and functional characterization of salivary acid phosphatase-like proteins derived from the flea Xenopsylla cheopis demonstrating their ability to bind host biogenic amines and leukotrienes, potentially favouring blood acquisition.