Trypanosoma cruzi nucleoside diphosphate kinase 1(TcNDPK1) has a broad nuclease activity

CANEPA, GASPAR; BOUVIER, LEON; MIRANDA, MARIANA; PEREIRA, CA

PARASITOLOGY

Cambridge University Press

Lugar: UK; Año: 2008 vol. 135 p. 1661 - 1666

0031-1820

Here, we present the characterization of a trypanosomatid nucleoside diphosphate kinase (TcNDPK1) exhibiting nucleaseactivity. This is the first identification of a NDPK with this property in trypanosomatid organisms. The recombinantTcNDPK1 protein cleaves not only linear DNA, but also supercoiled plasmid DNA. Additionally, TcNDPK1 is capableof degrading Trypanosoma cruzi genomic DNA. ATP or ADP did not affect the nuclease activity, while the absence ofMg2+ completely inhibits this activity. NDPK and nuclease activities were inhibited at the same temperature, suggestingthe presence of related catalytic sites. Furthermore, phenogram analysis showed that TcNDPK1 is close to Drosophilamelanogaster and human NDPKs. The unspecific nuclease activity could suggest a participation in cellular processes suchas programmed cell death.