In silico analysis of phospholipase A1 gene in Leishmania spp.

GIMENEZ, GUADALUPE; BOTT, EMANUEL; LAMMEL, ESTELA MARÍA; RUYBAL, PAULA; BELAUNZARÁN, MARÍA LAURA

Mar del Plata

Otro; Reunión anual de Sociedades de Biociencia; 2019

SAIC-SAFE- SAB-SAP-AACyTAL-NANOMEDar-HCS

Leishmaniasis, caused by several species of protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, is an important global health problem. L.braziliensis is the main species responsible of cutaneous and mucocutaneous clinical forms in Latin America. Phospholipase A1 (PLA1), lipolytic enzyme involved in phospholipid metabolism, can act as a virulence factor for many pathogens including protozoans. Putative PLA1 was initially explored by Trypanosoma cruzi PLA1 orthologs search in Leishmania spp. L. braziliensis PLA1 (LbPLA1) gene was identified, cloned and expressed from MHOM/BR/75/M2904 gDNA (GenBank ACCN KJ957826). Analysis of amino acid (aa) PLA1 sequences showed 98.1% of identity and 98.7% of consensus positions between cloned LbPLA1 and LbrM.31.2750 (reference strain). Detailed analyses evidenced substitution of 7 aa: 2 conservative, 2 neutral, 2 semi-conservative and 1 non-conservative. Comparison of the deduced aa sequences of LbPLA1 with T.cruzi PLA1 (GenBank ACCN AEX65839) and T.brucei PLA1 (GenBank ACCN CAG29794) indicated 30.9% identity and 44.3% consensus positions with T.cruzi PLA1 and 11.5% identity and 22.0% consensus positions with T.brucei PLA1; class 3 lipase domain (GXSXG motif) was highly conserved. PLA1 orthologs search in 12 species genomic-sequences showed that in Viannia subgenus the protein length was 373aa while in 9 species of Leishmania subgenus it ranged from 363 to 367aa with the GXSXG motif highly conserved throughout the genus. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences resulted in a tree topology congruent with the genus taxonomy. Two main clusters were obtained according to subgenus classification while each species/species complex clustered together with high boostrap support values. As expected, nucleotide phylogenetic analysis revealed more accurate cluster organization according to the genus taxonomy. Our results contribute to increase the knowledge of trypanosomatids PLA1 as novel potential targets to fight neglected diseases.