The TgsGP gene is essential for resistance to human serum in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.

Trypanosoma brucei gambiense causes 97% of all cases of African sleeping sickness, a fatal disease of sub-Saharan Africa. Most species of trypanosome, such as T. b. brucei, are unable to infect humans due to the trypanolytic serum protein apolipoprotein-L1 (APOL1) delivered via two trypanosome lytic...

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Main Authors: Paul Capewell, Caroline Clucas, Eric DeJesus, Rudo Kieft, Stephen Hajduk, Nicola Veitch, Pieter C Steketee, Anneli Cooper, William Weir, Annette MacLeod
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2013-01-01
Series:PLoS Pathogens
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1003686
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author Paul Capewell
Caroline Clucas
Eric DeJesus
Rudo Kieft
Stephen Hajduk
Nicola Veitch
Pieter C Steketee
Anneli Cooper
William Weir
Annette MacLeod
author_facet Paul Capewell
Caroline Clucas
Eric DeJesus
Rudo Kieft
Stephen Hajduk
Nicola Veitch
Pieter C Steketee
Anneli Cooper
William Weir
Annette MacLeod
author_sort Paul Capewell
collection DOAJ
description Trypanosoma brucei gambiense causes 97% of all cases of African sleeping sickness, a fatal disease of sub-Saharan Africa. Most species of trypanosome, such as T. b. brucei, are unable to infect humans due to the trypanolytic serum protein apolipoprotein-L1 (APOL1) delivered via two trypanosome lytic factors (TLF-1 and TLF-2). Understanding how T. b. gambiense overcomes these factors and infects humans is of major importance in the fight against this disease. Previous work indicated that a failure to take up TLF-1 in T. b. gambiense contributes to resistance to TLF-1, although another mechanism is required to overcome TLF-2. Here, we have examined a T. b. gambiense specific gene, TgsGP, which had previously been suggested, but not shown, to be involved in serum resistance. We show that TgsGP is essential for resistance to lysis as deletion of TgsGP in T. b. gambiense renders the parasites sensitive to human serum and recombinant APOL1. Deletion of TgsGP in T. b. gambiense modified to uptake TLF-1 showed sensitivity to TLF-1, APOL1 and human serum. Reintroducing TgsGP into knockout parasite lines restored resistance. We conclude that TgsGP is essential for human serum resistance in T. b. gambiense.
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spelling doaj-art-ddf283bedbe2423f9c8f2ebbe2e5b9aa2025-08-20T02:34:09ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Pathogens1553-73661553-73742013-01-01910e100368610.1371/journal.ppat.1003686The TgsGP gene is essential for resistance to human serum in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.Paul CapewellCaroline ClucasEric DeJesusRudo KieftStephen HajdukNicola VeitchPieter C SteketeeAnneli CooperWilliam WeirAnnette MacLeodTrypanosoma brucei gambiense causes 97% of all cases of African sleeping sickness, a fatal disease of sub-Saharan Africa. Most species of trypanosome, such as T. b. brucei, are unable to infect humans due to the trypanolytic serum protein apolipoprotein-L1 (APOL1) delivered via two trypanosome lytic factors (TLF-1 and TLF-2). Understanding how T. b. gambiense overcomes these factors and infects humans is of major importance in the fight against this disease. Previous work indicated that a failure to take up TLF-1 in T. b. gambiense contributes to resistance to TLF-1, although another mechanism is required to overcome TLF-2. Here, we have examined a T. b. gambiense specific gene, TgsGP, which had previously been suggested, but not shown, to be involved in serum resistance. We show that TgsGP is essential for resistance to lysis as deletion of TgsGP in T. b. gambiense renders the parasites sensitive to human serum and recombinant APOL1. Deletion of TgsGP in T. b. gambiense modified to uptake TLF-1 showed sensitivity to TLF-1, APOL1 and human serum. Reintroducing TgsGP into knockout parasite lines restored resistance. We conclude that TgsGP is essential for human serum resistance in T. b. gambiense.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1003686
spellingShingle Paul Capewell
Caroline Clucas
Eric DeJesus
Rudo Kieft
Stephen Hajduk
Nicola Veitch
Pieter C Steketee
Anneli Cooper
William Weir
Annette MacLeod
The TgsGP gene is essential for resistance to human serum in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.
PLoS Pathogens
title The TgsGP gene is essential for resistance to human serum in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.
title_full The TgsGP gene is essential for resistance to human serum in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.
title_fullStr The TgsGP gene is essential for resistance to human serum in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.
title_full_unstemmed The TgsGP gene is essential for resistance to human serum in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.
title_short The TgsGP gene is essential for resistance to human serum in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense.
title_sort tgsgp gene is essential for resistance to human serum in trypanosoma brucei gambiense
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1003686
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