Identification of glycoproteins targeted by Trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase, a virulence factor that disturbs lymphocyte glycosylation.

ABSTRACT: Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of the American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease, bypasses its lack of de novo synthesis of sialic acids by expressing a surface-anchored trans-sialidase. This enzyme transfers sialic acid residues from the host's sialylglycoconjugates to the parasite's galactosylglycoconjugates. In addition to carrying out a pivotal role in parasite persistence/replication within the infected mammal, the trans-sialidase is shed into the bloodstream and induces alterations in the host immune system by modifying the sialylation of the immune cells. A major obstacle to understand these events is the difficulty to identify the transferred sialic acid among all those naturally occurring on the cell surface. Here, we report the use of azido-modified unnatural sialic acid to identif

SUBMITTER: Muia RP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2900898 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature