Andréa Rodrigues Ávila, Bruno Dallagiovanna, Sueli Fumie Yamada-Ogatta, Viviane Monteiro-Góes, Stênio Perdigão Fragoso, Marco Aurélio Krieger, Samuel Goldenberg
Published: March 31, 2003
Genet. Mol. Res. 2 (1) : 159-168
Cite this Article:
A.Rodrigues Ávila, B. Dallagiovanna, S.Fumie Yamada-Ogatta, V. Monteiro-Góes, S.Perdigão Fragoso, M.Aurélio Krieger, S. Goldenberg (2003). Stage-specific gene expression during Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis. Genet. Mol. Res. 2(1): 159-168.
About the Authors
Andréa Rodrigues Ávila, Bruno Dallagiovanna, Sueli Fumie Yamada-Ogatta, Viviane Monteiro-Góes, Stênio Perdigão Fragoso, Marco Aurélio Krieger, Samuel Goldenberg
Corresponding author
S.Goldenberg
E-mail: sgoldenb@tecpar.br
ABSTRACT
The process of Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis involves the transformation of noninfective epimastigotes into metacyclic trypomastigotes, which are the pathogenic form. The analysis of stage-specific genes during T. cruzi metacyclogenesis may provide insight into the mechanisms involved in the regulation of gene expression in trypanosomatids. It may also improve the understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the pathology of Chagas disease, and could lead to the identification of new targets for chemotherapy of this disease. We have demonstrated that during metacyclogenesis the expression of several genes is controlled at the translational level by an alternative regulatory mechanism. This mechanism may involve the mobilization of mRNA to the translation machinery. We have been using self-made T. cruzi microarrays to investigate the role of polysomal mobilization in modulating gene expression during metacyclogenesis.
Key words: Trypanosoma cruzi, Metacyclogenesism, Stage-specific gene.