Evolution of Fe/S cluster biogenesis in the anaerobic parasite Blastocystis

0378838 - BC 2013 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Tsaousis, A.D. - de Choudens, S. O. - Gentekaki, E. - Long, Shaojun - Gaston, D. - Stechmann, A. - Vinella, D. - Py, B. - Fontecave, M. - Barras, F. - Lukeš, Julius - Roger, A. J.
Evolution of Fe/S cluster biogenesis in the anaerobic parasite Blastocystis.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Roč. 109, č. 26 (2012), s. 10426-10431. ISSN 0027-8424. E-ISSN 1091-6490
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA204/09/1667; GA ČR(CZ) GAP305/11/2179
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : iron/sulfur cluster biosynthesis * lateral gene transfer * parasite evolution * sulfur-mobilization machinery * oxygen stress adaptation
Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology
Impact factor: 9.737, year: 2012

Iron/sulfur cluster (ISC)-containing proteins are essential components of cells. In most eukaryotes, Fe/S clusters are synthesized by the mitochondrial ISC machinery, the cytosolic iron/sulfur assembly system, and, in photosynthetic species, a plastid sulfur-mobilization (SUF) system. Here we show that the anaerobic human protozoan parasite Blastocystis, in addition to possessing ISC and iron/sulfur assembly systems, expresses a fused version of the SufC and SufB proteins of prokaryotes that it has acquired by lateral transfer from an archaeon related to the Methanomicrobiales, an important lineage represented in the human gastrointestinal tract microbiome. Although components of the Blastocystis ISC system function within its anaerobic mitochondrion-related organelles and can functionally replace homologues in Trypanosoma brucei, its SufCB protein has similar biochemical properties to its prokaryotic homologues, functions within the parasite's cytosol, and is up-regulated under oxygen stress. Blastocystis is unique among eukaryotic pathogens in having adapted to its parasitic lifestyle by acquiring a SUF system from nonpathogenic Archaea to synthesize Fe/S clusters under oxygen stress.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0210193