Poster #RP120
In Silico Analyses of Profilins and Katanins as Putative Members of the Intraflagellar Transport (IFT) Mechanisms in Leishmania spp.
Diana Oliveira*, Fabiana Araujo*, Wesley Alcoforado*, Allan Maia*, Ana Luiza Barros*, Cleilton Rocha*, Hálisson Ribeiro*, João David Lira*, George Ferreira*, Marcilia Costa*
*Universidade |Estaduial do Ceará - UECE, Fortaleza, Brazil
Studies across eukaryotic systems indicate that flagella are constructed and maintained through the highly conserved process of intraflagellar transport (IFT), for which many of the proteins involved have yet to be identified in trypanosomatids. In search for genomic and/or proteomic evidences of IFT-related genes/proteins in Leishmania spp, we have used many available databases and computational biology tools to predict and distinguish several putative IFT proteins that are either actin-, tubulin-, axoneme- or microtubule-related sequences in Leishmania spp. Previously we have distinguished several flagellar virulence factors and their organization in gene families. Continuing characterizing the pathogenic role of flagellum in Leishmania infection, here we present results of sequence and structural analyses of profilins, kinesins and katanins among putative IFT proteins of Leishmania spp. These genes and proteins were in silico assessed and selected for investigating viable roles on flagellar assembly, disassembly and dynamics, comprising IFT. Bioinformatics analyses of these IFT-related sequences contributed to formulate a flagellar remodeling hypothesis that we discuss here as pertinent to Leishmania virulence. A database concerning results of this work will be available at http://nugen.lcc.uece.br/lpgate.