Title: Actin-Interacting Proteins in flagellated pathogenic Leishmania spp.: a genome-based bioinformatics report on profilins, formins and katanins

Authors: Elton J.R. Vasconcelos, Ana C.L. Pacheco, Joao J.S. Gouveia, Fabiana F. Araujo, Michely C. Diniz, Michel T. Kamimura, Marcilia P. Costa, Raimundo Araujo-Filho, Diana Magalhaes de Oliveira

Addresses: Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil. ' Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil. ' Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil. ' Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil. ' Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil. ' Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil. ' Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil. ' Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil. ' Nucleo Tarcisio Pimenta de Pesquisa, Genomica e Bioinformatica, NUGEN, Universidade Estadual do Ceara – UECE, Fortaleza, Ceara – Brazil

Abstract: In search for genomic and proteomic evidences of flagellar genes/proteins in Leishmania spp., we have used available databases and bioinformatics tools to distinguish Actin-Interacting Proteins (AIPs) that are flagellar and, also, probable virulence factors. Here we present results of sequence and structural analyses of profilins, formins and katanins, whose sequences were in silico selected for predicting viable roles on flagellum assembly, disassembly and dynamics in terms of intraflagellar mechanisms. Taken together, our results provide the first bioinformatics analyses of Leishmania profilin, katanin and formin genes and their gene products to contribute to a more detailed annotation of these important AIPs.

Keywords: flagellar proteins; leishmania; AIP; actin-interacting proteins; profilin genes; katanin genes; formin genes; genome-based bioinformatics; sequence analysis; structural analysis; intraflagellar mechanisms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFIPM.2008.021389

International Journal of Functional Informatics and Personalised Medicine, 2008 Vol.1 No.3, pp.234 - 252

Published online: 22 Nov 2008 *

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