Roles of the Pumilio domain protein PUF3 in Trypanosoma brucei growth and differentiation
Trypanosomes strongly rely on post-transcriptional mechanisms to control gene expression. Several Opisthokont Pumilio domain proteins are known to suppress expression when bound to mRNAs. The Trypanosoma brucei Pumilio domain protein PUF3 is a cytosolic mRNA-binding protein that suppresses expressio...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
9 June 2020
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| In: |
Parasitology
Year: 2020, Volume: 147, Issue: 11, Pages: 1171-1183 |
| ISSN: | 1469-8161 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S003118202000092X |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1017/S003118202000092X Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/parasitology/article/roles-of-the-pumilio-domain-protein-puf3-in-trypanosoma-brucei-growth-and-differentiation/BD4F6EC9B84A9A5A19E7780AA3C18278 
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| Author Notes: | K. Kamanyi Marucha and C. Clayton |
| Summary: | Trypanosomes strongly rely on post-transcriptional mechanisms to control gene expression. Several Opisthokont Pumilio domain proteins are known to suppress expression when bound to mRNAs. The Trypanosoma brucei Pumilio domain protein PUF3 is a cytosolic mRNA-binding protein that suppresses expression when tethered to a reporter mRNA. RNA-binding studies showed that PUF3 preferentially binds to mRNAs with a classical Pumilio-domain recognition motif, UGUA[U/C]AUU. RNA-interference-mediated reduction of PUF3 in bloodstream forms caused a minor growth defect, but the transcriptome was not affected. Depletion of PUF3 also slightly delayed differentiation to the procyclic form. However, both PUF3 genes could be deleted in cultured bloodstream- and procyclic-form trypanosomes. Procyclic forms without PUF3 also grew somewhat slower than wild-type, but ectopic expression of C-terminally tagged PUF3 impaired their viability. PUF3 was not required for RBP10-induced differentiation of procyclic forms to bloodstream forms. Mass spectrometry revealed no PUF3 binding partners that might explain its suppressive activity. We conclude that PUF3 may have a role in fine-tuning gene expression. Since PUF3 is conserved in all Kinetoplastids, including those that do not infect vertebrates, we suggest that it might confer advantages within the invertebrate host. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 14.09.2020 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1469-8161 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S003118202000092X |