Adhesion protein, AP33, found in Trichomonas vaginalis makes T. vaginalis colonization possible by binding to the surface of vaginal epithelial cells to initiate and maintain infection. Bioinformatic analysis predicted amyloid forming sequences in AP33. Two amyloid prediction programs TANGO and WALTZ algorithms predicted the sequence VVAFIA to have a 90% β-aggregation. We look to see if amyloids dyes Congo Red and Thioflavin T and S disrupt the surface adhesion proteins on the T. vaginalis. T. vaginalis exhibit fluorescent in the presence of amyloid dyes. We first assay for how well the Trichomonas vaginalis survive in various concentrations of each dye. At concentrations above 0.1 µM the parasite had a decreased survival rate. We are now studying whether T. vaginalis has decrease adhesion to vaginal epithelial cells in the presence of amyloid dyes.

Amyloid Forming Sequences in Trichomonas vaginalis

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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