Leishmania is a pathogen that afflicts nearly 12 million people worldwide. Current drug regimens for leishmaniasis are limited and lack specificity and efficacy. The goal of our research is to identify molecular targets within Leishmania to advance drug discovery efforts. Stress response pathways are a particularly attractive paradigm since they protect parasites from fluctuations in the host environment and promote survival. Previously, by comparing the proteome of purine-starved parasites under pro-survival and non-survival conditions, we have identified several candidates that were regulated in response to purine starvation, but only in the pro-survival condition. We hypothesize that the regulation of these proteins is important for adaptation to purine starvation and other types of stress. Currently, we are examining the role for two of these proteins in the response to purine starvation and other stress, LinJ.22.0630, and LinJ.27.0130, which are predicted to function as a protein kinase and zinc finger protein, respectively. Changes in the level of these proteins will be measured via western blot in parasites exposed to purine starvation, oxidative stress, and other stresses.

Responses of protein kinase and zinc finger protein of leishmania under different stresses

2019 Spring National Meeting

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