Coordinator: Profª Marcia Cristina Paes

Description: Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan that causes Chagas' disease. This disease is transmitted by insects while feeding on the vertebrate host. It is estimated that 7-8 million people are infected with the parasite, especially in Latin America where the disease is endemic. Due mainly to migration  the disease, once exclusive to the American continent, has been spreading throughout the world, resulting in the loss of 750,000 years of productive life and about 1.2 billion dollars annually. After more than 100 years of its discovery, the disease does not have an effective treatment. Therefore, new therapies remain a priority. Several of the basic aspects of parasite biology are not yet fully understood, such as the near complete absence of promoter sequences in genomic DNA and the use of polycistronic RNA. This project is relevant for the advancement in the knowledge of the gene transcription of the parasite that will determine important targets for its survival. Uerj and the University of Nottingham have won the FAPERJ Birmingham and / or Nottingham - 2014 Bilateral Cooperation Call. We use state-of-the-art sequencing and bioinformatics tools to understand the metabolism of the theme molecule in Trypanosoma cruzi. In the current project, we will extend existing collaboration by interfering with target genes for energy metabolism (eg under hypoxia or inhibition of glycolysis) found in the initial design. We will further understand the biology of this organism and train students using multidisciplinary approaches such as bioinformatics, biochemistry and molecular biology. In this way, it will be possible to identify specific and unique genes for this parasite family. Sequencing and bioinformatics will be conducted in the UK using state-of-the-art technology and the in vitro and in vivo experiments will be managed by the network of laboratories in Brazil coordinated by the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Specific objectives are, therefore, to continue developing knowledge on the biology of the agent of Chagas' disease, in particular with regard to the control of gene transcription in Trypanosoma cruzi; to identify differentially expressed genes by parasites in the presence of the heme molecule with different interventions in their energy metabolism (eg in hypoxia or presence of a glycolytic pathway inhibitor).

For further information visit:  http://www.pgbiologia.uerj.br/capesprint/