Immunoprecipitation of RNA-DNA hybrid interacting proteins in Trypanosoma brucei reveals conserved and novel activities, including in the control of surface antigen expression needed for immune evasion by antigenic variation

Girasol, M. J., Briggs, E., Marques, C. A. , Batista, J. M., Beraldi, D., Buchmore, R., Lemgruber, L. and McCulloch, R. (2023) Immunoprecipitation of RNA-DNA hybrid interacting proteins in Trypanosoma brucei reveals conserved and novel activities, including in the control of surface antigen expression needed for immune evasion by antigenic variation. Nucleic Acids Research, 51(20), pp. 11123-11141. (doi: 10.1093/nar/gkad836) (PMID:37843098) (PMCID:PMC10639054)

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Abstract

RNA–DNA hybrids are epigenetic features of genomes that provide a diverse and growing range of activities. Understanding of these functions has been informed by characterising the proteins that interact with the hybrids, but all such analyses have so far focused on mammals, meaning it is unclear if a similar spectrum of RNA–DNA hybrid interactors is found in other eukaryotes. The African trypanosome is a single-cell eukaryotic parasite of the Discoba grouping and displays substantial divergence in several aspects of core biology from its mammalian host. Here, we show that DNA–RNA hybrid immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry recovers 602 putative interactors in T. brucei mammal- and insect-infective cells, some providing activities also found in mammals and some lineage-specific. We demonstrate that loss of three factors, two putative helicases and a RAD51 paralogue, alters T. brucei nuclear RNA–DNA hybrid and DNA damage levels. Moreover, loss of each factor affects the operation of the parasite immune survival mechanism of antigenic variation. Thus, our work reveals the broad range of activities contributed by RNA–DNA hybrids to T. brucei biology, including new functions in host immune evasion as well as activities likely fundamental to eukaryotic genome function.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:Funding: Wellcome Trust Investigator Award [224501/Z/21/Z to R.M.]; Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) (to M.G.); Welcome Trust Sir Henry Wellcome fellowship [218648/Z/19/Z to E.M.B.]; Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISSF3) award held at the University of Glasgow [204820/Z/16/Z to E.M.B., R.M.]; BBSRC [BB/N016165/1, BB/R017166/1, BB/W001101/1 to R.M., C.A.M.]; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology is funded by a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award [104111/Z/14/Z/A]. Funding for open access charge: UKRI/Wellcome Trust block grant.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Girasol, Mr Mark and Batista, Dr Jose and Briggs, Miss Emma and McCulloch, Professor Richard and Lemgruber Soares, Dr Leandro and Beraldi, Dr Dario and De Almeida Marques, Dr Catarina
Authors: Girasol, M. J., Briggs, E., Marques, C. A., Batista, J. M., Beraldi, D., Buchmore, R., Lemgruber, L., and McCulloch, R.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
Journal Name:Nucleic Acids Research
Publisher:Oxford University Press
ISSN:0305-1048
ISSN (Online):1362-4962
Published Online:16 October 2023
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2023 The Authors
First Published:First published in Nucleic Acids Research 51(20): 11123-11141
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons license

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
315502Understanding the DNA replication programmes of the African trypanosome and LeishmaniaRichard McCullochWellcome Trust (WELLCOTR)224501/Z/21/ZSII - Parasitology
173707Institutional Strategic Support Fund (2016)Anna DominiczakWellcome Trust (WELLCOTR)204820/Z/16/ZSchool of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
173173How do common and diverged features of the replicative stress response shape the biology of TriTrypRichard McCullochBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)BB/N016165/1SII - Parasitology
301963Does genome replication in the protozoan parasite Leishmania rely on origin-indepenent initiation?Richard McCullochBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)BB/R017166/1SII - Parasitology
313882A distinct mode of DNA replication initiation in trypanosomes?Richard McCullochBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)BB/W001101/1SII - Parasitology