Trypanosoma and Leishmania infections affect wild and domestic animals and human populations. The growing process of deforestation and urbanization of Atlantic Rainforest areas has given rise to introduction of humans and domestic animals to the sylvatic cycles of Trypanosoma and Leishmania species. Serological, parasitological, and molecular surveys among wild and domestic animals in the Corre...

Proteins containing the 21st amino acid selenocysteine (Sec) are present in the three domains of life. However, within lower eukaryotes, particularly parasitic protists, the dependence on the trace element selenium is variable as many organisms lost the ability to utilize Sec. Herein, we analyzed the genomes of Trypanosoma and Leishmania for the presence of genes coding for Sec-containing prote...

INTRODUCTION For a long time, the importance of Chagas disease in Mexico, where many regarded it as an exotic malady, was questioned. Considering the great genetic diversity among isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi, the importance of this biological characterization, and the paucity of information on the clinical and biological aspects of Chagas disease in Mexico, this study aimed to identify the mo...

Some medicinal plants are a potential source of new drugs, in order to improve the treatment of Chagas disease whose treatment is still a challenge. In this study, the in vitro anti-epimastigote activity of certain fractions of Achillea biebersteinii, A. millefolium, Satureja mutica and S. macrantha was evaluated. Diethyl ether fractions of Achillea species and acetone fractions of Satureja spe...

A total of 231 serum samples were collected from sheep (n=9), goats (n=99) and cattle (n=123) in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Trypanosome infection was detected using Trypanosoma brucei brucei crude antigen (TbbCA) and T. congolense crude antigen (TcoCA) ELISA assays. Recombinant antigen (T. evansi GM6 which consisted of 4 repeat domains, TeGM6-4r) ELISA and immunochromatographic t...

The conserved histone methyltransferase Dot1 establishes an H3K79 methylation pattern consisting of mono-, di- and trimethylation states on histone H3 via a distributive mechanism. This mechanism has been shown to be important for the regulation of the different H3K79 methylation states in yeast. Dot1 enzymes in yeast, Trypanosoma brucei (TbDot1A and TbDot1B, which methylate H3K76) and human (h...

We present a quantitative 3D analysis of the motility of the blood parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Digital in-line holographic microscopy has been used to track single cells with high temporal and spatial accuracy to obtain quantitative data on their behavior. Comparing bloodstream form and insect form trypanosomes as well as mutant and wildtype cells under varying external conditions we were able...

We report the 4,385,577-bp high-quality draft assembly of the bacterial symbiont Rhodococcus rhodnii strain LMG5362, isolated from the gut of Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae, Triatominae), the principle vector of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. This sequence might provide useful information for subsequent studies of the symbiotic relationship b...

Trypanosoma vivax is the most prevalent trypanosome species in African cattle. It is thought to be transmitted by tsetse flies after cyclical development restricted to the vector mouthparts. Here, we investigated the kinetics of T. vivax development in Glossina morsitans morsitans by serial dissections over 1 week to reveal differentiation and proliferation stages. After 3 days, stable numbers ...

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causal agent of Chagas' disease which affects millions of people around the world mostly in Central and South America. T. cruzi expresses a wide variety of proteins on its surface membrane which has an important role in the biology of these parasites. Surface molecules of the parasites are the result of the environment to which the parasites are exposed during their lif...