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Structural Basis of Molecular Recognition of the Leishmania Small Hydrophilic Endoplasmic Reticulum-associated Protein (SHERP) at Membrane Surfaces

The 57-residue small hydrophilic endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein (SHERP) shows highly specific, stage-regulated expression in the non-replicative vector-transmitted stages of the kinetoplastid parasite, Leishmania major, the causative agent of human cutaneous leishmaniasis. Previous studies...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Moore, Benjamin, Miles, Andrew J., Guerra-Giraldez, Cristina, Simpson, Peter, Iwata, Momi, Wallace, B. A., Matthews, Stephen J., Smith, Deborah F., Brown, Katherine A.
Formato: Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2011
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3059043/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21106528
http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M110.130427
Descripción
Sumario:The 57-residue small hydrophilic endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein (SHERP) shows highly specific, stage-regulated expression in the non-replicative vector-transmitted stages of the kinetoplastid parasite, Leishmania major, the causative agent of human cutaneous leishmaniasis. Previous studies have demonstrated that SHERP localizes as a peripheral membrane protein on the cytosolic face of the endoplasmic reticulum and on outer mitochondrial membranes, whereas its high copy number suggests a critical function in vivo. However, the absence of defined domains or identifiable orthologues, together with lack of a clear phenotype in transgenic parasites lacking SHERP, has limited functional understanding of this protein. Here, we use a combination of biophysical and biochemical methods to demonstrate that SHERP can be induced to adopt a globular fold in the presence of anionic lipids or SDS. Cross-linking and binding studies suggest that SHERP has the potential to form a complex with the vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase. Taken together, these results suggest that SHERP may function in modulating cellular processes related to membrane organization and/or acidification during vector transmission of infective Leishmania.