Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Among Leishmania Species(2011 - Present)

Investigator:  Alison Shakarian, Salve Regina University 

Abstract:  The long term goal of this project is to identify and characterize differentially expressed genes in Leishmania that may be used as potential novel targets for the development of new drug therapies for the treatment of leishmaiasis. At least 12 million people in Africa, India and Latin America are infected with Leishmania, and 350 million are at risk. Moreover, the thousands of US troops currently deployed in endemic areas (i.e. the Middle East) are at significant risk for contracting the parasite and significant disease. It is poorly understood which genes and how many proteins are involved in the survival and virulence of the pathogenic species of Leishmania.  We hypothesize that differences in the expression of genes among pathogenic species and between pathogenic and non pathogenic species should identify some of the genes that are critical to the survival and important to the virulence of these parasites. Thus, in the current study we will identify differentially expressed genes between pathogenic and nonpathogenic species of Leishmania by cDNA‐AFLP and subsequently characterize these genes by sub cloning the amplified fragments and subjecting them to DNA sequence and analyses. AFLP has been used to understand the role of gene expression in organisms where no prior sequence information is available. In general, AFLP protocols are relatively easy for undergraduates to understand and carry out. Once unique differentially expressed polymorphic fragments are identified, they will be characterized by cloning and subsequent sequence analysis. Moreover, as there is no vaccine available for the prevention of transmission of these parasites and toxic antimony compounds are often used unsuccessfully for its treatment. Thus, the characterization of genes differentially expressed between pathogenic and non pathogenic species is a first step in identifying potential novel targets for the development of nontoxic drugs to be used in the treatment of leishmaniasis, a devastating and potentially fatal collection of human diseases.