The role of African trypanosomal trans-sialidases in the transmission of Trypanosoma congolense between the fly vector and life stock host suffering Nagana disease

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African trypanosomiasis, called sleeping sickness in humans and Nagana in cattle, is a disease that is resurgent in Africa. The aim of this project is to test the hypothesis that trans-sialidase (TS) and TS-like proteins play a role in the infection cycle of T. congolense and related trypanosomes, in particular in the establishment of infection in the fly vector and the subsequent trans - mission to mammalian hosts. In close collaboration between the German and Nigerian partners genetic and biochemical approaches will be used to investigate the expression patterns of TS and TS-like genes of T. congolense and T. brucei during the stages in the trypanosome life cycle, study the expression pattern heterogeneity in the field, characterise the enzymatic activity and specificity of the gene products and probe the effects of inhibiting the trypanosomal TS activity in flies and mammalian hosts.