PREDICTING POTENTIAL OF VACCINE DEVELOPMENT AGAINST LEISHMANIA (L) MEXICANA PAR

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) protein has been known to be an important virulent factor on Leishmania amazonensis. Because this transmembrane surface protein mediates adherence of the parasite to the macrophages, it is important to investigate the role of this molecule in the early events of the onset of infection, and also its potential to be used as a candidate for vaccine against this parasite. This gene and its role in virulence have earlier been from Leishmania (L) mazonensis in the New World. This information is not known from Leishmania (L) mexicana which is causal agent of Cutaneous leishmaniasis in southern Texas, Mexico, Central and South America. With the use of bioinformatics tools and techniques we would like to do comparative studies on DHODH for the two strains of L. (L) mexicana; and between L.(L) mazonensis and L.(L) mexicana. In addition we will also predict its potential for vaccine against L.(L) mexicana infection