REGULATION OF FLAGELLUM AND PFT IN LEISHMANIA

本提案解决的总体问题是了解墨西哥利什曼原虫鞭毛具体细化阶段的管理过程。鞭毛形态的深刻变化是区分人类病原体利什曼原虫昆虫和哺乳动物阶段的特征之一。尽管经典认识到这些鞭毛形态的变化发生在生命周期中，但很少有人知道鞭毛的结构成分是如何根据生命周期进行组装和拆卸的。本文以鞭毛旁杆为研究对象，通过实验研究这些寄生虫控制鞭毛产生和破坏的调控机制，并了解这种运动细胞器在生物生物学中所起的作用。我们将从mRNA的产生、翻译、蛋白转运等方面探讨寄生虫的生物学调控，从而揭示抗寄生虫治疗的新靶点。PFR的功能重要性及其作为候选疫苗的潜力证明了对这种复杂结构更完整的表征。

The overall issue addressed by this proposal is to understand regulatory processes governing stage-specific elaboration of the flagellum in Leishmania mexicana. A profound change in flagellar morphology is one of the features distinguishing the insect and mammalian stages of the human pathogen Leishmania. Despite classical recognition of these changes in flagellar morphology occurring curing the life cycle, very little is known about how the structural components of the flagellum are assembled and disassembled in correspondence with the life cycle. Focusing on the paraflagellar rod, this proposal describes experiments to study the regulatory mechanisms deployed by these parasites to control production and demolition of the flagellum and to understand the role played by this motility organelle in the biology of the organism. We will explore regulation at the level of mRNA production, translation, protein transport to the parasites' biology could reveal new targets for antiparasitic therapies. The functional importance of the PFR coupled with its proven potential as a vaccine candidate justify a more complete characterization of this complex structure.