Proteomic analysis of metacyclogenesis in Leishmania infantum wild-type and PTR1 null mutant

•Free flow electrophoresis enrichment of proteins from two Leishmania life stages.•More than 260 proteins were differentially expressed in procyclics and metacyclics.•Changes in several metabolic pathways were detected in the two life stages.•Numerous differentially expressed hypothetical proteins were identified.

The parasite Leishmania exhibits a dimorphic life cycle with promastigotes found in the insect vector and amastigotes residing within mammalian macrophages. In the insect, promastigotes undergo metacyclogenesis with two main stages, the procyclic and metacyclic stages. Reduced pterins, provided by the pteridine reductase PTR1, are important factors controlling metacyclogenesis. We applied here the liquid-based free-flow electrophoresis technique for the analysis of L. infantum wild-type and PTR1 null-mutant procyclic and metacyclic proteomes. Significant modulations in energy metabolism, antioxidant and stress-related defences, genetic information processing, protein degradation and motility were observed between procyclic and metacyclic forms, in addition to numerous hypothetical proteins.

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