Cloning, characterization and subcellular localization of Nuclear LIM interactor interacting factor gene from Leishmania donovani

LIM domains are zinc-binding motifs that mediate protein-protein interactions and are found in a wide variety of cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins. The nuclear LIM domain family members have a number of different functions including transcription factors, gene regulation, cell fate determination, organization of the cytoskeleton and tumour formation exerting their function through various LIM domain interacting protein partners/cofactors. Nuclear LIM domain interacting proteins/factors have not been reported in any protozoan parasites including Leishmania. Here, we report for the first time cloning, characterization and subcellular localization of nuclear LIM interactor-interacting factor (NLI) like protein from Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of Indian Kala-azar. Primary sequence analysis of LdNLI revealed presence of characteristic features of nuclear LIM interactor-interacting factor. However, leishmanial NLI represents a distinct kinetoplastid group, clustered in a separate branch of the phylogenic tree. The sub-cellular distribution of LdNLI revealed the discreet localization in nucleus and kinetoplast only, suggesting that the gene may have a role in parasite gene expression.