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Category: publications

Genetic conservation of Cytauxzoon felis antigens and mRNA expression in the schizont life-stage

Donna Huber on November 6, 2018

Abstract Cytauxzoonosis is a highly fatal disease of domestic cats caused by the apicomplexan protozoan Cytauxzoon felis, which is most closely related to Theileria spp. The growing prevalence, high morbidity and mortality, and treatment cost of cytauxzoonosis emphasize the need for vaccine development. Traditional approaches for vaccine development, however, have been hindered by the inability to culture C. felis …

First evidence of polychaete intermediate hosts for Neospirorchis spp. marine turtle blood flukes (Trematoda: Spirorchiidae)

Donna Huber on October 25, 2018

Abstract Life cycles of spirorchiids that infect the vascular system of turtles are poorly understood. Few life cycles of these blood flukes have been elucidated and all intermediate hosts reported are gastropods (Mollusca), regardless of whether the definitive host is a freshwater or a marine turtle. During a recent survey of blood fluke larvae in …

Phenotypic screens reveal posaconazole as rapidly cidal combination partner for treatment of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis

Donna Huber on October 24, 2018

Abstract Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which is fatal in >97% of cases. In this study, we aimed to identify new, rapidly acting drugs to increase survival rates. We conducted phenotypic screens of libraries of Food and Drug Administration–approved compounds and the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box and validated …

Phloroglucinols from the Roots of Garcinia dauphinensis and Their Antiproliferative and Antiplasmodial Activities

Donna Huber on October 24, 2018

  Abstract Garcinia dauphinensis is a previously uninvestigated endemic plant species of Madagascar. The new phloroglucinols dauphinols A–F and 3′-methylhyperjovoinol B (1–7) and six known phloroglucinols (8–13) together with tocotrienol 14 and the three triterpenoids 15–17 were isolated from an ethanolic extract of G. dauphinensis roots using various chromatographic techniques. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by NMR, MS, optical …

A recombinant antibody against Plasmodium vivax UIS4 for distinguishing replicating from dormant liver stages

Donna Huber on October 17, 2018

Abstract Background:Plasmodium vivax is the most geographically widespread of the human malaria parasites, causing 50,000 to 100,000 deaths annually. Plasmodium vivax parasites have the unique feature of forming dormant liver stages (hypnozoites) that can reactivate weeks or months after a parasite-infected mosquito bite, leading to new symptomatic blood stage infections. Efforts to eliminate P. vivax malaria likely will need to …

Plasmodium falciparum cGMP-dependent protein kinase interacts with a subunit of the parasite proteasome

Donna Huber on October 15, 2018

ABSTRACT Malaria is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium, which undergoes a complex life cycle in a human host and a mosquito vector. The parasite’s cyclic GMP (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKG) is essential at multiple steps of the life cycle. Phosphoproteomic studies in Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic stages and Plasmodium berghei ookinetes have identified proteolysis as a major biological pathway dependent …

5-Diphosphoinositol Pentakisphosphate (5-IP7) Regulates Phosphate Release from Acidocalcisomes and Yeast Vacuoles

Donna Huber on October 12, 2018

Abstract Acidocalcisomes of Trypanosoma brucei and the acidocalcisome-like vacuoles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are acidic calcium compartments that store polyphosphate (polyP). Both organelles possess a phosphate sodium symporter (TbPho91, and Pho91p, in T. brucei and yeast, respectively), but the roles of these transporters in growth and orthophosphate (Pi) transport are unclear. We found here that Tbpho91-/- …

Series of Alkynyl-Substituted Thienopyrimidines as Inhibitors of Protozoan Parasite Proliferation

Donna Huber on October 11, 2018

  Abstract   Discovery of new chemotherapeutic lead agents can be accelerated by optimizing chemotypes proven to be effective in other diseases to act against parasites. One such medicinal chemistry campaign has focused on optimizing the anilinoquinazoline drug lapatinib (1) and the alkynyl thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine hit GW837016X (NEU-391, 3) into leads for antitrypanosome drugs. We now report …

Rearranged T Cell Receptor Sequences in the Germline Genome of Channel Catfish Are Preferentially Expressed in Response to Infection

Donna Huber on September 27, 2018

Rearranged V(D)J genes coding for T cell receptor α and β chains are integrated into the germline genome of channel catfish. Previous analysis of expressed TCR Vβ2 repertoires demonstrated that channel catfish express multiple public clonotypes, which were shared among all the fish, following infection with a common protozoan parasite. In each case a single …