Download " Exploring the Unique Dual Function and the Evolutionary

Department of Tropical
Medicine
Seminar Series
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Monday, April 25th
2:00-3:00 in JBJ 504
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" Exploring the Unique Dual Function and
the Evolutionary Relationship of the
giardial epsin-like Protein"
Dr. Maria Carolina Touz, PhD
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information on the
DTM Seminar Series please
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Dr. Patricia Scaraffia,
[email protected]
or Dr. Juan
Pizarro,[email protected]
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Instituto Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra, Argentina
Endocytosis and lysosomal protein trafficking is
essential in pathogenic parasites since it is directly
linked to vital parasite-specific
processes, e.g. host cell
invasion, nutrition, and cell
differentiation into resistant
stages, as in the case
of Giardia. Recently, we have
identified a protein containing an
ENTH domain that defines
monomeric adaptor proteins in
the epsin family in Giardia. This
domain is present in the epsin or epsin-related adaptor
proteins, which are implicated in endocytosis and Golgito-endosome protein trafficking, respectively, in other
eukaryotic cells. We found that G1ENTHp participates
in the machinery for clathrin-mediated membrane
budding acting as a dual epsin-epsinR protein. By
using the yeast system to explore the similarities as
well as the particularities of G1ENTHp as a member of
the epsin family, we found that it acts as a nonfunctional epsinR in yeast cells, reinforcing the idea the
G1ENTHp belongs to the epsinR subfamily present in
eukaryotes prior to its evolution in different taxa.
Dr. Touz obtained her PhD in Biochemistry from the
National University of Cordoba. Her research interests
include molecular mechanisms in Giardia lamblia.