Identification and molecular characterization of genes related to the oxidative stress in Leptospira interrogans

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, with worldwide distribution, and is caused by the infection of pathogenic species of Leptospira. The genus Leptospira is composed by both, saprophytic and pathogenic species, and belongs to the Spirochaetales order. This zoonosis has emerged as a major public health problem in tropical and subtropical areas. Besides its health and economical impact, there is a lack of fundamental understanding of its biology. For example, there are no studies concerning the mechanisms involved in its resistance to the oxidative molecules produced by the macrophage during the earlier stages of the infection. The sequencing of the Leptospira interrogans (serovar Copenhageni) genome, the most prevalent serovar in Brasil, revealed the absence of several orthologs to genes involved in oxidative stress resistance. The genes and proteins identified as central in the mechanisms that Leptospira deals with oxidative stress may be potencial targets for immunological intervention. Therefore, the aim of this project is to identify and characterize the genes and proteins involved in the response of L. interrogans (serovar Copenhageni) to oxidative stress. These studies will be done as well in the saprophytic specie, L. biflexa, in order to confirm if the cellular mechanisms involved in oxidative stress resistance are important for Leptospira pathogenesis. (AU)