
PLoS Pathogens, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 21(4), С. e1013105 - e1013105
Опубликована: Апрель 23, 2025
Trypanosoma cruzi , the causative agent of Chagas disease, is a parasitic protist that affects millions people worldwide. Currently there are no fully effective drugs or vaccines available. Contact T. infective forms with their host cells extracellular matrix increases intracellular Ca 2+ concentration suggesting mechano-transduction process. We report here possesses two distinct mechanosensitive Piezo channels, named TcPiezo1 and TcPiezo2, different subcellular localizations but similarly essential for normal proliferation, differentiation, infectivity. While localizes to plasma membrane, TcPiezo2 lysosomes. Downregulation expression by novel ligand-regulated hammerhead ribozyme (HHR) significantly inhibited entry in expressing genetically encoded indicator while downregulation release from lysosomes, which now identified as acidic stores trypanosomes. The channels activated contact hypoosmotic stress. results establish essentiality life cycle homeostasis lysosomal localization channel eukaryotes.
Язык: Английский