BACKGROUND The current antibody detection tests for the diagnosis of gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) are based on native variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) of Trypanosoma brucei (T.b.) gambiense. These native VSGs are difficult to produce, and contain non-specific epitopes that may cause cross-reactions. We aimed to identify mimotopic peptides for epitopes of T.b. gambiense VSGs...

Animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT), caused by Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma vivax, remains one of the most important livestock diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly affecting cattle. Despite this, our detailed knowledge largely stems from the human pathogen Trypanosoma brucei and mouse experimental models. In the postgenomic era, the genotypic and phenotypic differences betwee...

Christian J. Janzen a,1, Frederick van Deursen b,1, Huafang Shi c, George A.M. Cross a, Keith R. Matthews b, Elisabetta Ullu c,d,∗ a Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, The Rockefeller University, Box 185, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021-6399, USA b Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT,...

The cattle trypanocide, isometamidium, was readily taken up by inactivated Trypanosoma brucei, while its uptake by living parasites was reduced or inhibited by plasma. In both respects isometamidium differs from diminazene.

Trypanosoma brucei is a vector-borne parasite with intricate life cycle that can cause serious diseases in humans and animals. This pathogen relies on fine regulation of gene expression to respond and adapt to variable environments, with implications in transmission and infectivity. However, the involved regulatory elements and their mechanisms of actions are largely unknown. Here, benefiting f...

Small ubiquitin like modifier (SUMO) proteins are involved in many processes in eukaryotes. We here show that Trypanosoma brucei SUMO (Tb927.5.3210) modifies many proteins. The levels of SUMOylation were unaffected by temperature changes but were increased by severe oxidative stress. We obtained evidence that trypanosome homologues of the SUMO conjugating enzyme Ubc9 (Tb927.2.2460) and the SUMO...

The therapeutic efficacy of Cotecxin (Dihydroartemisinin) alone and its combination with diminazene aceturate (Berenil) was studied in rats infected with Federe strain of Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Fifty healthy adult albino rats of both sexes weighing between 100-180g used were divided into five groups (A-E) of 10 rats each. Rats in groups A-D were each infected with T.b. brucei (1x10trypanoso...