Effect of primary structure modifications in Trypanosoma cruzi neuraminidase/trans-sialidase activities.

Neuraminidases have been implicated in various processes involving the interaction of pathogens and their receptor cells. Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, has an unusual neuraminidase, able to transfer bound alpha(2-3)sialic acid to a suitable acceptor rather than to water: the trans-sialidase (TcTS). This enzyme is encoded by a family of several homologous genes, some of them rendering inactive the products. We have shown that enzymatically active proteins have Tyr in position 342, whereas inactive TcTS contain a His342. We have now mutated this Tyr residue to Phe or Thr. Both mutant proteins resulted in enzymatically inactive products. Chimeras expressing parts of Salmonella typhimurium neuraminidase (NANH) and TcTS were constructed. Only the construct containing the complete NANH molecule fused to the last 272 residues of TcTS had neuraminidase activity. However this construct did not present TcTS activity. This finding suggests that other residues present in the homology region are required for TcTS activity.