Transcriptional remodeling during metacyclogenesis in Trypanosoma cruzi I

The cellular pathways that were mostly downregulated during metacyclogenesis involved glucose energy metabolism (glycolysis, pyruvate metabolism, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation), amino acid metabolism, and DNA replication. By contrast, the processes where an increase in gene expression was observed included those related to autophagy (particularly Atg7 and Atg8 transcripts), corroborating its importance during metacyclogenesis, endocytosis, by an increase in the expression of the AP-2 complex subunit alpha, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and meiosis.

Study findings indicate that in T. cruzi metacyclic trypomastigotes, metabolic processes are decreased, and expression of genes involved in specific cell cycle processes is increased to facilitate transformation to this infective stage.