Identification of a gene in Leishmania infantum encoding a protein that contains a SP-RING/MIZ zinc finger domain

The SP-RING or Miz zinc finger domain that is related to the classical RING-finger motif, defines a class of proteins that can act as E3-like factors in the pathway of small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) conjugation. This family includes the mammalian protein inhibitor of activated STAT (PIAS) proteins and related proteins from lower eukaryotes. Here we report the existence of a gene in Leishmania infantum, present as two identical copies placed upstream of each MAT2 gene copy, and transcribed as a single approximately 2.2 kb mRNA both in the logarithmic and stationary phases of the promastigote stage. This gene encodes a 47 kDa protein that has been named LORIEN. LORIEN is circumscribed to the cell periphery and it is antigenic during L. infantum infection of dogs and hamsters. Strikingly, this novel protein contains a highly conserved SP-RING/Miz zinc finger domain, raising the possibility that a SUMO or ubiquitin-like system may exist in this microorganism.