Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40764299›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Cryo-EM led analysis of open and closed conformations of Chagas vaccine candidate TcPOP.

Sagar Batra, Francisco Olmo, Timothy J Ragan, Merve Kaplan, Valeria Calvaresi, Asger Meldgaard Frank, Claudia Lancey, Mahya Assadipapari, Cuifeng Ying, Weston B Struwe and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Sagar Batra *School of Biosciences, Division of Microbiology, Brewing and Biotechnology, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK.
Francisco Olmo *Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9314-0026
Timothy J RaganLeicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6233-3375
Merve KaplanPhysical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Valeria CalvaresiKavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1756-8853
Asger Meldgaard FrankDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Claudia LanceyLeicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9064-4085
Mahya AssadipapariAdvanced Optics & Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School of Science & Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-0222-5646
Cuifeng YingAdvanced Optics & Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School of Science & Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
Weston B StruweKavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0594-226X
Emma L HeskethLeicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
John M KellyDepartment of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4305-5258
Lea BarfodDepartment of Immunology and Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6510-495X
Ivan CampeottoSchool of Biosciences, Division of Microbiology, Brewing and Biotechnology, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, UK. ivan.campeotto@nottingham.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0814-619X

Funding

Novo Nordisk Fonden (Novo Nordisk Foundation) NNF170C0026778RCUK | Medical Research Council (MRC) MC_PC_17136Royal Society IES\R2\232167Universidad de Granada (University of Granada) PP2023.PRI.I.14Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust (Wellcome) 204801/Z/16/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, remains a significant global public health concern. Despite its profound health impact in both endemic and non-endemic areas, no vaccine is available, and the existing therapies are outdated, producing severe side effects. The 80 kDa prolyl oligopeptidase of Trypanosoma cruzi (TcPOP) has been identified as a leading candidate for Chagas vaccine development. Here we report the three-dimensional structure of TcPOP in open and closed conformation, at a global resolution of 3.8 and 3.6 Å, respectively, determined using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. Multiple conformations were observed and further characterized using plasmonic optical tweezers and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. To assess the immunogenic potential of TcPOP, we immunized female mice and evaluated both polyclonal and monoclonal responses against the TcPOP antigen and its homologues. The anti-TcPOP polyclonal response demonstrates invasion blocking properties via parasite lysis. Polyclonal sera  were cross-reactive with closely-related POPs but not with human homologues. Collectively, our findings provide structural and functional insights necessary to understand the immunogenicity of TcPOP for future Chagas vaccine development.

Indexed as

Chagas DiseaseProlyl OligopeptidasesProtozoan ProteinsProtozoan VaccinesTrypanosoma cruziAnimalsAntibodies, ProtozoanAntigens, ProtozoanCross ReactionsCryoelectron MicroscopyFemaleHumansMiceMice, Inbred BALB CProtein ConformationAntibodies, ProtozoanAntigens, ProtozoanProlyl OligopeptidasesProtozoan ProteinsProtozoan Vaccines

Identifiers

PMID40764299
PMCPMC12325989

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.