PI: Myler, Peter John Title: Ribosome profiling of Trypanosoma brucei

Received: 06/15/2010 FOA: PA10-069 Council: 01/2011

Competition ID: ADOBE-FORMS-B FOA Title: NIH EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH GRANT 

PROGRAM (PARENT R21)

1 R21 AI094129-01 Dual: Accession Number: 3307346

IPF: 1116301 Organization: SEATTLE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Former Number: Department:

IRG/SRG: PTHE AIDS: N Expedited: N

Subtotal Direct Costs 

(excludes consortium F&A) 

Year 1:

Year 2:

Animals: Y 

Humans: N 

Clinical Trial: N

Current HS Code: 10

HESC: N

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Senior/Key Personnel: Organization: Role Category:

Peter Myler PhD Seattle Biomedical Research Institute PD/PI 

Marilyn Parsons PhD Seattle Biomedical Research Institute MPI

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Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

307 Westlake Ave N, Suite 500

Seattle King

98109-5219

Jennifer

Dodson

Ribosome profiling of Trypanosoma brucei

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Myler PhD

Peter John

98109-5219

King

Suite 500

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307 Westlake Ave N

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WA: Washington

USA: UNITED STATES

	


 		

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SF 424 (R&R) APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE Page 2

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Jennifer Dodson 06/15/2010

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424 R&R and PHS-398 Specific

Table Of Contents Page Numbers

SF 424 R&R Face Page------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1

Table of Contents--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

Performance Sites--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

Research & Related Other Project Information------------------------------------------------------------------ 5

 Project Summary/Abstract (Description)---------------------------------------- 6

 Public Health Relevance Statement (Narrative attachment)---------------------------------------- 7

 Facilities & Other Resources---------------------------------------- 8

 Equipment---------------------------------------- 10

Research & Related Senior/Key Person-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

 Biographical Sketches for each listed Senior/Key Person---------------------------------------- 12

PHS 398 Specific Cover Page Supplement------------------------------------------------------------------------ 19

PHS 398 Specific Modular Budget------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21

 Personnel Justification---------------------------------------- 24

 Additional Narrative Justification---------------------------------------- 25

PHS 398 Specific Research Plan-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26

 Specific Aims---------------------------------------- 27

 Research Strategy---------------------------------------- 28

 Vertebrate Animals---------------------------------------- 34

 Multiple PI Leadership Plan---------------------------------------- 35

 Bibliography & References Cited---------------------------------------- 36

 Letters of Support---------------------------------------- 39

 Resource Sharing Plan---------------------------------------- 41

PHS 398 Checklist--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 42

Table of Contents Page 3

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
County:

* ZIP / Postal Code:

* Country:

* State:

* City: 

Street2:

Organization Name:

Project/Performance Site Location(s)

Project/Performance Site Primary Location

* Street1:

Province:

Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

307 Westlake Ave N, Suite 500

Seattle King

WA: Washington

USA: UNITED STATES

98109-5219

OMB Number: 4040-0010 

Expiration Date: 08/31/2011

I am submitting an application as an individual, and not on behalf of a company, state, 

local or tribal government, academia, or other type of organization. 

DUNS Number:

* Project/ Performance Site Congressional District: WA-007

Project/Performance Site Location 1

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* ZIP / Postal Code:

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* Street1:

Organization Name:

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I am submitting an application as an individual, and not on behalf of a company, state, 

local or tribal government, academia, or other type of organization. 

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Performance Sites Page 4

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
1. * Are Human Subjects Involved?

IRB Approval Date:

Human Subject Assurance Number:

2. * Are Vertebrate Animals Used?

IACUC Approval Date:

Animal Welfare Assurance Number

4.b. If yes, please explain:

4.c. If this project has an actual or potential impact on the environment, has an exemption been authorized or an environmental assessment (EA) or 

 environmental impact statement (EIS) been performed?

4.d. If yes, please explain:

6. * Does this project involve activities outside of the United States or partnerships with international collaborators?

6.b. Optional Explanation:

7. * Project Summary/Abstract

11. Equipment

8. * Project Narrative

12. Other Attachments

RESEARCH & RELATED Other Project Information

Is the IACUC review Pending?

If no, is the IRB review Pending?

2.a. If YES to Vertebrate Animals

3. * Is proprietary/privileged information included in the application? 

4.a. * Does this project have an actual or potential impact on the environment? 

6.a. If yes, identify countries:

1 2 3 4 5 6

9. Bibliography & References Cited

10. Facilities & Other Resources

Yes No

1.a If YES to Human Subjects

Yes No

Yes No

If yes, check appropriate exemption number.

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Abstract1003112209.pdf Add Attachment Delete Attachment View Attachment

ProjectNarrative1003112213.pdf Add Attachment Delete Attachment View Attachment

Bibliography_and_References_Cited1003 Add Attachment Delete Attachment View Attachment

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Add Attachments Delete Attachments View Attachments

Is the Project Exempt from Federal regulations?

5. * Is the research performance site designated, or eligible to be designated, as a historic place? Yes No

5.a. If yes, please explain:

	


 		

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Other Information Page 5

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Project Summary/Abstract

Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis (“sleeping sickness”), causes 

more than 50,000 deaths annually. Related trypanosomatid pathogens, including Trypanosoma cruzi

(the causative agent of Chagas’ disease) and numerous Leishmania species (which cause a diverse 

spectrum of visceral, mucocutaneous, and cutaneous disease), cause even more morbidity and 

mortality worldwide. Each of these parasites undergoes a complex developmental cycle, alternating 

between mammalian and insect hosts, as well as proliferating and non-proliferating stages. Exactly 

how trypanosomatid gene expression gives rise to the different phenotypes at each stage is currently 

not well understood, but the relative contribution of gene-specific transcriptional control is low. 

Differences in post-transcriptional mRNA processing and stability undoubtedly play major roles but 

the poor correlation between mRNA and protein abundance during parasite development indicates 

that translational and/or post-translational controls are also important. This project seeks to globally 

and quantitatively assess the rate at which each mRNA is actively translated at any particular time by 

applying a recently-described technology that couples the ability to isolate the specific “footprints” of 

mRNAs that are occupied by ribosomes (an indicator of translation) with the depth and breadth of next 

generation sequencing. Aim 1 will establish the ribosome protection technology in T. brucei, using 

readily cultured non-pathogenic insect stage forms. It will optimize conditions for nuclease treatment 

to preserve mRNA fragments protected by ribosomes and for the generation of unbiased libraries from 

the RNA samples for next generation sequencing. It will also include maturation of the bioinformatics 

pipeline to analyze resulting sequence data. Aim 2 will expand into the pathogenic, mammalian stages 

of the parasite, and identify genes that are regulated at the level of translation during T. brucei

development in infective as compared to non-infective forms. The proposed work will provide an 

important new tool for studying trypanosomatid gene expression, yielding a comprehensive view of 

the role of translational control in T. brucei and clues to it mechanisms, as well as new information on 

the extent of translation of individual gene products, such as potential drug targets. In addition, it 

should resolve the current debate over the function of the numerous recently identified RNAs that 

contain only short open-reading frames, and has the potential to identify non-canonical protein-coding 

open-reading frames, thus significantly enhancing the ongoing genome annotation. 

Project Description Page 6

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Project Narrative

The parasite Trypanosoma brucei causes fatal human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and drugs to 

treat the disease are toxic and facing resistance. Generating new drugs requires knowledge of which proteins 

are expressed in the disease-causing stages of parasite development. This project will apply a new technology 

to measure the initial steps of protein synthesis for all genes in the infective as compared to non-infective 

stages, thereby providing new information on candidate drug targets. 

Public Health Relevance Statement Page 7

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
FACILITIES & OTHER RESOURCES – Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

Environment: The facility, built in 2005, is designed for molecular biological, immunological and biochemical 

research into globally important pathogens and their interactions with the host. Space is assigned according to 

the needs of the project and laboratory staffing, ensuring adequate space for funded projects. The use of 

shared equipment allows cost savings for individual grants and investigators, and the access to specialized 

cores enables investigator use of the latest technologies in a cost- and personnel-effective manner. The entire 

laboratory area is BSL2 (or higher) containment, including the animal facilities. An active contingent of 

parasite biologists studying molecular and cellular processes important in trypanosomatid and apicomplexan 

diseases makes Seattle BioMed a unique environment for conducting this project. The Trypanosomatid 

Pathogens group (Parsons, Myler, and Stuart labs) has strong interactions at the staff through Principal 

Investigator level, enhanced by biweekly literature discussions, and monthly senior staff programmatic 

meetings. Additionally, Seattle BioMed has initiated bimonthly “ongoing research” discussions on 

trypanosomatid pathogens with other researchers in Seattle, including those at the University of Washington 

(currently Hol, Gelb, Van Voorhis, and Buckner). 

Laboratory: This project will be conducted within the 112,000 ft2 laboratory and office complex of Seattle 

BioMed. The space contains seventeen BSL2 interconnecting laboratory areas and centralized facilities. The 

Parsons laboratory contains a BSL2 tissue culture suite and laboratory benches, which are assigned on the 

basis of the number of laboratory staff per Seattle BioMed policy. Staff have access to shared facilities 

including radioisotope, equipment, preparation and dark rooms, as well as a glasswash and sterilization room. 

Seattle BioMed Core Facilities are made up of 7 state-of-the-art technology centers: DNA Sequencing, 

Proteomics, Flow Cytometry, Imaging, Protein Production, Bioinformatics and Insectary. Each Core is 

supervised by a Ph.D-level Scientific Advisor who is available for consultation on experimental design and 

instrument capabilities. Sophisticated instruments are operated by dedicated staff that possesses the 

appropriate training and expertise. Core services are charged on a per-sample or hourly basis depending on 

the service used. Core oversight is conducted by a Steering Committee consisting of PIs and representatives of 

the administrative and scientific staff. Relevant to this project are: 

The DNA Sequencing Core provides routine DNA sequencing and genotyping services including performing 

sequencing reactions, as well as library construction, DNA isolation and template preparation, primer design, 

real time PCR, and DNA sequence assembly. The facility is staffed with a Core Manager and technician. Next 

generation sequencing is not performed in this core, but is purchased on a fee for service basis. 

The Bioinformatics Core provides Seattle BioMed researchers access to state-of-the-art infrastructure 

(hardware and software) and personnel in order to track, store, manipulate, and analyze the biological data 

needed for hypothesis generation and testing. Servers host a variety of genome-scale software, including 

sequence alignment and assembly, gene prediction and annotation, local BLAST service (using specialized 

databases), a client/server-based desktop sequence analysis package, microarray data analysis and statistical 

packages, and a proteomics analysis pipeline, as well as custom-designed project-specific scripts, software and 

GUIs. The facility is staffed by a PhD level Core Manager, Database specialist, Bioinformatics Software 

specialist and Bioinformatics programmer, as well as a Systems Administrator. The staff works with personnel 

from Seattle BioMed research programs and other Cores to provide support for project-specific data and 

process management databases, data manipulation and analysis, as well as software training and consultation. 

Clinical: not applicable

Facilities Page 8

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Animal: This project will use the Seattle BioMed Animal Biosafety Level-2 facility, in which infections with 

trypanosomes are routinely conducted. The facility contains six animal holding rooms (rodents only), two 

procedure rooms, a cleaning room, and two storage rooms for a total of ~2,900 square feet. Included in this 

space are three Specific Pathogen-Free rooms protected by a barrier and a BioBubble air handling system. The 

BSL-2 animal facility also contains facilities for mouse perfusion under terminal anesthesia, and for survival 

microsurgery. The facility is isolated and independently ventilated. A second facility is classified and operated 

as an Animal Biosafety Level-3 facility and will not be used by this project. Animal health is monitored by a 

veterinarian and makes use of sentinels. Seattle BioMed has an active Animal Welfare assurance on file with 

OLAW (A3640-01). 

Office: The PIs have 140 ft2 offices near the laboratories. Additional office space is available for students, 

postdocs, and senior staff. 

Library: Professional library services at Seattle BioMed include mediated literature searching in scholarly 

research databases, citation analyses, collaboration portal support, and curation of an institutional repository. 

Librarian consultation topics include bibliographic citation management software, MEDLINE, NIH Public 

Access Policy compliance, copyright, social media tools, and individual information management. Scientists 

have full access to web-based knowledge resources at Seattle BioMed and University of Washington including 

current journals subscriptions and reference texts. Documents not available online may be requested for 

delivery via Seattle BioMed’s document delivery services. Seattle BioMed is a full member of the National 

Network of Libraries of Medicine.

IT Servers: The Seattle BioMed network is linked to the Internet via a 20Mbps fiber optic connection providing 

access to resources at the University of Washington (with which Seattle BioMed is affiliated) and other 

collaborating sites. The Institute maintains a secure "trusted partners" network to facilitate data exchange with 

collaborating sites worldwide. The scientific desktop network consists of 200 PC and Macintosh computers 

linked via a 1 Gbps Local Area Network (LAN). Shared peripheral devices include network storage, color laser 

printers, high-resolution scanners and multi-media production equipment. Centralized software includes 

packages for DNA sequence analysis, statistics, proteomics analysis, microscopic image management, 

laboratory information management systems (LIMS), grants management, word processing and technical 

graphics. Seattle BioMed’s professional IT staff maintains the information technology infrastructure. 

Other: An active Environmental Health and Safety group provides ongoing safety training for chemical, 

radioisotope and biological hazards. All staff working with T. brucei receive biosafety training by Seattle 

BioMed and in lab training from experienced staff. All laboratory space is biosafety level 2. 

Facilities Page 9

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
EQUIPMENT – Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

The Parsons and Myler laboratories have standard molecular and cellular biology equipment such as biosafety 

cabinets, incubators, water baths, PCR machines, electrophoresis equipment, refrigerators, freezers (-20°C and 

-80°C), liquid nitrogen storage tanks, and shakers. A density gradient fractionation system is available. In 

addition, Seattle BioMed maintains shared equipment that is available to all labs, including ultracentrifuges, 

high-speed refrigerated floor centrifuges, fluorescence microscopes, UV-VIS spectrophotometers, absorbance 

and fluorescence plate readers, a bioanalyzer, liquid scintillation counters, an x-ray irradiator by RadSource 

(RS2000), and gel documentation systems. This equipment is overseen by the Shared Equipment Manager. 

Seattle BioMed also has a wide variety of standard scientific equipment for general use, including fume hoods, 

cold rooms, water purification system, autoclaves, balances, ovens, pH meters, film processor, and other small 

equipment. This equipment is overseen by the Facilities Manager. 

Core equipment is located in the Seattle BioMed Building in rooms adjacent to the general lab space. 

Sophisticated instruments are operated by dedicated staff that possesses the appropriate training and 

expertise. Core services are charged on a per-sample or hourly basis depending on the service used. 

Scheduling of many instruments is accomplished via Microsoft Outlook calendars. The equipment is overseen 

by the Core Manager for each facility. Equipment within cores relevant to this project include a highthroughput Applied Biosystems 3730XL automated 96-capillary DNA Analyzer for routine sequencing and 

genotyping applications and a 7500 Fast Real Time PCR instrument for measuring gene expression within the 

the DNA Sequencing Core, and several multi-node Linux clusters with 64-bit processors (and 2-8 GB of RAM 

per node) for high-capacity (multi-Gigabyte) computation, Windows-based SQL Servers for database 

management, and Terabyte-scale storage capacity on the Seattle BioMed Storage Area Network, all linked via a 

gigabit-speed TCP/IP network backbone with a fully fault-tolerant architecture that are managed by IT in 

collaboration with the Bioinformatics Core. 

Within Seattle, the University of Washington, Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, and Institute for 

Systems Biology provide access to numerous facilities and equipment on a collaborative or fee-for-service 

basis. This includes an Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx sequencer at the High Throughput Genome Sequencing 

Center in the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington. 

Equipment Page 10

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Province:

PROFILE - Project Director/Principal Investigator

Prefix: * First Name: Middle Name:

* Last Name: Suffix:

Organization Name: Division:

Position/Title: Department:

* Street1:

Street2:

* Phone Number: Fax Number:

* E-Mail:

Credential, e.g., agency login:

* Project Role: Other Project Role Category:

* Country: * Zip / Postal Code:

* State:

* City: County/ Parish:

Attach Current & Pending Support

RESEARCH & RELATED Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded)

*Attach Biographical Sketch

Peter John

Myler PhD

Member

Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

307 Westlake Ave N

Seattle King

Suite 500

WA: Washington

USA: UNITED STATES 98109-5219

PD/PI

PhD

1982

Biosketch_Myler1003112199.pdf Add Attachment Delete Attachment View Attachment

Add Attachment Delete Attachment View Attachment

OMB Number: 4040-0001 

Expiration Date: 06/30/2011

Degree Type:

Degree Year:

Province:

PROFILE - Senior/Key Person

Prefix: * First Name: Middle Name:

* Last Name: Suffix:

Organization Name: Division:

Position/Title: Department:

* Street1:

Street2:

* Phone Number: Fax Number:

* E-Mail:

Credential, e.g., agency login:

* Country: * Zip / Postal Code:

* State:

* City: County/ Parish:

PhD

Director of Scientific Operations

Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

King

N/A

N/A

USA: UNITED STATES

Marilyn

Parsons

307 Westlake Ave N, Suite 500

Seattle

WA: Washington

98109-5219

* Project Role: PD/PI Other Project Role Category:

1

Degree Type: PhD

Degree Year: 1979

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Key Personnel Page 11

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Provide the following information for the Senior/key personnel and other significant contributors.

Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FOUR PAGES.

NAME

Peter J. Myler, Ph.D.

POSITION TITLE

Full Member

eRA COMMONS USER NAME

EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)

INSTITUTION AND LOCATION DEGREE

(if applicable) YEAR(s) FIELD OF STUDY

University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia B.Sc.(Hons) 1978 Biochemistry

University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Ph.D. 1979-1982 Biochemistry

Issaquah Health Research Institute Post-doc 1982-1983 Molecular Parasitology

Washington State University Post-doc 1984-1985 Molecular Parasitology

Seattle Biomedical Research Institute Post-doc 1985-1989 Molecular Parasitology

A. Personal Statement

The goal of the proposed research is to perform a genome-wide survey to identify genes under 

translational control in the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, by using the recently developed 

ribosome profiling technology. My role in this project will be to direct the next generation sequencing 

(NGS) and bioinformatics aspects of the project, and to partner with Dr. Marilyn Parsons, who will oversee 

the preparation of biological material. I have extensive experience (over 30 years) in parasite molecular 

biology, genomics and bioinformatics and, more recently, structural biology and drug development. After 

graduate work on Plasmodium falciparum (malaria) antigen identification, I undertook post-doctoral training

in molecular biology; studying antigenic variation in African trypanosomes (Trypanosoma brucei) and 

Anaplasma mariginale. During the last post-doctoral period (at SBRI), I began to study Leishmania gene 

expression and developed expertise in DNA sequencing and bioinformatics. This led to my directing the 

L. major and T. cruzi genome sequencing projects at SBRI; an activity that continues until the present as a

Co-PI on a trypanosomatid genomic database and annotation project. For the last 10 years, I have been at 

the forefront of applying genomic technologies such as microarray-based expression profiling and 

proteomics to increase our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying trypanosomatid 

transcription and regulation of gene expression during differentiation. My laboratory has recently started 

making extensive use of NGS technology for genome re-sequencing, mRNA profiling (RNA-seq) and 

chromatin immunoprecipitation using sequencing (ChIP-seq) in several Leishmania species; once again 

being at the forefront of this technology for the trypanosomatid field. During this time, I also become 

involved in structural genomics, leading the Target Selection portion of the Structural Genomics of 

Pathogenic Protozoa (SGPP) project. I am currently PI and Director of the Seattle Structural Genomics 

Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID), which is funded under a contract (HHSN272200700057C) from 

NIAID. The mission of SSGCID is to use X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy to solve the 

structure of proteins targets in emerging and re-emerging infectious disease organisms in order to facilitate 

development of new therapeutics using structure-based drug design. I am also the Scientific Advisor for 

the Bioinformatics, Protein Production and DNA Sequencing Cores within SBRI’s Global Health 

Biotechnology Center (GHBC). 

B. Positions and Honors

1990-1996 Associate Scientist, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, WA 

Positions and Employment

1993-1997 Assistant Professor, Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

1996-2000 Staff Scientist, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, WA. 

1997-2004 Research Associate Professor, Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington, 

Seattle, WA

2000-2003 Associate Member, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, WA

2001-2004 Adjunct Research Associate Professor, Department of Medical Education and Biomedical 

Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Biosketches Page 12

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
2004-present Full Member, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, WA

2004-2008 Research Professor, Department of Pathobiology, and Department of Medical Education 

and Biomedical Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

2007-2008 Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

2008-Present Affiliate Professor, Departments of Global Health & Medical Education and Biomedical 

Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

1991-present Scientific Director, DNA Sequencing Core Facility, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

Other experience and Professional Memberships

2007-present Scientific Director, Protein Production Core, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

2007-present Scientific Director, Bioinformatics Core, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

2007-present Director, Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID)

1978-1981 Australian Biochemical Society

1995-present American Association for the Advancement of Science

1996-present The Society of Protozoologists

2004-present American Society for Microbiology

2007-present American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 

1988-1992 USAID/AIBS, Malaria program review panel

1994-1995 NIH, Shared Instrumentation Grants Special Study Section 

1999-2001 USDA, Sustaining Animal Health and Well-being (study section member)

2003 Leishmaniasis Review panel for Military Infectious Diseases Research Program of the US 

Army, Navy, and Air Force; Joint Medical Technology Workshop. 

2001-present Editorial board, Kinetoplastid Biology and Disease

1986-present Invited speaker at 38 international meetings and session chair at 17 meetings

Honors

2008-2009 Member, Scientific Committee for 4th World Congress on Leishmaniasis

B. Selected peer-reviewed publications (from 110 research papers and 10 reviews)

1. El-Sayed, N.M.A., Myler, P.J., (42 other authors) and Hall, N. (2005) Comparative genomics of the 

trypanosomatids. Science 306:404-409. 

Most relevant to the current application 

2. Jensen, B.C., Sivam, D., Kifer, C.T., Myler, P.J., and Parsons, M. (2009). Widespread variation in 

transcript abundance within and across developmental stages of Trypanosoma brucei. BMC Genomic 

10:482. PMID: 19840382. 

3.

PMCID: PMC2771046

4. Rosenzweig, D., Smith, D., Myler, P.J., Olafson, R.W., Zilberstein, D. (2008) Post-translational 

modification of cellular proteins during Leishmania donovani differentiation. Proteomics 8:1843-1850. 

PMID: 18398879

Additional recent publications (in chronological order)

5. Thomas, S., Hitchcock, R.A., Anderson-Green, A., Sivam, D., Sturm, N.R., Campbell, D.A. and Myler, 

P.J. (2009) Histone acetylations mark origins of polycistronic transcription in Leishmania major. BMC 

Genomics 10:152. PMCID: PMC2679053

6. Padilla-Mejia, N.E., Florencio-Martinez, L.E., Figueroa-Angulo, E.E., Manning-Cela, R.G., HernandezRivas, R., Myler, P.J. and Martinez-Calvillo, S. (2009) Gene organization and sequence analyses of 

transfer RNA genes in Trypanosomatid parasites. BMC Genomics 10:232. PMCID: PMC2695483

7. Buchko, G., Hewitt, S., Napuli, A., Van Voorhis, W., Myler, P.J. (2009) Backbone and side chain 1H, 

13C, and 15N NMR assignments for the organic hydroperoxide resistance protein (Ohr) from 

Burkholderia pseudomallei. Biomol NMR Assign. 3:163-166. PMID: 19888681. 

8. Myler, P.J., Stacy, R., Stewart, L., Staker, B., Van Voorhis, W.C., Varani, G., and Buchko, G.W. (2009) 

The Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID). Infectious Disorders - 

Drug Targets 9:493-506.

PMCID: PMC2774895

PMID: 19594426. PMCID: PMC2857597

Biosketches Page 13

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
9. Van Voorhis, W.C., Hol, W.G.J., Myler, P.J. and Stewart, L.J. (2009) The role of Medical Structural 

Genomics in discovering new drugs for infectious diseases. PLoS. Comput. Biol. 5:e1000530. PMID: 

19855826. 

10. Aslett, M., (25 other authors), Myler, P.J., (19 other authors). (2010) TriTrypDB: a functional genomic 

resource for the Trypanosomatidae. Nucleic Acids Res. 38:D457-D462.

PMCID: PMC2756625

PMID: 19843604. PMCID: 

PMC2808979

C. Research Support

R01 AI053667 Myler (PI) 1/1/03 – 4/30/11

Ongoing Research Support

NIH/NIAID 

Transcription of Protein-coding Genes in Leishmania

The major goals of this project are to characterize the components of the RNA polymerase II transcription 

complex in Leishmania major and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in pol II-mediated 

transcription of protein-coding genes.

HHSN272200700057C Myler (PI) 9/28/07 – 9/27/12 

NIH/NIAID 

Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases

The primary goal of this project is to determine the structure of 75-100 protein targets from NIAID Category 

AC and emerging/re-emerging infectious disease organisms each year for a period of five years. This will 

be accomplished by employing a high-throughput gene-to-structure pipeline involving a multi-pronged 

serial escalation approach to protein expression followed by structure solution using X-ray crystallography 

and NMR spectroscopy.

 

 

Completed Research Support

 

(since 2007)

 

 

Biosketches Page 14

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Provide the following information for the key personnel and other significant contributors in the order listed on Form Page 2.

Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FOUR PAGES.

NAME

Marilyn Parsons, Ph.D.

POSITION TITLE

Member and Director of Scientific Operations

eRA COMMONS USER NAME

EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)

INSTITUTION AND LOCATION DEGREE

(if applicable) YEAR(s) FIELD OF STUDY

University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas B.A. 1974 Biology

Stanford University, Stanford, California Ph.D. 1979 Genetics

A. Personal statement

The goals of this project are to adapt a new ribosome profiling technology to Trypanosoma brucei and to 

exploit this approach to assess the role of translational control in stage-specific gene regulation. A corollary is 

to provide information related to relative translation rates as a surrogate for protein abundance. My group has

considerable expertise in the cell and molecular biology of T. brucei, initiating with my own training in molecular 

Parasitology in Dr. Nina Agabian’s lab as a postdoc, where I studied antigenic variation and trans-splicing. My 

first paper as an independent scientist dealt demonstrated translational control of phosphoglycerate kinase in 

trypanosomes (publication 1 below), and subsequently we demonstrated translational control of a protein 

kinase NrkA (publication 2). Additionally, we have shown the polysome profiles change during parasite 

development, indicating stage-regulation of ribosome loading (publication 3). Since establishing my lab, I have 

been continuously funded by NIH to work on trypanosomes, and more recently Toxoplasma. I have 

demonstrated my skills in project management over the years and have assembled an excellent staff. I work in 

an outstanding collaborative environment at Seattle BioMed, where two other labs (Stuart and Myler groups) 

conduct work on trypanosomatids, allowing us to make use of the latest cell, molecular, and bioinformatic 

approaches. For the proposed project, we are collaborating with Dr. Peter Myler who has considerable 

experience in bioinformatics and sequencing, including recent forays into next generation sequencing. Dr. 

Myler and I collaborated on a recently published project that examined gene regulation at the mRNA 

abundance level during T. brucei development using microarray technology (publication 12) and we are 

currently collaborating on establishing a novel gene regulatory system in Leishmania. Our contributions to the 

proposed studies will focus on parasite biology. 

B. Positions and Honors

Positions

1974-1979 Graduate research in human genetics with Dr. L.L. Cavalli-Sforza, Stanford University.

1979-1981 Bank of America-Giannini Medical Research Fellow in Immunogenetics with Drs. Leonard and 

Leonore Herzenberg, Stanford University.

1981-1985 Senior fellow in Biochemistry with Dr. Nina Agabian, University of Washington.

1985-2000 Senior Scientist, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

1986-1991 Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington

1988-2008 Associate Director, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

1991-1994 Research Associate Professor, Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington

1994-1996 Associate Professor, Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington

1996-2008 Professor, Department of Pathobiology, University of Washington

2000-Present Full Member, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

2008-Present Fogarty Global Infectious Diseases Training Grant, Co-Director

2008-Present Director of Scientific Operations, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

2008-Present Affiliate Professor, Department of Global Health, University of Washington

Honors and Professional Activities

1978-1980 National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship

1979-1981 Bank of America-Giannini Foundation Medical Research Fellowship

1979 Katherine D. McKormick Fellowship

Biographical Sketches for each listed Senior/Key Person 2 Page 15

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
1995-1998 NIH Tropical Medicine and Parasitology Study Section Member 

2000 NIH Fogarty International Research Collaboration Award Study Section, ad hoc

2002-2004 NIH Fogarty International GRIP Special Study Section

2001-Present Faculty of 1000

2002-2008 Military Infectious Disease Research Program, Malaria Drug Development Review Panel 

2002 NIAID Loan Repayment Special Study Section

2005 NIH AIDS Opportunist and Cancer Study Section, ad hoc

2007-9 ASM Division AA Parasitic, symbiotic, and free-living protists. Chair-elect; Chair, Colloquium 

Committee. 

2009-Present Joint Chief Editor, Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology 

Editorial Boards: Eukaryotic Cell; PLoS Pathogens

c. Selected peer-reviewed publications (out of 105 total)

1. Parsons, M., and Hill, T. (1989) Elevated phosphoglycerate kinase mRNA but not protein in monomorphic 

Trypanosoma brucei: implications for stage-regulation and post-transcriptional control. Mol. Biochem. 

Parasitol. 33:215-228.

2. Gale, M., Jr., Carter, V., and Parsons, M. (1994) Translational control mediates the developmental 

regulation of the Trypanosoma brucei Nrk Protein Kinase. J. Biol. Chem. 269:31659-31665.

3. Brecht, M., and Parsons, M. (1998) Changes in polysome profiles accompany trypanosome development. 

Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 97: 189-198.

4. Jensen, B., Wang, Q., Kifer, C., and Parsons, M. (2003) The NOG1 GTP-binding protein is required for 

biogenesis of the 60S ribosomal subunit. J. Biol. Chem.378: 32204-32211. 

5. DeRocher, A., Gilbert, B., Feagin, J.E., and Parsons, M. (2005). Dissection of brefeldin A sensitive and 

insensitive steps in apicoplast protein targeting. J. Cell Sci., 118: 565-574. 

6. Jensen, B.C., Brekken, D.L., Randall, A.C., Kifer, C.T., and Parsons, M. (2005) Species specificity in 

ribosome biogenesis: a non-conserved phosphoprotein is required for 60S biogenesis in Trypanosoma 

brucei. Eukaryotic Cell, 4:30-35. PMCID: PMC544161.

7. El-Sayed,N.M.A., Myler,P.J., Bartholomeu,D., Nilsson,D., Aggarwal,G., Tran,A.-N., Ghedin,E., 

Worthey,E.A., Delcher,A., Blandin,G., Westenberger,S., Haas,B., Caler,E., Cerqueira,G., Arner,E., 

Aslund,L., Bontempi,E., Branche,C., Bringaud,F., Campbell,D., Carrington,M., Crabtree,J.S., Darban,H., 

Edwards,K., Englund,P., Feldblyum,T., Ferella,M., Frasch,C., Kindlund,E., Klingbeil,M.M., Kluge,S., 

Koo,H.L., Lacerda,D., McCulloch,R., McKenna,A., Mizuno,Y., Mottram,J., Ochaya,S., Pai,G., Parsons,M., 

Pettersson,U., Pop,M., Luis Ramirez,J., Salzberg,S., Tammi,M., Tarleton,R.L., Teixeira,S.M., Van Aken,S., 

Wortman,J., Stuart,K.D., Andersson,B., Anapuma,A., Attipoe,P., Burton,P., Cadag,E., Franco da Silva,J., 

de Jong,P., Fazelinia,G., Gull,K., Horn,D., Hou,L., Huang,Y., Levin,M.J., Lorenzi,H., Louie,T., 

Machado,C.R., Nelson,S., Osoegawa,K., Pentony,M., Rinta,J., Robertson,L., Sanchez,D.O., Seyler,A., 

Sharma,R., Shetty,J., Simpson,A.J., Sisk,E., Vogt,C., Ward,P., Wickstead,B., White,O., Fraser,C.M., 

Stuart,K.D.; and Andersson,B. (2005). The genome sequence of Trypanosoma cruzi, etiological agent of 

Chagas' disease. Science 309: 409-415.

8. Parsons, M., Worthey, E.A., Ward, P.N., and Mottram, J.C. (2005) Comparative analysis of the kinomes of 

three pathogenic trypanosomatids: Leishmania major, Trypanosoma brucei, and Trypanosoma cruzi. 

BMC Genomics 6: 127-. PMCID: PMC1266030

9. Naula, C., Parsons, M., and Mottram, J.C. (2005) Protein kinases as drug targets in trypanosomes and 

Leishmania. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1754: 151-159. PMCID: PMC1452262

Biographical Sketches for each listed Senior/Key Person 2 Page 16

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
10. Jensen, B.C.,Kifer, C.T., Brekken, D.L., Randall, A.C., Wang, Q., Drees, B.L., and Parsons, M. (2007) 

Characterization of Protein Kinase CK2 from Trypanosoma brucei. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 151: 28-40.

PMCID: PMC1790856.

11. Haanstra, J., van Tuijl, A., Kessler, P.S., Reijnders, W., Michels, P., Westerhoff, H.V., Parsons, M., 

Bakker, B. (2008) Compartmentation prevents a lethal turbo-explosion of glycolysis in trypanosomes. Proc. 

Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 105: 17718-23

12. Jensen, B.C., Sivam, D., Kifer, C.T., Myler, P.J., and Parsons, M. (2009). Widespread variation in 

transcript abundance within and across developmental stages of Trypanosoma brucei. BMC Genomics 

2009, 10:482. PMCID: PMC2771046

. PMCID: PMC2584722

13. Ojo KK, Larson ET, Keyloun KR, Castaneda LJ, Derocher AE, Inampudi KK, Kim JE, Arakaki TL, Murphy 

RC, Zhang L, Napuli AJ, Maly DJ, Verlinde CL, Buckner FS, Parsons M, Hol WG, Merritt EA, Van Voorhis 

WC. Toxoplasma gondii calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 is a target for selective kinase inhibitors. Nat 

Struct Mol Biol. 2010 May;17(5):602-7. NIHMSID # 203016.

14. Worthen, C., Jensen, B.C., and Parsons, M. (2010) Diverse effects on mitochondrial and nuclear 

functions elicited by drugs and genetic knockdowns in bloodstream stage Trypanosoma brucei, PLoS 

NTDs, 4:e678. PMCID: PMC2864271

15.

. 

. 

 

D. Research Support 

R01 AI050506 (Parsons, P.I.) 4/1/08-3/31/13 

NIH/NIAID

The Plastid of Toxoplasma gondii

This project proposes to examine a plant-like organelle called the apicoplast in the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, 

an agent which causes encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals and birth defects when acquired during 

pregnancy. As humans lack an apicoplast, it provides a potential target for new interventions against the 

parasite. 

R01 AI031077 (Parsons, P.I.) 2/1/92-1/31/11 

NIH/NIAID

Protein Phosphorylation in Trypanosomes

The major goals of this project are to study the role of protein protein kinases and phosphatases in African 

trypanosomes. The project focuses on a bioinformatic analysis of protein phosphatases and functional studies 

of membrane and dual specificity kinases. 

R01 AI069057-02 (Parsons, P.I.) 5/1/07-4/30/12 

NIH/NIAID

Mitochondrial Function in Bloodstream Trypanosoma brucei

Trypanosoma brucei is a protozoan pathogen that causes diseases in man and livestock. Most drugs are 

increasingly ineffective due to toxicity and development of resistance. The goal of this project to understand 

mitochondrial function in slender bloodstream form T. brucei, its role in the action of existing drugs, and its 

potential as a target for new drugs.

U01 AI075641 (Stuart, P.I) 9/1/07-8/31/12 

NIH/NIAD 

Trypanosomatid Drug Development Consortium

The project is designed to generate a robust pipeline of anti-trypanosomatid drugs with product profiles 

suitable for clinical trials and deployment. It will be conducted by a Consortium which includes SBRI/University 

Biographical Sketches for each listed Senior/Key Person 2 Page 17

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
of Washington, UCSF, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Eskitis Institute of Griffiths 

University. The project will use a milestone based, decision matrix supported, product development approach 

to: 1) Identify and prioritize trypanosomatid candidate drug targets 2) Develop high throughput screens for 

prioritized targets 3) Screen selected libraries 4) Perform hit-to-lead chemistry 5) Perform initial efficacy and 

toxicology studies and 6) Generate a centralized project and information management system. The outcome 

will be sets of targets and chemical entities distributed along the pipeline from target discovery to preclinical 

validation thus providing a rich ongoing resource of drug candidates for clinical studies. Role: Scientific Lead, 

SBRI.

D43 TW000924 (Stuart, P.I.) 8/25/06-3/31/11 

NIH/Fogarty International Center

Research Training on Intracellular Pathogens

This project is a training grant which fosters research collaborations between two Seattle institutions (Seattle 

Biomedical Research Institute and the University of Washington) and two New Delhi institutions (Jawaharlal 

Nehru University and the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, ICGEB). Students 

and postdoctoral fellows work on collaborative projects focusing on intracellular pathogens for periods of 6 

months to one year. In country workshops are also conducted. Role: US Co-Director. 

Biographical Sketches for each listed Senior/Key Person 2 Page 18

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

1. Project Director / Principal Investigator (PD/PI)

* Title:

* Street1:

* City:

* Country:

Street2:

County/Parish:

* State:

* Zip / Postal Code:

Prefix: * First Name:

Middle Name:

* Last Name:

Suffix:

2. Human Subjects

Clinical Trial?

* Agency-Defined Phase III Clinical Trial?

* First Name:

Middle Name:

* Last Name:

Suffix:

3. Applicant Organization Contact

Person to be contacted on matters involving this application

* Phone Number: Fax Number:

Email:

OMB Number: 0925-0001 

Province:

Prefix:

Peter

John

Myler

PhD

No Yes

No Yes

Jennifer

Dodson

Manager, Grants and Contracts

307 Westlake Ave N, Suite 500

Seattle

King

USA: UNITED STATES

WA: Washington

98109-5219

	


 		

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Clinical Trial & HESC Page 19

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
4. Human Embryonic Stem Cells

* Does the proposed project involve human embryonic stem cells?

If the proposed project involves human embryonic stem cells, list below the registration number of the 

specific cell line(s) from the following list: http://stemcells.nih.gov/research/registry/. Or, if a specific 

stem cell line cannot be referenced at this time, please check the box indicating that one from the 

registry will be used: 

Specific stem cell line cannot be referenced at this time. One from the registry will be used.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

No Yes

Cell Line(s):

	


 		

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Clinical Trial & HESC Page 20

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
PHS 398 Modular Budget, Periods 1 and 2

OMB Number: 0925-0001 

1. 

Start Date: End Date:

Budget Period: 1

* Direct Cost less Consortium F&A

A. Direct Costs

B. Indirect Costs

Consortium F&A

* Total Direct Costs

Indirect Cost Type

Indirect Cost 

Rate (%)

Indirect Cost 

Base ($) * Funds Requested ($)

Cognizant Agency (Agency Name, POC Name and Phone Number)

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement Date Total Indirect Costs

2. 

3. 

4. 

* Funds Requested ($)

04/01/2011 03/31/2012

Modified Total Direct Cost Base

DHHS, Ernest L. Willard, 415-437-7820

07/20/2009

C. Total Direct and Indirect Costs (A + B) Funds Requested ($)

1. 

Start Date: End Date:

Budget Period: 2

* Direct Cost less Consortium F&A

A. Direct Costs

B. Indirect Costs

Consortium F&A

* Total Direct Costs

Indirect Cost Type

Indirect Cost 

Rate (%)

Indirect Cost 

Base ($) * Funds Requested ($)

Cognizant Agency (Agency Name, POC Name and Phone Number)

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement Date Total Indirect Costs

C. Total Direct and Indirect Costs (A + B) Funds Requested ($)

2. 

3. 

4. 

* Funds Requested ($)

Modified Total Direct Cost Base

DHHS, Ernest L. Willard, 415-437-7820

07/20/2009

04/01/2012 03/31/2013

	


 		

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Modular Budget Page 21

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
PHS 398 Modular Budget, Periods 3 and 4

1. 

Start Date: End Date:

Budget Period: 3

* Direct Cost less Consortium F&A

A. Direct Costs

B. Indirect Costs

Consortium F&A

* Total Direct Costs

Indirect Cost Type

Indirect Cost 

Rate (%)

Indirect Cost 

Base ($) * Funds Requested ($)

Cognizant Agency (Agency Name, POC Name and Phone Number)

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement Date Total Indirect Costs

C. Total Direct and Indirect Costs (A + B) Funds Requested ($)

2. 

3. 

4. 

1. 

Start Date: End Date:

Budget Period: 4

* Direct Cost less Consortium F&A

A. Direct Costs

B. Indirect Costs

Consortium F&A

* Total Direct Costs

Indirect Cost Type

Indirect Cost 

Rate (%)

Indirect Cost 

Base ($) * Funds Requested ($)

Cognizant Agency (Agency Name, POC Name and Phone Number)

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement Date Total Indirect Costs

C. Total Direct and Indirect Costs (A + B) Funds Requested ($)

2. 

3. 

4. 

* Funds Requested ($)

* Funds Requested ($)

	


 		

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Modular Budget Page 22

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
PHS 398 Modular Budget, Periods 5 and Cumulative

1. 

Start Date: End Date:

Budget Period: 5

* Direct Cost less Consortium F&A

A. Direct Costs

B. Indirect Costs

Consortium F&A

* Total Direct Costs

Indirect Cost Type

Indirect Cost 

Rate (%)

Indirect Cost 

Base ($) * Funds Requested ($)

Cognizant Agency (Agency Name, POC Name and Phone Number)

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement Date Total Indirect Costs

C. Total Direct and Indirect Costs (A + B) Funds Requested ($)

2. 

3. 

4. 

Cumulative Budget Information

* Funds Requested ($)

*Section A, Total Direct Cost less Consortium F&A for Entire Project Period

1. Total Costs, Entire Project Period

Section A, Total Consortium F&A for Entire Project Period

*Section A, Total Direct Costs for Entire Project Period

*Section B, Total Indirect Costs for Entire Project Period

*Section C, Total Direct and Indirect Costs (A+B) for Entire Project Period

2. Budget Justifications

 $

 $

 $

 $

 $

Personnel Justification

Consortium Justification

Additional Narrative Justification

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Modular Budget Page 23

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Personnel Justification

Peter Myler, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, 1.2 calendar months/10% effort. Dr. Myler will provide expertise in

bioinformatics and genomics

Marilyn Parsons, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, 0.84 calendar months/7% effort. Dr. Parsons will provide 

expertise 

. He will act as the project’s Principal Investigator along with Dr. Parsons. He

will work with Dr. Parsons to supervise the project, including scientific and management oversight and 

manuscript preparation. Dr. Myler will be the contact PI for grant reporting.

in T. brucei

Bryan Jensen, Ph.D., Staff Scientist, 1.2 calendar months/10% effort. Dr. Jensen has extensive experience in 

research on African trypanosomes, including animal infections and polysome analysis. He will assist in 

experimental design and daily supervision of the other staff on the project. Dr. Jensen will also be 

responsible for generation of parasites from in vitro culture and from animal infections. 

, including parasite development. Together with Dr. Myler, she will act as Principal 

Investigator and will supervise the project, including scientific and management oversight, experimental 

design, troubleshooting, and manuscript preparation.

Andrew Haydock, Research Technician II, 6 calendar months/50% effort. Mr. Haydock will isolate polysomes 

and RNA, prepare the RNA-seq libraries and interface with the Bioinformatics Core personnel for analysis 

of the NGS reads. He has extensive experience in NGS library preparation and analysis, having generated 

all the Leishmania RNA-seq data for the Myler Lab.

Benefits are calculated at a rate of 25.4% of base salary in accord with Seattle BioMed’s nonprofit rate 

agreement dated 07/20/09. 

Bioinformatics

The approaches provide a strong partnership that will allow application of this novel technology and 

further understand the significance of finding with respect to translational control in T. brucei. 

Dr. Myler serves as the Scientific Advisor for the Bioinformatics Core at Seattle BioMed. It employs

several experienced programmers who can develop new scripts and pipelines, which may be required 

by some project studies. By using the Core on a fee for-service basis, the project will gain the relevant 

expertise from a number of individuals, depending on project needs, in a cost-effective manner. The 

total funds for the Core are approximately equivalent to 3.5 calendar months per year. An RNA-seq 

pipeline already developed by Core staff will be adapted as needed to manage the results of the 

sequencing of the libraries. Dr. Myler and the Bioinformatics Core are also key participants in the 

development of TriTrypDB, through which data from the project will be made available. 

Personnel Justification Page 24

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Additional Narrative Justification

We are requesting that in the R21 budget, six modules ($ be budgeted to Year One and five 

modules ($125,000) be budgeted to Year Two. In year one, expenses will be slightly higher due to 

developing the Bioinformatics pipeline and the purchase of a cell grinder. Our total costs for both years 

will be $275,000. 

Additional Justification Page 25

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
PHS 398 Research Plan

1. Application Type:

From SF 424 (R&R) Cover Page. The response provided on that page, regarding the type of application being submitted, is repeated for your 

reference, as you attach the appropriate sections of the Research Plan.

*Type of Application:

OMB Number: 0925-0001 

2. Specific Aims

3. *Research Strategy

6. Protection of Human Subjects

7. Inclusion of Women and Minorities

8. Targeted/Planned Enrollment Table

9. Inclusion of Children

10. Vertebrate Animals

13. Consortium/Contractual Arrangements

14. Letters of Support

15. Resource Sharing Plan(s)

16. Appendix

1. Introduction to Application 

(for RESUBMISSION or REVISION only)

Human Subjects Sections

2. Research Plan Attachments: 

 Please attach applicable sections of the research plan, below.

Other Research Plan Sections

5. Progress Report Publication List

11. Select Agent Research

12. Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan

4. Inclusion Enrollment Report

New Resubmission Renewal Continuation Revision

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List of Research Plan Attachments Page 26

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
2. Specific Aims

Gene expression in trypanosomatids (such as Trypanosoma brucei and the various Leishmania

species) is distinct from other well-studied eukaryotes because the protein-coding genes are transcribed 

polycistronically. However, co-transcribed mRNAs encode proteins that display dramatic variation in 

abundance both within and across developmental stages, indicating that post-transcriptional controls 

provide the major means of regulating expression of individual genes. Our previous microarray study

has shown significant differences in mRNA abundance within and across T. brucei bloodstream and 

insect stages (likely reflecting differences in mRNA stability), while other studies have identified 

considerable changes in the proteome. A recent global analysis of mRNA levels and protein 

abundances (from the same biological samples) at several time-points during promastigote-toamastigote differentiation of L. donovani (conducted by the Myler lab) showed that the correlation 

between these is rather low. However, both microarrays and proteomic analysis are limited by a lack 

resolution in quantitation of lower abundance molecules, leaving the true correlation between mRNA 

and protein levels open to question. Furthermore, other data suggests that translational and/or posttranslational controls also play significant roles. For example, in-depth analysis (by the Parsons lab) of 

two T. brucei genes demonstrated translational control as a key mechanism. We therefore hypothesize 

that translational controls function both to tune the levels of protein within stages and to change the 

levels across stages. This project seeks to address this hypothesis by quantitatively assessing the rate at 

which cellular mRNAs are being actively translated at any particular time. This will be accomplished 

by adapting and applying a recently-described technology that couples the ability to isolate the specific 

“footprints” of mRNAs that are occupied by ribosomes (an indicator of translation) with the depth and 

breadth of next generation sequencing (NGS). To establish the system and test our hypothesis for 

T. brucei, we propose the following Specific Aims. 

Aim 1. Establish the ribosome protection assay in T. brucei strain 927 cultured procyclic forms. 

Optimization of footprinting, library construction and informatics will be done using cultured logphase procyclic forms, which are readily available under standardized conditions. Cell lysates will be 

treated with RNase I and ribosome-protected RNA fragments will be isolated and used to generate 

libraries for sequencing via Illumina NGS technology. The resulting data will be entered into our RNAseq pipeline and aligned with the T. brucei genome to identify the number and location of ribosomes 

that are bound to gene-specific mRNA. This data will indicate the level of gene-specific translation for 

every gene detected, as well as identifying the specific sequences on each mRNA that are translated. 

Comparison with the profile of total cellular mRNA will establish the translational efficiency of 

transcripts corresponding to specific genes. 

Aim 2. Identify genes that are regulated at the level of translation during T. brucei development. 

We will carry out similar studies on rapidly-dividing, mammalian-infective slender bloodstream forms 

and non-dividing stumpy bloodstream forms from animals. Comparison of the ribosome profile of 

mRNAs at these stages and that of procyclic forms (from Aim 1) will identify genes that are regulated

at the level of translation. 

The proposed work promises to provide an important new tool for studying trypanosomatid 

gene expression, yielding clues to the mechanism of translational control in trypanosomatids, and new 

information on the extent of translation of individual gene products. In addition, it should resolve the 

current debate over the function of the numerous recently identified RNAs that contain only short 

open-reading frames, and has the potential to identify non-canonical open-reading frames, thus 

significantly enhancing the ongoing genome annotation. We also anticipate that this technology will be 

very useful to those researchers wishing to determine which trypanosomatid proteins are likely to be 

present in infective stages, and thus might serve as drug and vaccine targets. 

Specific Aims Page 27

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Figure 1. Cluster analysis of mRNA and protein coexpression during Leishmania differentiation 

K-median clustering of mRNA and protein abundance changes 

was performed using TMeV software to produce nine clusters 

with six different patterns (letters on the left). The average 

correlation co-efficient between changes in mRNA and protein 

abundance is shown to the right of each cluster. The number 

of genes in each cluster pattern is shown further to the right, 

between arrows indicating the general change in mRNA and 

protein abundance.

3. RESEARCH STRATEGY

a. Significance   

Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis (“sleeping sickness”).  The

number of human deaths caused annually by this species is estimated at 50,000, although over 6 million

people in sub‐Saharan Africa are at risk.  The impact of sleeping sickness is high, due to the cost of

treatment combined with high morbidity and mortality [1].  Related pathogens include Trypanosoma cruzi

(the causative agent of Chagas’ disease) and numerous Leishmania species, which cause a diverse spectrum

of visceral, mucocutaneous, and cutaneous disease.  Each of these parasites undergoes a complex

developmental cycle, alternating between mammalian and insect hosts, as well as proliferating and non‐

proliferating stages.  The stages of T. brucei available in the laboratory are slender (dividing) bloodstream

forms, stumpy (non‐dividing) bloodstream forms, and cultured procyclic forms (which correspond to the

stage found in the tsetse fly midgut).  These stages differ significantly in morphology, surface antigen

expression, and metabolic functions [2].  In naturally occurring infections, slender bloodstream forms

generally exist at low parasitemias, and through a relatively poorly‐defined quorum sensing mechanism

[3], differentiate to non‐dividing stumpy forms, which are thought to be pre‐adapted metabolically to

survive upon ingestion by the tsetse fly.  Most laboratory strains have lost the ability to differentiate into

stumpy forms and hence are called “monomorphic” strains, in contrast to their “pleiomorphic” ancestors.   

Exactly how trypanosomatid gene expression gives rise to the different stage‐specific phenotypes is

not well understood.  In contrast to mammals and fungi, the relative contribution of gene‐specific

transcriptional control appears low in trypanosomatids, since the protein‐coding genes are organized in

large polycistronic clusters [4‐8] , and mRNAs derived from the same transcriptional unit vary widely in

abundance within and between developmental stages [9‐11].  Differences in post‐transcriptional processing

and stability play major roles in regulating mRNA abundances in T. brucei and Leishmania [12‐16], but

comparison of microarray and proteomic analyses showed that there is a poor correlation between mRNA

and protein abundance during Leishmania development

[17].  Indeed, our own study [18] using the same

biological samples from several time points during

promastigote‐to‐amastigote differentiation indicated

that almost a third of the 902 genes analyzed showed

poor (or negative) correlation between changes in

mRNA and protein levels (Fig. 1).  Several studies,

including our own, have provided evidence for

translational control of stage‐regulation in Leishmania

[19,20] and T. brucei [13,21,22].  We have also shown

that stumpy form T. brucei have a paucity of polysomes

[23], indicating developmental changes in translational

capacity.  These findings suggest that translational

controls may figure prominently in modulating protein

abundance in trypanosomatids.  Similar layered

controls have been observed in other organisms, such

as Saccharomyces, in which the correlation of mRNA to

protein abundance can be less than 0.2 [24].   

While recent proteomic analyses have begun to

elucidate some developmentally regulated proteins in

trypanosomatids [17,25‐27], this approach remains

Research Strategy Page 28

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
challenging for low abundance proteins, precluding global analysis.  However, recent developments allow

the global measurement of the translational status of mRNAs by profiling, at the codon level, their

occupation with ribosomes [24].  Ribosomes assembled onto mRNA protect about 28 nt from exogenous

nuclease.  Thus, if polysomal RNA is treated with nuclease, the segments of mRNAs actively undergoing

translation are preserved, while the rest of the mRNA is degraded.  By sequencing the protected fragments,

one can obtain a measure of the relative ribosome loading of the transcript, and also the location of the

ribosomes along the mRNA.  The power of next generation sequencing (NGS) allows this technology to

penetrate to low abundance mRNAs, opening up possibilities that are not available through other

approaches, such as microarray analysis of polysomal fractions.  In addition, since ribosome profiling has

resolution at the codon level, it enables much more precise interrogation of exactly which open reading

frames (ORFs) are being actively translated at any given, rather than just revealing which mRNAs are

associated with ribosomes as in the case of microarray‐based analyses.  Thus, this exciting technological

advance will allow us to assess for the first time the relative translation of T. brucei mRNAs as compared to

their relative abundance; taking us one step closer to the major mediator of function, the protein itself.     

Here we propose to adapt the ribosome profiling technology to T. brucei, and then to assess the

ribosome occupancy of mRNAs across parasite development.  The results will be compared to the relative

mRNA levels in those same samples.  The data will identify those transcripts that are preferentially

translated, as well as those whose translation differs among stages, thereby indicating the extent of

translational control in parasite development.  It will also clarify whether the many “novel genes”

identified through RNA‐seq experiments [11] are actively translated, thus adding to the repertoire of

experimentally validated protein‐coding genes.  This project will also be relevant to drug target discovery,

since it will identify those transcripts that likely result in protein products in the mammalian infective

stages, as opposed to those which remain silent within the mRNA.   

b. Innovation

The control of gene expression in trypanosomatid parasites is relatively poorly understood.  While

mRNAs within the same transcription unit vary in abundance within and across developmental stages, the

impact of translational control on protein abundance remains unexplored except for a few cases.  This

application proposes to adapt a new technology that melds advances in NGS with ribosome protection of

translating mRNAs to reveal the global extent of translational control in the organism chosen as a model

trypanosomatid, T. brucei.  The studies will provide important new information at several levels: it will

identify transcripts that are under stage‐regulated translational control and also those transcripts that are more

(or less) efficiently translated in all stages.  Additionally, it will assess whether numerous small putative

coding regions (CDSs) identified in RNA‐seq experiments are translated, and whether some transcripts bear

upstream ORFs that may function in translational control.  Finally, it will determine whether T. brucei employs

alternative initiation codons, such as were recently revealed to be much more prominent than suspected in

S. cerevisiae [24].  The expertise of Dr. Parsons in T. brucei and translation and Dr. Myler in

bioinformatic/genomic approaches provide a strong partnership that will allow application of this novel

technology and substantially increase our understanding of translational control in T. brucei.  These studies are

anticipated to be a prelude to future studies examining the roles of specific sequences and proteins mediating

translational regulation in T. brucei.  They also will provide a strong foundation for exploring translational

control in other trypanosomatid parasites, specifically Leishmania donovani.   

c. Proposed research approach

The overall goal of this project is to adapt a technology for measuring ribosome occupation of mRNAs

to T. brucei and to use it to examine the relative translation of mRNAs within and across the life cycle of the

parasite, providing insights into gene regulation and coding potential of the parasite genome.  T. brucei was

Research Strategy Page 29

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Figure 2. Ribosome profiling protocol 

This schematic summarizing the protocol is 

taken from Ingolia et al. Note that libraries are 

constructed from the RNA fragments protected 

from nuclease digestion by ribosomes (left), 

and alkali-digested total or ribosomeassociated mRNA (right). The gradient 

centrifugation step to isolate the ribosomal 

fraction is not shown.

selected for study because different developmental stages can be obtained in the laboratory in quantities that

will allow development of the procedures and their initial application.    

Aim 1.  Establish the ribosome protection assay in T. brucei strain procyclic forms.   

Our project will begin by adapting the ribosome profiling technology to T. brucei.  We will employ strain

927, since it can be cultured as both procyclic (insect) and slender (mammalian) bloodstream forms in vitro,

and can be grown as slender and stumpy bloodstream forms in rats.  In addition, this strain has the most

complete genome sequence [4].  In order to establish the optimal conditions for ribosome profiling, the goal

of Aim 1, we will use cultured procyclic forms in log phase, because these are easy (and less expensive) to

obtain under standardized conditions in culture.  One liter of cultured procyclic forms will provide

sufficient material for multiple analyses.  Our procedure is based on a 50‐page protocol (summarized in

Fig. 2) provided by Dr. Nicholas Ingolia, corresponding author of the recent Science paper describing this

technology [24].  Dr. Ingolia has agreed to advise us on this project (see letter of support).  Although the

protocol will be an excellent starting point for our experiments, we anticipate that certain steps will require

further optimization, as addressed below.

Preparation of RNA samples:  Procyclic form parasites will be treated with cycloheximide in culture

medium to arrest translation while maintaining ribosome positioning.  To prevent changes in ribosome

loading, rapid processing is essential.  Parasites will collected by filtration and scraped into a previously

optimized polysome buffer [23], flash‐frozen and ground under

liquid nitrogen.  A small fraction of the sample will be used for

standard mRNA preparation using magnetic oligo‐dT Dynabeads

(Invitrogen) and subjected to alkaline cleavage to sizes of

approximately 28 nt.  Of the remainder, half will be left intact and

half will be cleaved with RNase I, which will degrade RNA that is

not protected by ribosomes (RNase I has little sequence specificity

making it ideal for this purpose).  The ribosomal fraction of the latter

two samples (monosomes and polysomes in the undigested sample,

and monosomes only in the RNase‐digested sample) will be

prepared by density gradient fractionation using procedures in place

in the Parsons laboratory and RNA prepared [23,28].  Intact polyA+

RNA will be collected from the undigested sample and cleaved by

alkaline lysis, while ribosome‐protected RNA fragments will be

prepared from the RNase‐digested sample.  This procedure will thus

yield three preparations: randomly‐cleaved total mRNA, randomly‐

cleaved mRNA associated with ribosomes, and 28‐nt regions of

mRNA protected by ribosomes.  Each of these will be used to

generate RNA‐seq libraries for subsequent NGS and analysis as

described below.   

Optimization of nuclease digestion:  A specific challenge is optimizing

nuclease digestion such that unprotected RNA is completely

digested; while maintaining the yield of ribosome‐protected RNA.  

To choose the best conditions for cleavage of polysomal RNA to

“footprint”‐sized molecules, the size of the resulting RNA fragments

will be assessed by RNase protection assay, using an in vitro‐

transcribed, [32P]‐labeled fragment of T. brucei β‐tubulin as the target.   

Research Strategy Page 30

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
RNA‐seq library preparation:  The 28‐nt fraction of the three RNA preparations will be gel‐purified and

used to create libraries by the single‐stranded (ss) DNA ligase method, which was demonstrated to avoid

the sequence bias characteristic of RNA ligases [24].  In brief, the RNA fragments are polyadenylated and

DNA synthesis primed with an oligo‐dT20 oligonucleotide (“dSpacer”) containing bi‐directional sequencing

primers separated by an abasic furan (see Fig. 2).  The cDNA is then circularized with ssDNA ligase

(CircLigase, Epicentre), linearized within the dSpacer using APE1 endonuclease (New England Biolabs),

and gel purified prior to amplification.  To avoid bias, sequencing reactions will be performed on amplified

samples which have maximized abundance of full‐length product, but which still retain unincorporated

primers.   

While this protocol will ensure the most unbiased representation of mRNA abundance, we will

compare it to a simpler method that we have developed for preparation of NGS libraries from intact total

and ribosome‐associated mRNA samples, which exploits the fact that all trypanosomatid mRNA bear a

common 5’ 39‐nt spliced leader (SL) sequence.  First strand cDNA synthesis using random hexamer‐

containing primers and 2nd strand synthesis using an SL‐containing primer, followed by amplification and

sequencing using an SL primer has allowed us to obtain more than 20 million sequence tags in a single

NGS run from less than 1 μg of total RNA without mRNA enrichment.  If this methodology provides us

with similar relative mRNA abundances to that observed for using the ssDNA ligase method, we will

employ it in Aim 2, since it uses less sample, as well as being less costly and labor‐intensive.   

Contamination with non‐coding RNAs:  The ribosome footprint libraries will almost certainly be contaminated

with rRNA (it represented approximately 80% of the sequences obtained from the yeast experiments) and

small RNAs.  T. brucei possesses a robust RNAi system that generates small interfering RNAs, which are

predominantly double‐stranded fragments of 24‐26 nt corresponding to the SLACs and INGI retroposon‐

like elements [29].  While ~10% of siRNAs are associated with polysomes [30], they are obviously not

translated and are only a minor fraction of RNA that is associated with ribosomes.  Nevertheless, we will

examine the ribosome footprint library sequences for an over‐representation of SLACs sequences derived

from ORF1 (from whence most siRNAs are derived) [31] as compared to ORF2, to determine whether

siRNAs represent a major contaminant in our RNA‐seq library.  While these contaminating sequences can

readily be removed computationally; we will remove rRNA fragments by capture with complementary

biotinylated oligonucleotides or by degradation of abundant sequences by duplex‐specific nuclease

(Illumina), if necessary. In addition, siRNAs can be removed by differential salt‐extraction [30].  The SL‐seq

approach minimizes contamination, but cannot be used for the ribosome footprint samples.   

NGS sequencing and analysis:  The libraries will be sequenced on an Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx at the

University of Washington on a fee‐for‐service basis.  We have used this facility for RNA‐seq from several

Leishmania species, as well as whole genome NGS and ChIP‐seq.  The resulting sequence files (in fastq

format) will be entered into an RNA‐seq pipeline developed by the Seattle BioMed Bioinformatics Core

(which is directed by Dr. Myler).  Alignment of the reads with the genome is routinely performed using

BOWTIE [32], and we have developed scripts to quantitate the number of reads per mRNA.  This will be

facilitated by the recent studies mapping the 5ʹ and 3ʹ ends of most T. brucei mRNAs [11].  Dr. Myler has

recently generated similar 5ʹ and 3ʹ mRNA mapping data for L. major, L. donovani and L. braziliensis (see

Fig. 3).  Comparison of read density for individual mRNAs between the randomly‐cleaved total and

ribosome‐associated RNA‐seq libraries will reveal whether a sub‐set is preferentially excluded from, or

recruited to, ribosomes.  This will be particularly interesting in the case of RNAs that contain only small

ORFs, which are currently the subject of debate as to their function.   

Comparison of individual mRNA read densities between the randomly‐cleaved and ribosome‐

footprinted RNA‐seq libraries will identify genes that are more efficiently expressed per mRNA molecule

within the procyclic stage, thereby providing new information on translational efficiency.  We will also

Research Strategy Page 31

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Figure 3. RNA-seq analysis of L. major

This screenshot shows RNA-seq reads from SL- (green), oligo-dT- 

(blue), random hexamer-(magenta) and Not-So-Random hexamer- 

(black) primed libraries prepared from L. major Friedlin log-stage 

promastigotes aligned to a region of L. major chr35. The height of 

each column reflects the number of reads at each position (some 

are off-scale). Protein-coding ORFs (CDSs) are indicated by 

orange and yellow boxes. We have effectively mapped SL and 

polyA sites for almost all genes, but the random- and NSR-primed 

reads show considerable sequence bias (and were heavily 

contaminated with rRNA). The red oval highlights an RNA (with SL 

and polyA tail) containing no annotated CDS and only short ORFs. 

assess the distribution of ribosomes along the mRNA sequence to identify the exact location of the protein‐

coding sequence within each mRNA and demonstrate whether they are, indeed, translated.  This is

important because the state of T. brucei genome annotation still suffers from uncertainty as to whether the

current gene prediction is too low or too high and exactly which protein sequences are expressed by the

parasites.  We will be able to eliminate some ORFs as non‐coding and also to identify new ORFs that may

have missed detection because they are quite short or use non‐canonical start codons.  In yeast and

humans, short ORFs upstream of CDSs function in translational control of downstream ORFs on the same

transcript [33].  The work will likely require new

scripts and pipelines, but we will be guided by the

approaches described by Ingolia et al. [24].  Our

Bioinformatics Core employs several experienced

programmers who, under the direction of Dr. Myler,

have already adapted and developed a number of

pipelines for a variety of purposes, including RNA‐

seq.    

The regions protected by the ribosome in yeast

began at 12‐13 nt upstream of the start codon,

presumably representing newly assembled ribosomes

at the initiation codon.  This could be potentially

problematic if the 39‐nt SL sequence common to the 5’

end of all trypanosomatid mRNAs were attached

within this region, since it would be difficult to map these protected fragments to specific genes.  However,

only ~5‐8% of all T. brucei genes have the SL acceptor site closer than 10‐nt from the putative initiation

codon [11].  The remaining mRNAs should be readily footprinted, even if they are stalled at the initiation

site (i.e. they are not being translated).  

Aim 2.  Identify genes that are regulated at the level of translation during T. brucei development.   

The analyses described above will be expanded to bloodstream stages of T. brucei, allowing for the

comparison of translation regulation within and between stages.  Using the pleiomorphic strain 927

provides the opportunity to compare the rapidly‐dividing slender bloodstream forms and non‐dividing

stumpy bloodstream forms stages, which exist within the mammalian host during natural infections, with

the procyclic stage characterized in Aim 1.  For each stage, three biological replicates will be used, and for

each two technical replicates will be employed.  The optimized protocols from Aim 1 will be used here to

generate ribosome profiles in the two bloodstream stages and the bioinformatics pipeline developed for

Aim 1 will be employed to analyze the results of the RNA‐seq libraries generated.    

Biological materials:  Slender and stumpy 927 strain bloodstream forms will be obtained after injection into

rats.  Generally, we obtain 5×108‐109slender forms and 2‐5×109 stumpy forms from a single rat.  Slender

form populations usually have <5% contamination with morphologically intermediate or stumpy forms;

while stumpy populations are usually >75% morphologically stumpy, with the remained being

predominantly intermediate forms.  Morphological characterization will be supplemented with analysis of

the ability to express the procyclic‐specific molecule procyclin following a shift in medium and temperature

(stumpy forms are competent to do so, while slender forms are not).  Should parasite numbers be

inadequate, we will pool the parasites from individual animals.  As a backup we can turn to in vitro‐

derived slender bloodstream forms (one liter of culture yields ~109 log phase parasites).  Our previous

microarray analysis [9] demonstrated that in vitro and in vivo slender bloodstream forms showed little, if

any, difference in mRNA abundances.  As a final, but unlikely, backup, we could use the monomorphic

Research Strategy Page 32

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
strain 427.  This strain yields high slender parasitemias in vivo, but since monomorphic strains do not

recapitulate the natural infection process, they are less desirable for these studies.   

Analysis:  Libraries will be generated and sequenced as described above, if possible using the SL library

approach to assess mRNA abundance in the total mRNA and undigested ribosomal fractions, since this

would be less demanding and will allow more material to be used for the ribosome profiling libraries.  The

data from the three developmental stages will then be compared on a gene‐by‐gene basis to determine

whether transcripts corresponding to individual genes differ in representation of ribosome occupancy (i.e.

they are translated at different rates in different stages).  We will determine the relationship between any

changes in translation efficiency and differences (or no change) in mRNA abundance.  These data will

provide information on the role of translational control across different stages of parasite development. As

internal controls we will examine transcripts proteins that we and others have already identified as being

subject to stage‐specific translational control.  Additionally, the same types of analyses described in Aim 1

for procyclic forms (i.e. searching for evidence of translation for the newly identified putative ORFs and

non‐canonical start codons) will also be conducted, since it is possible that some of these ORFs are only

translated in a particular stage.  It is likely beyond the scope of this project to identify the elements within

mRNAs that mediate the translational controls, but the data we generate will provide the entrée for such

studies in the future.   

At present, measuring ribosome occupation of mRNAs provides the most advanced means of

assessing translational potential.  However, we remain cognizant that these measures are still one step

away from measuring protein synthesis and that protein abundance also reflects turnover.  In future

studies , or as time permits, we will confirm our findings by examining the synthesis of 2‐3 proteins that are

derived from transcripts showing evidence of stage‐specific translational control, utilizing reagents

obtained from our previous and on‐going projects or from other investigators in the field.   

Data availability: This project will generate data that will be beyond our capacity to fully exploit in the

near term.  It is therefore in the interest of the scientific community that the data be available for others

who wish to pursue specific aspects of the findings.  The NGS sequence data will be made available to the

scientific community by submission to the NCBI Sequence Read Archive, as well as TritrypDB (along with

more processed results, such as summaries of read densities between life cycle stages).  Genes showing

translation regulation will also be annotated in GeneDB and TriTrypDB.  Dr. Myler and the Bioinformatics

group are part of the GeneDB/TriTrypDB consortium and regularly share data with both these databases.  

The proposed studies take a global approach to understanding the relative importance of translational

control to stage‐regulation of protein expression in T. brucei.  In addition to this key goal, they will

increase our knowledge of the genome capacity of the parasite by identifying which ORFs are translated,

and by possibly identifying new, non‐canonical ORFs.  Should translational control be revealed as an

important regulator of protein abundance (as we predict), future studies can address identification of the

molecules mediating this control.  The proposed experiments will also lay the groundwork for similar

studies in other trypanosomatids, such as the various Leishmania species and T. cruzi.   

Laboratory hazards:  This project employs an animal pathogen Trypanosoma brucei brucei (TREU 927), which is

considered to be identical to the human pathogen Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, except it lacks a gene that

confers resistance to human serum.  While T. brucei 927 is not expected to be hazardous to laboratory

personnel, universal precautions are always observed for bloodstream stage parasites.  The Parsons laboratory

has worked with bloodstream stage parasites for over 20 years and all staff receive BSL2 training by Seattle

BioMed EHS and in‐lab training by experienced laboratory members.  For those working with infected

animals, training at the University of Washington for mouse and rat procedures will be required.  Monthly

safety notes related to chemical, radioactive, physical, and biological hazards are discussed at lab meetings.   

Research Strategy Page 33

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
10. Vertebrate Animals

1. Description of animals and how they will be used

Rats: Rats will be used for the isolation of bloodstream form pleiomorphic trypanosomes. We anticipate that a 

total of 30 rats will be used over the two years. We use outbred Wistar rats (male) for growing trypanosomes. 

The animals are obtained from Simonsen or Charles River Laboratories and must be certified pathogen free. 

Rats are infected with trypanosomes intraperitoneally using either cultured T. brucei or from stabilates 

previously generated. Infections are monitored for parasite level in the blood and the stage of parasite 

development assessed. Trypanosomes are harvested by terminal surgery when the populations meet criteria 

for the percentage of parasites in the desired developmental stage. In some cases the rats may be 

immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide or irradiation according to IACUC approved protocols. 

Mice: Mice will be used to initiate infections should there be challenges in directly infecting rats. The mice are 

obtained from vendors such as Charles River Laboratories and must be pathogen-free. We anticipate using 5 

mice per year, either Balb/c or Swiss Webster. The parasites are harvested by terminal surgery while the 

trypanosomes are predominantly in the slender, dividing stage. 

2. Justification for use of animals 

Rats: Growth of large quantities bloodform trypanosomes in vitro is a costly alternative, requiring large 

quantities of fetal calf serum. We anticipate that these numbers of animals will provide sufficient biological 

material for our studies. Rats are good hosts for the strains of trypanosomes we use. These animals are not 

costly or in short supply. We have set up in vitro systems to reduce our reliance on animals for small-scale

production. 

Mice: Mice will be used only to initiate infections should direct infection of rats prove problematic as it 

sometimes does with older frozen stocks. 

3. Veterinary Care

Rats and mice will be housed in the Seattle BioMed animal facility. Seattle BioMed has a PHS Assurance 

issued by OLAW and has a USDA Research Registration. The facility is under temperature, light and 

humidity control. Adequate food, water, and bedding are provided. It is staffed by an attending veterinarian, 

a vivarium manager, and five technicians. The attending veterinarian spends at least 8-16 hours per month at 

Seattle BioMed, and a back-up veterinarian is on call, including after hours, weekends and holidays. Animal 

care staff perform routine husbandry procedures and check animals daily for their condition. Most animals 

are kept for relatively short periods of time, 30-60 days, and if they appear ill, they are euthanized. 

4. Provisions to minimize stress, discomfort and injury 

If there are signs of distress, the animal staff alert laboratory personnel and the veterinarian as needed. The 

veterinarian or animal staff may intervene or recommend euthanasia based on animal welfare concerns. 

Animals are monitored daily by animal care staff. Following injections with parasites, rodents are monitored 

for parasitemia beginning on day 2. The animals are anesthetized with ketamine/xylazine mix prior to 

injections of parasites or terminal surgery. This anesthetic does not appear to interfere with the biological 

function of the parasites. 

5. Euthanasia 

Mice are euthanized by CO2 asphyxiation. This method is consistent with the recommendations of the 

American Veterinary Medical Association. When parasites are harvested from rodents, the animals are 

sedated with ketamine/xylazine, and the blood is collected during terminal surgery in which the aorta is cut. 

The diaphragm is then cut to fully ensure death while anesthetized. 

Vertebrate Animals Page 34

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
12. Multiple PI Leadership Plan 

Drs. Myler and Parsons will act as the project’s Principal Investigators, with Dr. Myler acting as the contact PI 

for grant reporting purposes. Dr. Myler will provide expertise in bioinformatics, genomics and data analysis, 

while Dr. Parsons will provide expertise in T. brucei

Drs. Myler and Parsons have worked together on a variety of projects for over 25 years. In resolving conflict, 

their ultimate goal will be solving the scientific questions. The deciding factor in any disagreement on 

research strategy will be what will generate the most complete and quality data. 

, including parasite development, experimental design and 

troubleshooting. They will work together to supervise the project, including scientific and administrative 

management and oversight, and manuscript preparation. Each will be responsible for direct supervision of 

personnel within their individual laboratories, but will hold joint lab meetings (with the personnel working on 

this project) on a regular basis (at least monthly). 

Multiple PI Leadership Plan Page 35

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
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on Leishmania major chromosome 3. Eukaryot Cell 3: 506-17. 

[8] Martinez-Calvillo S, Yan S, Nguyen D, Fox M, Stuart KD, Myler PJ. (2003) Transcription of 

Leishmania major Friedlin chromosome 1 initiates in both directions within a single region. Mol Cell 

11: 1291-9. 

[9] Jensen BC, Sivam D, Kifer CT, Myler PJ, Parsons M. (2009) Widespread variation in transcript 

abundance within and across developmental stages of Trypanosoma brucei. BMC Genomics 10: 482. 

 [10] Kabani S, Fenn K, Ross A, Ivens A, Smith TK, Ghazal P, Matthews K. (2009) Genome-wide 

expression profiling of in vivo-derived bloodstream parasite stages and dynamic analysis of mRNA 

alterations during synchronous differentiation in Trypanosoma brucei. BMC Genomics 10: 427. 

 [11] Siegel TN, Hekstra DR, Wang X, Dewell S, Cross GA. (2010) Genome-wide analysis of mRNA 

abundance in two life-cycle stages of Trypanosoma brucei and identification of splicing and 

polyadenylation sites. Nucleic Acids Res , epub ahead of print.

 [12] Estevez AM. (2008) The RNA-binding protein TbDRBD3 regulates the stability of a specific subset of 

mRNAs in trypanosomes. Nucleic Acids Res 36: 4573-86.

 [13] Furger A, Schürch N, Kurath U, Roditi I. (1997) Elements in the 3' untranslated region of procyclin 

mRNA regulate expression in insect forms of Trypanosoma brucei by modulating RNA stability and 

translation. Mol Cell Biol 17: 4372-80. 

 [14] Haile S, Estevez AM, Clayton C. (2003) A role for the exosome in the in vivo degradation of unstable 

mRNAs. RNA 9: 1491-501. 

References Cited Page 36

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
 [15] Bringaud F, Muller M, Cerqueira GC, et al. (2007) Members of a large retroposon family are 

determinants of post-transcriptional gene expression in Leishmania. PLoS Pathog 3: 1291-307. 

 [16] Myung KS, Beetham JK, Wilson ME, Donelson JE. (2002) Comparison of the post-transcriptional 

regulation of the mRNAs for the surface proteins PSA (GP46) and MSP (GP63) of Leishmania chagasi. 

J Biol Chem 277: 16489-97.

 [17] McNicoll F, Drummelsmith J, Muller M, Madore E, Boilard N, Ouellette M, Papadopoulou B. (2006) 

A combined proteomic and transcriptomic approach to the study of stage differentiation in 

Leishmania infantum. Proteomics 6: 3567-81. 

 [18] 

 [19] David M, Gabdank I, Ben-David M, Zilka A, Orr I, Barash D, Shapira M. (2010) Preferential 

translation of Hsp83 in Leishmania requires a thermosensitive polypyrimidine-rich element in the 3' 

UTR and involves scanning of the 5' UTR. RNA 16: 364-74.

 [20] Boucher N, Wu Y, Dumas C, Dube M, Sereno D, Breton M, Papadopoulou B. (2002) A common 

mechanism of stage-regulated gene expression in Leishmania mediated by a conserved 3' UTR 

element. J Biol Chem 277: 19511-20. 

 [21] Parsons M, Hill T. (1989) Elevated phosphoglycerate kinase mRNA but not protein in monomorphic 

Trypanosoma brucei: implications for stage-regulation and post-transcriptional control. Mol Biochem 

Parasitol 33: 215-28.

 [22] Gale MJ, Jr., Carter V, Parsons M. (1994) Translational control mediates the developmental 

regulation of the Trypanosoma brucei Nrk protein kinase. J Biol Chem 269: 31659-65.

 [23] Brecht M, Parsons M. (1998) Changes in polysome profiles accompany trypanosome development. 

Mol Biochem Parasitol 97: 189-98.

 [24] Ingolia NT, Ghaemmaghami S, Newman JR, Weissman JS. (2009) Genome-wide analysis in vivo of 

translation with nucleotide resolution using ribosome profiling. Science 324: 218-23.

 [25] Colasante C, Ellis M, Ruppert T, Voncken F. (2006) Comparative proteomics of glycosomes from 

bloodstream form and procyclic culture form Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Proteomics 6: 3275-93. 

 [26] Nugent PG, Karsani SA, Wait R, Tempero J, Smith DF. (2004) Proteomic analysis of Leishmania 

mexicana differentiation. Mol Biochem Parasitol 136: 51-62.

 [27] Walker J, Vasquez JJ, Gomez MA, Drummelsmith J, Burchmore R, Girard I, Ouellette M. (2006) 

Identification of developmentally-regulated proteins in Leishmania panamensis by proteome profiling 

of promastigotes and axenic amastigotes. Mol Biochem Parasitol 147: 64-73.

 [28] Jensen BC, Brekken DL, Randall AC, Kifer CT, Parsons M. (2005) Species specificity in ribosome 

biogenesis: a nonconserved phosphoprotein is required for formation of the large ribosomal subunit 

in Trypanosoma brucei. Eukaryot Cell 4: 30-5. 

References Cited Page 37

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
 [29] Djikeng A, Shi H, Tschudi C, Ullu E. (2001) RNA interference in Trypanosoma brucei: cloning of small 

interfering RNAs provides evidence for retroposon-derived 24-26-nucleotide RNAs. RNA 7: 1522-30.

 [30] Djikeng A, Shi H, Tschudi C, Shen S, Ullu E. (2003) An siRNA ribonucleoprotein is found associated 

with polyribosomes in Trypanosoma brucei. RNA 9: 802-8. 

 [31] Patrick KL, Shi H, Kolev NG, Ersfeld K, Tschudi C, Ullu E. (2009) Distinct and overlapping roles for 

two Dicer-like proteins in the RNA interference pathways of the ancient eukaryote Trypanosoma 

brucei. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106: 17933-8. 

 [32] Langmead B, Trapnell C, Pop M, Salzberg SL. (2009) Ultrafast and memory-efficient alignment of 

short DNA sequences to the human genome. Genome Biol 10: R25. 

 [33] Sonenberg N, Hinnebusch AG. (2009) Regulation of translation initiation in eukaryotes: mechanisms 

and biological targets. Cell 136: 731-45. 

References Cited Page 38

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
14. Letter of Support

Nicholas T. Ingolia, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco (transferring to Carnegie Institution, 

Department of Embryology, Baltimore, MD).

Letters of Support Page 39

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
Nicholas T. Ingolia, Ph.D.

UCSF MC 2542

1700 – 4th Street

Byers Hall, Room 404

San Francisco, CA 94158-2330

tel 

University of California

San Francisco

UCSF

Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology

Dr. Peter Myler

Dr. Marilyn Parsons

Seattle Biomedical Research Institute

307 Westlake Ave. N., STE 500

Seattle, WA, 98109

Dear Peter and Marilyn,

I am writing to affirm my interest in your project on ribosomal profiling in the 

protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. I am keenly interested in applying the 

technology I developed to problems of human health. My understanding is that 

due to polycistronic transcription, these the pathogens you study likely employ 

multiple downstream control mechanisms to regulate gene expression. Our 

technology, which examines ribosome occupancy on mRNAs using a genomewide approach, will provide clear analysis of the role of translational control in 

the parasites. It can be used to examine both differences between conditions 

(i.e., different stages of parasite development) and differences within conditions 

(i.e., loading of ribosomes onto different transcripts). I have already provided 

you with our detailed protocol (which also highlights key controls), and will be 

happy to provide you with additional advice as you move forward in setting up 

your system. 

I will be relocating this fall to establish an independent research program at the 

Carnegie Institution Department of Embryology, in Baltimore, MD, where my 

lab will continue to develop the ribosome profiling technology in yeast and 

metazoa.

With regards,

Nicholas Ingolia

Letters of Support Page 40

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
15. Resource Sharing Plan 

Data sharing plan: The resulting gene level data will be provided to public databases such as GEO and 

TritrypDB. 

Organisms: not applicable.

Genome wide studies: not applicable. 

Resource Sharing Plan Page 41

Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Myler, Peter, John
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