Show Notes
Owino BO et al., PNAS - Using TurboID proximity proteomics and microscopy, researchers identify KIAP4 as the canonical member of a conserved Adhesion Related NTPase-like Domain (ARND) family that localizes to the Leishmania adhesion plaque. Deleting KIAP4 disrupts haptomonad adhesion in vitro and prevents colonization of the sand fly stomodeal valve without blocking metacyclogenesis. Key terms: Leishmania, adhesion, KIAP4, ARND family, sand fly.
Study Highlights:
TurboID::KIAP3 proximity labeling and mass spectrometry identified KIAP4 and multiple ARND family paralogs enriched at the adhered flagellum. KIAP4 colocalizes with KIAP3 at the adhesion plaque and accumulates during haptomonad differentiation. KIAP4 deletion severely reduces in vitro adhesion and abolishes stomodeal valve colonization in Lutzomyia longipalpis, while ARND paralogs are conserved across kinetoplastids and localize to adhered flagella in Trypanosoma congolense.
Conclusion:
KIAP4 is a foundational adhesion-plaque protein of a conserved ARND family required for Leishmania haptomonad adhesion and stomodeal valve colonization, making the family a potential target for transmission-blocking strategies.
Music:
Enjoy the music based on this article at the end of the episode.
Article title:
Identifcation of a conserved gene family with an essential role in Leishmania parasite–insect vector adhesion
First author:
Owino BO
Journal:
PNAS
DOI:
10.1073/pnas.2603653123
Reference:
Owino BO, Sunter JD, et al. Identifcation of a conserved gene family with an essential role in Leishmania parasite–insect vector adhesion. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A (PNAS). 2026;123(30):e2603653123. doi:10.1073/pnas.2603653123
License:
This episode is based on an open-access article published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Episode link: https://basebybase.com/episodes/kiap4-arnd-leishmania-adhesion
QC:
This episode was checked against the original article PDF and publication metadata for the episode release published on 2026-08-08.
QC Scope:
- article metadata and core scientific claims from the narration
- excludes analogies, intro/outro, and music
- transcript coverage: Audited sections cover: identification of KIAP4 as canonical ARND member; TurboID proximity-labeling workflow and enrichment results; KIAP4 localization to the adhesion plaque; KIAP4 deletion effects on in vitro adhesion and sand fly stomodeal valve colonization; ARND conservation across kinetoplastids; ARND domain arc
- transcript topics: KIAP4 as canonical ARND member localizes to adhesion plaque; TurboID proximity labeling workflow and enriched protein cohort; Localization of ARND paralogs in Leishmania and Trypanosoma congolense; KIAP4 deletion phenotype: impaired adhesion and valve colonization; KIAP4 add-back rescues adhesion defects; ARND domain architecture and Walker A motif absence (inactive NTPase-like domains)
QC Summary:
- factual score: 10/10
- metadata score: 10/10
- supported core claims: 4
- claims flagged for review: 0
- metadata checks passed: 4
- metadata issues found: 0
Metadata Audited:
- article_doi
- article_title
- article_journal
- license
Factual Items Audited:
- KIAP4 is the canonical member of the ARND family and localizes to the adhesion plaque
- ARND family is conserved across kinetoplastids; T. congolense paralogs localize to the adhered flagellum
- Deletion of KIAP4 severely impairs haptomonad adhesion and prevents stomodeal valve colonization in sand flies
- Walker A motif is not conserved in ARND p-loop NTPase domains, suggesting inactive enzymatic activity and a scaffolding role
- TurboID identified 58 candidate proteins enriched at the adhered flagellum; 32 localized to the adhered flagellum
- KIAP4 knockout does not block metacyclogenesis; metacyclic forms are present in KIAP4 mutants
QC result: Pass.
