Heat shock protein 100 and the amastigote stage-specific A2 proteins of Leishmania donovani

HSP100 protein in Leishmania spp. plays an important role for the survival and integrity of intracellular amastigotes, The A2 proteins of L. donovani are functionally linked to HSP100. There is evidence for an interdependence between these two proteins, which are both expressed predominantly in the amastigote stage of Leishmania donovani. Mutant strains lacking either of t hese proteins display very similar phenotypes, i.e. loss of virulence both in vivo and in vitro. Also, both proteins colocalise specifically to small foci within the cytoplasm of amastigotes.