A comprehensive proteogenomic landscape of microproteins in Trichomonas vaginalis

{"Microproteins":[0],"(MPs),":[1],"encoded":[2],"by":[3,49,202],"small":[4],"open":[5],"reading":[6],"frames":[7],"(sORFs)":[8],"typically":[9],"shorter":[10],"than":[11,217],"100":[12],"amino":[13],"acids,":[14],"have":[15],"recently":[16],"emerged":[17],"as":[18],"important":[19],"regulators":[20],"of":[21,44,62,75,114,140,151,197,219,229,253],"diverse":[22],"biological":[23],"processes.":[24,194],"However,":[25],"their":[26,164],"functional":[27,243],"roles":[28,190,252],"and":[29,92,127,186,245],"evolutionary":[30],"conservation":[31],"in":[32,46,167,191,215,231,255],"protozoan":[33],"parasites":[34],"remain":[35],"poorly":[36],"understood.":[37],"We":[38],"performed":[39],"a":[40,66,110,238],"comprehensive":[41,227],"proteogenomic":[42],"analysis":[43,135,172],"MPs":[45,142,154,176,199,212],"Trichomonas":[47],"vaginalis":[48,233],"integrating":[50],"bulk":[51],"RNA":[52,94,206],"sequencing":[53,95,207],"data":[54],"from":[55],"22":[56],"isolates.":[57],"To":[58],"address":[59],"the":[60,73,79,104,152,225,250],"limitations":[61],"conventional":[63],"omics":[64],"approaches,":[65],"multi-layered":[67],"validation":[68],"strategy":[69],"was":[70,87,97,200],"applied,":[71],"including":[72,122],"evaluation":[74],"sequence":[76],"homology":[77,134],"against":[78],"human":[80,147],"proteome":[81],"using":[82],"stringent":[83],"criteria.":[84],"Furthermore,":[85,149],"LC–MS/MS":[86],"utilized":[88],"for":[89,241],"translational":[90],"confirmation,":[91],"single-cell":[93,205],"(scRNA-seq)":[96,208],"employed":[98],"to":[99,146,157],"assess":[100],"expression":[101],"robustness":[102],"at":[103],"individual":[105,220],"cell.":[106],"Transcriptomic":[107],"profiling":[108],"delineated":[109],"stable":[111],"\\"core":[112],"microproteome\\"":[113],"918":[115],"microprotein":[116],"candidates":[117],"consistently":[118],"expressed":[119],"across":[120],"isolates,":[121],"786":[123],"core-expressed":[124],"MP":[125],"genes":[126],"132":[128],"non-annotated":[129],"sORF-derived":[130],"candidates.":[131],"Notably,":[132],"protein":[133],"revealed":[136],"that":[137,174,210],"approximately":[138],"93%":[139],"these":[141,175],"lack":[143],"significant":[144],"similarity":[145],"proteins.":[148],"14%":[150],"identified":[153],"were":[155],"predicted":[156],"be":[158],"membrane-associated":[159],"or":[160],"secreted":[161],"proteins,":[162],"highlighting":[163],"potential":[165,189,251],"involvement":[166],"host–parasite":[168],"interactions.":[169],"Functional":[170],"enrichment":[171],"indicated":[173],"are":[177,213],"primarily":[178],"associated":[179],"with":[180],"intracellular":[181],"anatomical":[182],"structures,":[183],"ribosomal":[184],"components,":[185],"organelles,":[187],"suggesting":[188],"fundamental":[192],"cellular":[193],"The":[195],"translation":[196],"103":[198],"confirmed":[201],"LC–MS/MS,":[203],"while":[204],"demonstrated":[209],"149":[211],"detected":[214],"more":[216],"50%":[218],"cells.":[221],"This":[222],"study":[223],"provides":[224],"first":[226],"atlas":[228],"microproteins":[230,254],"T.":[232],".":[234],"Our":[235],"findings":[236],"establish":[237],"valuable":[239],"resource":[240],"future":[242],"investigations":[244],"provide":[246],"new":[247],"insights":[248],"into":[249],"parasite":[256],"biology.":[257]}

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Parasites & Vectors
Published
2026-09-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07669-7
Primary Topic
Reproductive tract infections research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
article

A comprehensive proteogenomic landscape of microproteins in Trichomonas vaginalis

Rose Lin, Yuan‐Ming Yeh, Petrus Tang, Seow-Chin Ong et al.
Parasites & Vectors
Reproductive tract infections research
article

A comprehensive proteogenomic landscape of microproteins in Trichomonas vaginalis

Rose Lin, Yuan‐Ming Yeh, Petrus Tang, Seow-Chin Ong, Cheng‐Hsun Chiu, Po-Jung Huang, Chi‐Ching Lee, Jhen-Wei Syu, Hong-Wei Luo
article en

Abstract

Microproteins (MPs), encoded by small open reading frames (sORFs) typically shorter than 100 amino acids, have recently emerged as important regulators of diverse biological processes. However, their functional roles and evolutionary conservation in protozoan parasites remain poorly understood. We performed a comprehensive proteogenomic analysis of MPs in Trichomonas vaginalis by integrating bulk RNA sequencing data from 22 isolates. To address the limitations of conventional omics approaches, a multi-layered validation strategy was applied, including the evaluation of sequence homology against the human proteome using stringent criteria. Furthermore, LC–MS/MS was utilized for translational confirmation, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was employed to assess expression robustness at the individual cell. Transcriptomic profiling delineated a stable "core microproteome" of 918 microprotein candidates consistently expressed across isolates, including 786 core-expressed MP genes and 132 non-annotated sORF-derived candidates. Notably, protein homology analysis revealed that approximately 93% of these MPs lack significant similarity to human proteins. Furthermore, 14% of the identified MPs were predicted to be membrane-associated or secreted proteins, highlighting their potential involvement in host–parasite interactions. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that these MPs are primarily associated with intracellular anatomical structures, ribosomal components, and organelles, suggesting potential roles in fundamental cellular processes. The translation of 103 MPs was confirmed by LC–MS/MS, while single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) demonstrated that 149 MPs are detected in more than 50% of individual cells. This study provides the first comprehensive atlas of microproteins in T. vaginalis . Our findings establish a valuable resource for future functional investigations and provide new insights into the potential roles of microproteins in parasite biology.

Parasites & Vectors
Chang Gung University (TW), Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (TW)
National Science and Technology Council, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Reproductive tract infections research
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.