Theileria highjacks JNK2 into a complex with the macroschizont GPI-anchored surface protein p104

AbstractTheileria is a unique apicomplexan parasite capable of transforming its host cell into a disseminating tumour. Constitutive JNK activity characterizes bovine T and B cells infected with T. parva, and B cells and macrophages infected with T. annulata. Here, we show that T. annulata manipulates JNK activation by recruiting JNK2, and not JNK1, to the parasite surface, whereas JNK1 is found predominantly in the host cell nucleus. In silico analysis identified 3 potential JNK-binding motifs in the previously characterized GPI-anchored macroschizont surface protein (p104), and we demonstrate here that JNK2 is recruited to the parasite via physical interaction with p104. A cell penetrating peptide harbouring a p104 JNK-binding motif also conserved in T. parva p104 competitively ablated binding, whereupon liberated JNK2 became ubiquitinated and degraded. Sequestration of JNK2 depended on PKA-mediated phosphorylation of the conserved JNK-binding motif and upon disruption of the p104/JNK2 complex loss of JNK2 resulted in diminished matrigel traversal of T. annulata-transformed macrophages. Loss of JNK2 also resulted in upregulation of small mitochondrial ARF that promoted autophagy consistent with cytosolic sequestration of JNK2 sustaininf not only JNK2, but also nuclear JNK1 levels that combined contribute to both survival and dissemination of Theileria-transformed macrophages.Author SummaryTheileria annulata parasites infect and transform their host bovine leukocytes into tumourlike cells that disseminate throughout infected animals causing a widespread disease called tropical theileriosis. Virulence has been ascribed to the parasite’s ability to constitutively activate leukocyte c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) leading to permanent induction of Matrix Metallo-Proteinase 9 (MMP9) that promotes transformed macrophage dissemination. In attenuated live vaccines JNK-mediated AP-1-driven transcriptional activity is reduced so dampening dissemination. However, in leukocytes JNK exists as two isoforms JNK1 and JNK2 and here, we show for the first time that in T. annulata-transformed macrophages they have different subcellular localisations and perform separate functions. Surprisingly, JNK2 associates with the parasite and is not in the nucleus like JNK1. JNK2 is hijacked by the parasite and sequestered in a complex with a macroschizont surface protein called p104. Upon forced complex dissociation JNK2 gets degraded and its loss negatively affects infected macrophage survival and ability to disseminate.