# Social Motility and cAMP signaling in chemotaxis and parasite-vector interactions of African trypanosomes

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $74,316

## Abstract

Project Summary
Recognition of social behavior and cell-cell signaling as a ubiquitous property of bacteria revolutionized our
understanding of microbiology and microbial pathogenesis. Parasitic protozoa generally are not considered in
this context. Recent work however, demonstrates that the paradigm of microbes as social organisms can and
should be brought to bear on questions about parasite biology, transmission and pathogenesis. African
trypanosomes, e.g. Trypanosoma brucei, and related trypanosomatid parasites are responsible for substantial
human suffering worldwide. T. brucei is transmitted between human hosts by tsetse flies. The parasites live in
communities in which they can communicate with one another and engage in group behaviors that are not
evident in individual cells, this behavior is termed “Social Motility” (SoMo) and shows analogies to social
behavior in bacteria. Studies of SoMo provided insight into parasite signal transduction and chemotaxis, which
are directly relevant for parasite development, transmission and pathogenesis. In the current proposal we will
use recently discovered SoMo mutants to elucidate signal transduction mechanisms in trypanosomes and
define gene expression programs that govern chemotaxis, social behavior and tsetse fly infection. We expect
our studies will provide new perspectives and approaches for understanding parasite biology and for
developing novel strategies for management and therapeutic intervention in parasitic disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9851340
- **Project number:** 5R21AI142544-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** KENT L HILL
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $74,316
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-01-17 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9851340

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9851340, Social Motility and cAMP signaling in chemotaxis and parasite-vector interactions of African trypanosomes (5R21AI142544-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9851340. Licensed CC0.

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