Expression of a major surface protein of Trypanosoma brucei insect forms is controlled by the activity of mitochondrial enzymes
- Vassella, Erik Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Probst, Matthias Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Schneider, André Zoology, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
- Studer, Erwin Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland
- Kunz Renggli, Christina Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- Roditi, Isabel Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland
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16.06.2004
Published in:
- Molecular Biology of the Cell. - 2004, vol. 15, no. 9, p. 3986-3993
English
In cycling between the mammalian host and the tsetse fly vector, trypanosomes undergo major changes in energy metabolism and surface coat composition. Early procyclic (insect) forms in the tsetse fly midgut are coated by glycoproteins known as EP and GPEET procyclins. EP expression continues in late procyclic forms, whereas GPEET is down-regulated. In culture, expression of GPEET is modulated by glycerol or glucose. Here, we demonstrate that a glycerol-responsive element of 25 nucleotides within the 3' untranslated region of GPEET mRNA also controls expression by glucose and during development in the fly. In trypanosomes, mitochondrial ATP is produced mainly by the acetate: succinate-CoA transferase/succinyl-CoA synthetase (ASCT) cycle, the citric acid cycle, and the cytochromes. Silencing of the pyruvate dehydrogenase or succinyl-CoA synthetase from the ASCT cycle by RNA interference induces reexpression of GPEET in late procyclic forms, whereas inhibition of the citric acid cycle or the cytochromes has no effect. In contrast, inhibition of the alternative oxidase, the second branch of the electron transport chain, with salicylhydroxamic acid overrides the effect of glucose or glycerol and causes a reduction in the level of GPEET mRNA. Our results reveal a new mechanism by which expression of a surface glycoprotein is controlled by the activity of mitochondrial enzymes.
- Faculty
- Faculté des sciences et de médecine
- Department
- Département de Biologie
- Language
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- English
- Classification
- Biological sciences
- License
- License undefined
- Identifiers
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- RERO DOC 4136
- DOI 10.1091/mbc.E04-04-0341
- Persistent URL
- https://folia.unifr.ch/unifr/documents/299761
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