Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
10:04
Using Fluorescent Proteins to Monitor Glycosome Dynamics in the African Trypanosome
Published on: August 19, 2014
Developmentally regulated sphingolipid synthesis in African trypanosomes.
Shaheen S Sutterwala1, Fong-Fu Hsu, Elitza S Sevova
1Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Molecular Microbiology
|August 14, 2008
Summary
Trypanosoma brucei sphingolipid synthesis is more diverse than previously thought, with distinct pathways in different life stages. Disrupting sphingolipid synthases halts parasite growth, highlighting their essential role.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Parasitology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Sphingolipids are vital membrane components in eukaryotes.
- Kinetoplastid protozoa were believed to synthesize only inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize sphingolipids in Trypanosoma brucei.
- To investigate the function of the trypanosome sphingolipid synthase (TbSLS1-4) gene family.
Main Methods:
- Sphingolipid analysis in Trypanosoma brucei.
- Gene silencing using RNA interference (RNAi).
- Fluorescent ceramide labeling and topology prediction.
Main Results:
- Trypanosomes synthesize inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC), sphingomyelin, and ethanolamine phosphorylceramide (EPC) in a stage-specific manner.
- TbSLS gene family exhibits bi-functional synthase activity, producing sphingomyelin and EPC.
- Silencing TbSLS1-4 caused growth arrest and cell death, with increased ceramide levels.
Conclusions:
- Sphingolipid metabolism in Trypanosoma brucei is diverse and stage-regulated.
- The TbSLS gene family is essential for parasite survival.
- Reveals novel insights into sphingolipid diversity and regulation in human parasites.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Antiprotozoal Agents
Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...
01:27Synthesis of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER Membrane
The ER synthesizes lipids for building cell membranes and performing cellular functions such as energy storage and signaling. The lipid synthesis machinery embedded in the ER membrane primarily collects all reactants from the cytosol. Following synthesis, the secretory pathway and the ER contact sites distribute these lipids to other cellular organelles. Additionally, the energy-rich triacylglycerides are transported from the ER via lipid droplets.
The major components of all eukaryotic cell...
The major components of all eukaryotic cell...
01:35Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer
Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
01:29Biosynthesis of Lipids
Microbial membranes exhibit remarkable diversity in lipid composition, reflecting evolutionary adaptations to various environmental conditions. The three domains of life—Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya—synthesize membrane lipids through distinct biosynthetic pathways, leading to fundamental structural differences that impact membrane stability, function, and adaptability.Fatty Acid-Based Lipids in Bacteria and EukaryaBacteria and eukaryotes share a common fatty acid biosynthesis pathway, which...
01:42Phosphoinositides and PIPs
Phosphoinositides are a group of phospholipids containing a glycerol backbone with two fatty acid chains and a phosphate attached to a myoinositol sugar ring. The inositol head group extends into the cytoplasm, where it is modified by adding phosphate groups to form phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs.
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...
01:45Regulation of Nuclear Protein Sorting
Nuclear protein sorting regulates nucleus composition and gene expression, crucial for determining the fate of a eukaryotic cell. Hence, the entry and exit of molecules across the nuclear envelope is a tightly controlled process. Nuclear protein sorting can be inhibited by one of the following ways: 1) masking cargo signal sequences, 2) modifying the nuclear receptor's affinity for cargo, 3) controlling the nuclear pore size, 4) retaining the cargo during its transit to the cytosol or the...