Cryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastid protozoa.
Cilia and flagella are central to many biological processes in a diverse range of organisms. The kinetoplastid protozoa are very appealing models for the study of flagellar function, particularly in the light of the availability of extensive trypanosomatid genome information. In addition to the high...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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2005
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| _version_ | 1797050793413574656 |
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| author | Gadelha, C Wickstead, B de Souza, W Gull, K Cunha-e-Silva, N |
| author_facet | Gadelha, C Wickstead, B de Souza, W Gull, K Cunha-e-Silva, N |
| author_sort | Gadelha, C |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Cilia and flagella are central to many biological processes in a diverse range of organisms. The kinetoplastid protozoa are very appealing models for the study of flagellar function, particularly in the light of the availability of extensive trypanosomatid genome information. In addition to the highly conserved 9 + 2 axoneme, the kinetoplastid flagellum contains a characteristic paraflagellar rod structure (PFR). The PFR is necessary for full motility and provides support for metabolic regulators that may influence flagellar beating. However, there is an intriguing puzzle: one clade of endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastids apparently lack a PFR yet are as motile as species that possess a PFR and are able to attach to the invertebrate host epithelia. We investigated how these organisms are able to locomote despite the apparent lack of PFR. Here we have identified a PFR1 gene in the endosymbiont-bearing trypanosome Crithidia deanei. This gene is expressed in C. deanei and is able to partially complement a pfr1 null mutation in Leishmania mexicana cells, demonstrating that the encoded protein is functional. Careful reexamination of C. deanei flagellar ultrastructure revealed a greatly reduced PFR missed by many previous analyses. This affirms the PFR as a canonical organelle of kinetoplastids. Moreover, although PFR proteins have been conserved in evolution, primary sequence differences contribute to particular PFR morphotypes characteristic of different kinetoplastid species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:10:27Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:02d5b534-4d6a-4a12-b41a-566addcb13c8 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:10:27Z |
| publishDate | 2005 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:02d5b534-4d6a-4a12-b41a-566addcb13c82022-03-26T08:42:58ZCryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastid protozoa.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:02d5b534-4d6a-4a12-b41a-566addcb13c8EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2005Gadelha, CWickstead, Bde Souza, WGull, KCunha-e-Silva, NCilia and flagella are central to many biological processes in a diverse range of organisms. The kinetoplastid protozoa are very appealing models for the study of flagellar function, particularly in the light of the availability of extensive trypanosomatid genome information. In addition to the highly conserved 9 + 2 axoneme, the kinetoplastid flagellum contains a characteristic paraflagellar rod structure (PFR). The PFR is necessary for full motility and provides support for metabolic regulators that may influence flagellar beating. However, there is an intriguing puzzle: one clade of endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastids apparently lack a PFR yet are as motile as species that possess a PFR and are able to attach to the invertebrate host epithelia. We investigated how these organisms are able to locomote despite the apparent lack of PFR. Here we have identified a PFR1 gene in the endosymbiont-bearing trypanosome Crithidia deanei. This gene is expressed in C. deanei and is able to partially complement a pfr1 null mutation in Leishmania mexicana cells, demonstrating that the encoded protein is functional. Careful reexamination of C. deanei flagellar ultrastructure revealed a greatly reduced PFR missed by many previous analyses. This affirms the PFR as a canonical organelle of kinetoplastids. Moreover, although PFR proteins have been conserved in evolution, primary sequence differences contribute to particular PFR morphotypes characteristic of different kinetoplastid species. |
| spellingShingle | Gadelha, C Wickstead, B de Souza, W Gull, K Cunha-e-Silva, N Cryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastid protozoa. |
| title | Cryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastid protozoa. |
| title_full | Cryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastid protozoa. |
| title_fullStr | Cryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastid protozoa. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastid protozoa. |
| title_short | Cryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont-containing kinetoplastid protozoa. |
| title_sort | cryptic paraflagellar rod in endosymbiont containing kinetoplastid protozoa |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gadelhac crypticparaflagellarrodinendosymbiontcontainingkinetoplastidprotozoa AT wicksteadb crypticparaflagellarrodinendosymbiontcontainingkinetoplastidprotozoa AT desouzaw crypticparaflagellarrodinendosymbiontcontainingkinetoplastidprotozoa AT gullk crypticparaflagellarrodinendosymbiontcontainingkinetoplastidprotozoa AT cunhaesilvan crypticparaflagellarrodinendosymbiontcontainingkinetoplastidprotozoa |