The <i>Trypanosoma brucei</i> Flagellum: Moving Parasites in New Directions

Ralston, Katherine S.; Kabututu, Zakayi; Melehani, Jason H.; Oberholzer, Michael; Hill, Kent L.

doi:10.1146/annurev.micro.091208.073353

Cited by 115 publications

(150 citation statements)

References 156 publications

(347 reference statements)

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“…Interface 11: 20131149 inherent twist, or through activation of specialized dynein motors that initiate twisting [52]. In other microorganisms, such as T. brucei, the orientation of the central pair remains fixed throughout beating; however, this organism has a more rigid paraflagellar rod that may prevent free rotation of the central pair [53]. Because no paraflagellar rod exists in T. foetus, we hypothesize that central pair twisting provides the underlying force for the generation of the two waveforms exhibited by the anterior flagella.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unlocking the secrets of multi-flagellated propulsion: drawing insights fromTritrichomonas foetus

Lenaghan

Nwandu-Vincent

Reese

et al. 2014

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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In this work, a high-speed imaging platform and a resistive force theory (RFT) based model were applied to investigate multi-flagellated propulsion, using Tritrichomonas foetus as an example. We discovered that T. foetus has distinct flagellar beating motions for linear swimming and turning, similar to the 'run and tumble' strategies observed in bacteria and Chlamydomonas. Quantitative analysis of the motion of each flagellum was achieved by determining the average flagella beat motion for both linear swimming and turning, and using the velocity of the flagella as inputs into the RFT model. The experimental approach was used to calculate the curvature along the length of the flagella throughout each stroke. It was found that the curvatures of the anterior flagella do not decrease monotonically along their lengths, confirming the ciliary waveform of these flagella. Further, the stiffness of the flagella was experimentally measured using nanoindentation, allowing for calculation of the flexural rigidity of T. foetus's flagella, 1.55Â10 221 N m 2 . Finally, using the RFT model, it was discovered that the propulsive force of T. foetus was similar to that of sperm and Chlamydomonas, indicating that multi-flagellated propulsion does not necessarily contribute to greater thrust generation, and may have evolved for greater manoeuvrability or sensing. The results from this study have demonstrated the highly coordinated nature of multiflagellated propulsion and have provided significant insights into the biology of T. foetus.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unlocking the secrets of multi-flagellated propulsion: drawing insights fromTritrichomonas foetus

Lenaghan

Nwandu-Vincent

Reese

et al. 2014

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…White arrowheads in D and E point to the mitotic spindle. 3 were synchronized with hydroxyurea, released from the cell cycle block by washing out hydroxyurea, and cultured in hydroxyurea-free RPMI medium for 7 h. A-C show images of parasites that were stained with anti-␣-tubulin pAb (red) and anti-HA antibody pAb (green) and images with the red, green, and blue (DAPI-stained) images merged (merged). White arrowheads mark mitotic spindles that stain with both anti-␣-tubulin and anti-HA antibodies.…”

Section: Identification Of Tbkh and Subcellular Localization In Bfmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the multiple important roles that flagella play for trypanosomes, these cellular appendages have been studied extensively (3,4). Although studies on axonemal and luminal proteins predominated originally, considerable work has been done more recently on proteins of the trypanosome flagellar membrane (5).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

KHARON Is an Essential Cytoskeletal Protein Involved in the Trafficking of Flagellar Membrane Proteins and Cell Division in African Trypanosomes

Sánchez

Tran

Valli

et al. 2016

Journal of Biological Chemistry

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African trypanosomes and related kinetoplastid parasites selectively traffic specific membrane proteins to the flagellar membrane, but the mechanisms for this trafficking are poorly understood. We show here that KHARON, a protein originally identified in Leishmania parasites, interacts with a putative trypanosome calcium channel and is required for its targeting to the flagellar membrane. KHARON is located at the base of the flagellar axoneme, where it likely mediates targeting of flagellar membrane proteins, but is also on the subpellicular microtubules and the mitotic spindle. Hence, KHARON is probably a multifunctional protein that associates with several components of the trypanosome cytoskeleton. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of KHARON mRNA results in failure of the calcium channel to enter the flagellar membrane, detachment of the flagellum from the cell body, and disruption of mitotic spindles. Furthermore, knockdown of KHARON mRNA induces a lethal failure of cytokinesis in both bloodstream (mammalian host) and procyclic (insect vector) life cycle stages, and KHARON is thus critical for parasite viability.

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“…The propulsion mechanisms are adapted to the environment in which they have to survive. The goal of the present study is to model the locomotion of the African trypanosome, the microorganism which causes the sleeping sickness, a deadly disease in humans [27]. Trypanosomes are passed into the blood stream of a mammal after a bite from the carrier tsetse fly through its saliva.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, not all microtubules reach the anterior end [27]. In addition, they are linked to each other by proteins.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Swimming at Low Reynolds Number: From Sheets to the African Trypanosome

Babu

Schmeltzer

Stark

2012

Notes on Numerical Fluid Mechanics and Multidisciplinary Design

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Abstract. The African trypanosome is a protozoan which causes sleeping sickness in mammals. To study the dynamics of this microorganism at low Reynolds number, we implement and investigate three swimmer models, the Taylor sheet, a constanttorque swimmer, and a model for the African trypanosome. The first two swimmers are based on a semi-flexible sheet and the third is a full three-dimensional model. We simulate the viscous fluid environment of the swimmers using a technique called multi-particle collision dynamics. We verify our technique by implementing the Taylor sheet which is activated by a bending wave traveling along the sheet. Its ballistic motion turns into diffusive motion when the sheet becomes passive. For the constant-torque swimmer we apply a torque to the semi-flexible sheet which assumes a cork-screw shape and then generates the thrust force for propelling the swimmer forward. Whereas the angular velocity scales linearly with the torque, the swimming velocity displays a non-linear dependence. Finally, our trypanosome model swims with the help of a beating flagellum attached to the cell body. Since it wraps around the body, the model trypanosome displays a helical swimming trajectory. The swimming velocity displays a non-linear increase with the beating frequency of the flagellum.

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The Trypanosoma brucei Flagellum: Moving Parasites in New Directions

Cited by 115 publications

References 156 publications

Unlocking the secrets of multi-flagellated propulsion: drawing insights fromTritrichomonas foetus

Unlocking the secrets of multi-flagellated propulsion: drawing insights fromTritrichomonas foetus

KHARON Is an Essential Cytoskeletal Protein Involved in the Trafficking of Flagellar Membrane Proteins and Cell Division in African Trypanosomes

Swimming at Low Reynolds Number: From Sheets to the African Trypanosome

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