gamma-tubulin in trypanosomes: molecular characterisation and localisation to multiple and diverse microtubule organising centres

3D FIB-SEM structural insights into the architecture of sub-pellicular microtubules of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Trypanosomatidae, which includes eukaryotic species agents of diseases like leishmaniasis, sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease, have special structures and organelles not found in mammalian cells. They present a layer of microtubules, known as subpellicular microtubules (SPMT), located underneath the plasma membrane and responsible for preserving cell morphology, cell polarity, the position of single copy organelles, and morphological changes that occur throughout the protozoan life cycle. Even though a lot of knowledge about the SPMT is available, we still do not know exactly how each microtubule in the system is organized in three dimensions. Here, we use focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) to analyze the tridimensional organization of epimastigotes SPMT.

RESULTS

The high-resolution 3D analyses revealed that certain microtubules of the SPMT end more prematurely than the neighboring ones.

CONCLUSIONS

These microtubules could (1) be shorter or (2) have the same length as the neighboring ones, assuming that those end up earlier at their other end, might be treadmilling/catastrophe events that have not yet been described in trypanosomatids.

Intrabody-Induced Cell Death by Targeting the T. brucei Cytoskeletal Protein TbBILBO1

Trypanosoma brucei belongs to a genus of protists that cause life-threatening and economically important diseases of human and animal populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. T. brucei cells are covered in surface glycoproteins, some of which are used to escape the host immune system. Exo-/endocytotic trafficking of these and other molecules occurs via a single copy organelle called the flagellar pocket (FP). The FP is maintained and enclosed around the flagellum by the flagellar pocket collar (FPC). To date, the most important cytoskeletal component of the FPC is an essential calcium-binding, polymer-forming protein called TbBILBO1. In searching for novel tools to study this protein, we raised nanobodies (Nb) against purified, full-length TbBILBO1. Nanobodies were selected according to their binding properties to TbBILBO1, tested as immunofluorescence tools, and expressed as intrabodies (INb). One of them, Nb48, proved to be the most robust nanobody and intrabody. We further demonstrate that inducible, cytoplasmic expression of INb48 was lethal to these parasites, producing abnormal phenotypes resembling those of TbBILBO1 RNA interference (RNAi) knockdown. Our results validate the feasibility of generating functional single-domain antibody-derived intrabodies to target trypanosome cytoskeleton proteins.

IMPORTANCETrypanosoma brucei belongs to a group of important zoonotic parasites. We investigated how these organisms develop their cytoskeleton (the internal skeleton that controls cell shape) and focused on an essential protein (BILBO1) first described in T. brucei. To develop our analysis, we used purified BILBO1 protein to immunize an alpaca to make nanobodies (Nb). Nanobodies are derived from the antigen-binding portion of a novel antibody type found only in the camel and shark families of animals. Anti-BILBO1 nanobodies were obtained, and their encoding genes were inducibly expressed within the cytoplasm of T. brucei as intrabodies (INb). Importantly, INb48 expression rapidly killed parasites producing phenotypes normally observed after RNA knockdown, providing clear proof of principle. The importance of this study is derived from this novel approach, which can be used to study neglected and emerging pathogens as well as new model organisms, especially those that do not have the RNAi system.

More than Microtubules: The Structure and Function of the Subpellicular Array in Trypanosomatids

The subpellicular microtubule array defines the wide range of cellular morphologies found in parasitic kinetoplastids (trypanosomatids). Morphological studies have characterized array organization, but little progress has been made towards identifying the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for array differentiation during the trypanosomatid life cycle, or the apparent stability and longevity of array microtubules. In this review, we outline what is known about the structure and biogenesis of the array, with emphasis on Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania, which cause life-threatening diseases in humans and livestock. We highlight unanswered questions about this remarkable cellular structure that merit new consideration in light of our recently improved understanding of how the 'tubulin code' influences microtubule dynamics to generate complex cellular structures.

Coordination of the Cell Cycle in Trypanosomes

Trypanosomes have complex life cycles within which there are both proliferative and differentiation cell divisions. The coordination of the cell cycle to achieve these different divisions is critical for the parasite to infect both host and vector. From studying the regulation of the proliferative cell cycle of the Trypanosoma brucei procyclic life cycle stage, three subcycles emerge that control the duplication and segregation of (a) the nucleus, (b) the kinetoplast, and (c) a set of cytoskeletal structures. We discuss how the clear dependency relationships within these subcycles, and the potential for cross talk between them, are likely required for overall cell cycle coordination. Finally, we look at the implications this interdependence has for proliferative and differentiation divisions through the T. brucei life cycle and in related parasitic trypanosomatid species.

Basalin is an evolutionarily unconstrained protein revealed via a conserved role in flagellum basal plate function

Most motile flagella have an axoneme that contains nine outer microtubule doublets and a central pair (CP) of microtubules. The CP coordinates the flagellar beat and defects in CP projections are associated with motility defects and human disease. The CP nucleate near a ‘basal plate’ at the distal end of the transition zone (TZ). Here, we show that the trypanosome TZ protein ‘basalin’ is essential for building the basal plate, and its loss is associated with CP nucleation defects, inefficient recruitment of CP assembly factors to the TZ, and flagellum paralysis. Guided by synteny, we identified a highly divergent basalin ortholog in the related Leishmania species. Basalins are predicted to be highly unstructured, suggesting they may act as ‘hubs’ facilitating many protein-protein interactions. This raises the general concept that proteins involved in cytoskeletal functions and appearing organism-specific, may have highly divergent and cryptic orthologs in other species.

Roles of end-binding 1 protein and gamma-tubulin small complex in cytokinesis and flagella formation of Giardia lamblia

Giardia lamblia is a unicellular organism with two nuclei, a median body, eight flagella, and an adhesive disk. γ‐Tubulin is a microtubule (MT)‐nucleating protein that functions in the γ‐tubulin small complex (γ‐TuSC) in budding yeast. In this study, G. lamblia γ‐tubulin (Glγ‐tubulin) was found to bind to another MT‐binding protein, namely G. lamblia end‐binding protein 1 (GlEB1), via both in vivo and in vitro assays. Hemagglutinin (HA)‐tagged Glγ‐tubulin localized to the basal bodies, axonemes, and median bodies of G. lamblia trophozoites. The knockdown of Glγ‐tubulin expression using an anti‐Glγ‐tubulin morpholino resulted in a decreased growth rate and an increased failed cytokinesis cells of Giardia. The formation of median bodies was affected, and the central pair of MTs in flagella was frequently missing in the Giardia treated with an anti‐Glγ‐tubulin morpholino. G. lamblia γ‐tubulin complex protein 2 (GlGCP2) and GlGCP3, which are putative components of γ‐TuSC, were co‐immunoprecipitated with HA‐tagged Glγ‐tubulin in Giardia extracts. The knockdown of GlGCP2 and GlGCP3 expression also resulted in decreased formation of both the median body and flagella MTs. Knockdown of Glγ‐tubulin, GlGCP2, and GlGCP3 expression affected localization of GlEB1 in G. lamblia. In addition, decreased level of GlEB1 caused reduced formation of median body and the central pair of flagella MTs. These results indicated that Glγ‐tubulin plays a role in MT nucleation for median body formation and flagella biogenesis as a component of Glγ‐TuSC in Giardia and GlEB1 may be involved in this process.

The Trypanosome Flagellar Pocket Collar and Its Ring Forming Protein-TbBILBO1

Sub-species of Trypanosoma brucei are the causal agents of human African sleeping sickness and Nagana in domesticated livestock. These pathogens have developed an organelle-like compartment called the flagellar pocket (FP). The FP carries out endo- and exocytosis and is the only structure this parasite has evolved to do so. The FP is essential for parasite viability, making it an interesting structure to evaluate as a drug target, especially since it has an indispensible cytoskeleton component called the flagellar pocket collar (FPC). The FPC is located at the neck of the FP where the flagellum exits the cell. The FPC has a complex architecture and division cycle, but little is known concerning its organization. Recent work has focused on understanding how the FP and the FPC are formed and as a result of these studies an important calcium-binding, polymer-forming protein named TbBILBO1 was identified. Cellular biology analysis of TbBILBO1 has demonstrated its uniqueness as a FPC component and until recently, it was unknown what structural role it played in forming the FPC. This review summarizes the recent data on the polymer forming properties of TbBILBO1 and how these are correlated to the FP cytoskeleton.

γ-Tubulin complex in Trypanosoma brucei: molecular composition, subunit interdependence and requirement for axonemal central pair protein assembly

γ-Tubulin complex constitutes a key component of the microtubule-organizing center and nucleates microtubule assembly. This complex differs in complexity in different organisms: the budding yeast contains the γ-tubulin small complex (γTuSC) composed of γ-tubulin, gamma-tubulin complex protein (GCP)2 and GCP3, whereas animals contain the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) composed of γTuSC and three additional proteins, GCP4, GCP5 and GCP6. In Trypanosoma brucei, the composition of the γ-tubulin complex remains elusive, and it is not known whether it also regulates assembly of the subpellicular microtubules and the spindle microtubules. Here we report that the γ-tubulin complex in T. brucei is composed of γ-tubulin and three GCP proteins, GCP2-GCP4, and is primarily localized in the basal body throughout the cell cycle. Depletion of GCP2 and GCP3, but not GCP4, disrupted the axonemal central pair microtubules, but not the subpellicular microtubules and the spindle microtubules. Furthermore, we showed that the γTuSC is required for assembly of two central pair proteins and that γTuSC subunits are mutually required for stability. Together, these results identified an unusual γ-tubulin complex in T. brucei, uncovered an essential role of γTuSC in central pair protein assembly, and demonstrated the interdependence of individual γTuSC components for maintaining a stable complex.

The Centriole Cartwheel Protein SAS-6 in Trypanosoma brucei Is Required for Probasal Body Biogenesis and Flagellum Assembly

The centriole in eukaryotes functions as the cell's microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) to nucleate spindle assembly, and its biogenesis requires an evolutionarily conserved protein, SAS-6, which assembles the centriole cartwheel. Trypanosoma brucei, an early branching protozoan, possesses the basal body as its MTOC to nucleate flagellum biogenesis. However, little is known about the components of the basal body and their roles in basal body biogenesis and flagellum assembly. Here, we report that the T. brucei SAS-6 homolog, TbSAS-6, is localized to the mature basal body and the probasal body throughout the cell cycle. RNA interference (RNAi) of TbSAS-6 inhibited probasal body biogenesis, compromised flagellum assembly, and caused cytokinesis arrest. Surprisingly, overexpression of TbSAS-6 in T. brucei also impaired probasal body duplication and flagellum assembly, contrary to SAS-6 overexpression in humans, which produces supernumerary centrioles. Furthermore, we showed that depletion of T. brucei Polo-like kinase, TbPLK, or inhibition of TbPLK activity did not abolish TbSAS-6 localization to the basal body, in contrast to the essential role of Polo-like kinase in recruiting SAS-6 to centrioles in animals. Altogether, these results identified the essential role of TbSAS-6 in probasal body biogenesis and flagellum assembly and suggest the presence of a TbPLK-independent pathway governing basal body duplication in T. brucei.

New insights into the molecular mechanisms of mitosis and cytokinesis in trypanosomes

Trypanosoma brucei, a unicellular eukaryote and the causative agent of human sleeping sickness, possesses multiple single-copy organelles that all need to be duplicated and segregated during cell division. Trypanosomes undergo a closed mitosis in which the mitotic spindle is anchored on the nuclear envelope and connects the kinetochores made of novel protein components. Cytokinesis in trypanosomes is initiated from the anterior tip of the new flagellum attachment zone, and proceeds along the longitudinal axis without the involvement of the actomyosin contractile ring, the well-recognized cytokinesis machinery conserved from yeast to humans. Trypanosome appears to employ both evolutionarily conserved and trypanosome-specific proteins to regulate its cell cycle, and has evolved certain cell cycle regulatory pathways that are either distinct between its life cycle stages or different from its human host. Understanding the mechanisms of mitosis and cytokinesis in trypanosomes not only would shed novel light on the evolution of cell cycle control, but also could provide new drug targets for chemotherapy.

A SAS-6-like protein suggests that the Toxoplasma conoid complex evolved from flagellar components

SAS-6 is required for centriole biogenesis in diverse eukaryotes. Here, we describe a novel family of SAS-6-like (SAS6L) proteins that share an N-terminal domain with SAS-6 but lack coiled-coil tails. SAS6L proteins are found in a subset of eukaryotes that contain SAS-6, including diverse protozoa and green algae. In the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, SAS-6 localizes to the centriole but SAS6L is found above the conoid, an enigmatic tubulin-containing structure found at the apex of a subset of alveolate organisms. Loss of SAS6L causes reduced fitness in Toxoplasma. The Trypanosoma brucei homolog of SAS6L localizes to the basal-plate region, the site in the axoneme where the central-pair microtubules are nucleated. When endogenous SAS6L is overexpressed in Toxoplasma tachyzoites or Trypanosoma trypomastigotes, it forms prominent filaments that extend through the cell cytoplasm, indicating that it retains a capacity to form higher-order structures despite lacking a coiled-coil domain. We conclude that although SAS6L proteins share a conserved domain with SAS-6, they are a functionally distinct family that predates the last common ancestor of eukaryotes. Moreover, the distinct localization of the SAS6L protein in Trypanosoma and Toxoplasma adds weight to the hypothesis that the conoid complex evolved from flagellar components.

Evolutionary conservation of actin-binding proteins in Trypanosoma cruzi and unusual subcellular localization of the actin homologue

The actin cytoskeleton controls pivotal cellular processes such as motility and cytokinesis, as well as cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions. Assembly and spatial organization of actin filaments are dynamic events regulated by a large repertoire of actin-binding proteins. This report presents the first detailed characterization of the Trypanosoma cruzi actin (TcActin). Protein sequence analysis and homology modelling revealed that the overall structure of T. cruzi actin is conserved and that the majority of amino-acid changes are concentrated on the monomer surface. Immunofluorescence assays using specific polyclonal antibody against TcActin revealed numerous rounded and punctated structures spread all over the parasitic body. No pattern differences could be found between epimastigotes and trypomastigotes or amastigotes. Moreover, in detergent extracts, TcActin was localized only in the soluble fraction, indicating its presence in the G-actin form or in short filaments dissociated from the microtubule cytoskeleton. The trypanosomatid genome was prospected to identify actin-binding and actin-related conserved proteins. The main proteins responsible for actin nucleation and treadmilling in higher eukaryotes are conserved in T. cruzi.

Tousled-like kinase in a microbial eukaryote regulates spindle assembly and S-phase progression by interacting with Aurora kinase and chromatin assembly factors

The Tousled-like kinases are an evolutionarily conserved family of proteins implicated in DNA repair, DNA replication and mitosis in metazoans and plants. Their absence from the yeasts and other eukaryotic `microbes' suggests a specific role for them in the development of multicellular organisms. In this study, two closely related Tousled-like kinase homologs, TLK1 and TLK2, were identified in Trypanosoma brucei, a unicellular protozoan parasite. Only TLK1 plays an essential role in cell growth, and a deficiency in TLK1 led to an enrichment of S-phase cells, defective spindle formation and aberrant chromosome segregation. Although both TLK proteins localize to the nucleus, only TLK1 also concentrates in the spindle poles during mitosis. Both TLK proteins are phosphorylated by the Aurora kinase (AUK1), and both can autophosphorylate and phosphorylate histone H3 and the chromatin assembly factors Asf1A and Asf1B in vitro, but only TLK1 is autophosphorylated and capable of oligomerizing and interacting with AUK1, Asf1A and Asf1B in vivo. These discrepancies between the two TLK proteins can be attributed to minor differences between their N- and C-terminal sequences. In summary, TLK1 cooperates with Aurora kinase to regulate spindle assembly and chromosome segregation, and it performs a role in DNA replication probably by regulating histone modification in trypanosomes.

The hydrocephalus inducing gene product, Hydin, positions axonemal central pair microtubules

Background

Impairment of cilia and flagella function underlies a growing number of human genetic diseases. Mutations in hydin in hy3 mice cause lethal communicating hydrocephalus with early onset. Hydin was recently identified as an axonemal protein; however, its function is as yet unknown.

Results

Here we use RNAi in Trypanosoma brucei to address this issue and demonstrate that loss of Hydin causes slow growth and a loss of cell motility. We show that two separate defects in newly-formed flagellar central pair microtubules underlie the loss of cell motility. At early time-points after RNAi induction, the central pair becomes mispositioned, while at later time points the central pair is lost. While the basal body is unaffected, both defects originate at the basal plate, reflecting a role for TbHydin throughout the length of the central pair.

Conclusion

Our data provide the first evidence of Hydin's role within the trypanosome axoneme, and reveal central pair anomalies and thus impairment of ependymal ciliary motility as the likely cause of the hydrocephalus observed in the hy3 mouse.

Molecular dissection and expression of the LdK39 kinesin in the human pathogen, Leishmania donovani

In this study we show for the first time the intracellular distribution of a K39 kinesin homologue in Leishmania donovani, a medically important parasite of humans. Further, we demonstrated that this motor protein is expressed in both the insect and mammalian developmental forms (i.e. promastigote and amastigotes) of this organism. Moreover, in both of these parasite developmental stages, immunofluorescence indicated that the LdK39 kinesin accumulated at anterior and posterior cell poles and that it displayed a peripheral localization consistent with the cortical cytoskeleton. Using a molecular approach, we identified, cloned and characterized the first complete open reading frame for the gene (LdK39) encoding this large (> 358 kDa) motor protein in L. donovani. Based on these observations, we subsequently used a homologous episomal expression system to dissect and express the functional domains that constitute the native molecule. Cell fractionation experiments demonstrated that LdK39 was soluble and that it bound to detergent-extracted cytoskeletons of these parasites in an ATP-dependent manner. The cumulative results of these experiments are consistent with LdK39 functioning as an ATP-dependent kinesin which binds to and travels along the cortical cytoskeleton of this important human pathogen.

Delivery of antisense oligonucleotides to leukemia cells by RNA bacteriophage capsids

BACKGROUND

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. Because conventional treatments are associated with substantial side effects, novel therapeutic strategies are required. Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) have shown promise as the basis of emerging therapies for fighting cancer, although in vivo application is hampered by high sensitivity to cellular nuclease degradation. Encapsidation of ODNs in a drug-delivery capsule would reduce such degradation, thereby increasing the potency of therapy. MS2 bacteriophage capsid proteins may be used as novel virus-like particles (VLPs) to deliver ODNs. Here we report an analysis of the uptake mechanism of this VLP system and preliminary examples of its use to deliver a number of ODNs, including some targeting p120 messenger RNAs, a biomarker overexpressed in myelogenous leukemia cells.

METHODS

The ODNs were synthesized as covalent extensions to the translational repressor/assembly initiation signal (TR), a 19 nt stem-loop, of the RNA phage MS2. The VLPs were constructed by soaking ODN-TR directly into recombinant RNA-free capsid shells. Targeting of the encapsidated ODNs into cells was achieved by a receptor-mediated endocytosis pathway identified by immunofluorescence microscopy or by transmission electron microscopy with gold-labeled antibodies.

RESULTS

After covalent decoration with transferrin on their surface, the VLPs containing ODNs demonstrated increased effectiveness in killing target leukemia cells expressing transferrin receptors, suggesting that this system is worthy of more extensive analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that RNA phage VLPs may be useful as a new nanomaterial for targeted delivery of antisense ODNs, or other macromolecular drug candidates.

Cell Cycle-dependent Expression of γ-Tubulin in the Amicronuclear Ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis

In ciliates, different microtubular structures are nucleated from diverse Microtubule Organizing Centers (MTOCs). gamma-Tubulin is a tubulin superfamily member that plays an essential role in microtubule nucleation at the MTOCs. However, little is known about mechanisms regulating the activity of gamma-tubulin on different MTOCs and during the cell cycle. In Tetrahymena thermophila, the alpha- and beta-tubulin expression is regulated mainly at the transcriptional level, and changes in the ratio of polymerized/unpolymerized tubulin dimers lead to an increase or decrease of alpha- and beta-tubulin transcription. This study deals with the characterization of gamma-tubulin in the amicronuclear ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. Sequence analysis revealed some specific substitutions in nucleotide-binding loops characteristic of the Tetrahymena genus and putative conserved phosphorylation sites located on the external surface of the gamma-tubulin molecule. gamma-Tubulin expression during the cell cycle, in the presence of microtubular poisons and after deciliation, was also characterized. We found that gamma-tubulin mRNA levels are correlated with basal body proliferation and gamma-tubulin nuclear localization. We also found that gamma-tubulin expression changes during anti-microtubular drugs treatment, but does not changes during reciliation. These findings suggest a relationship between the level of unpolymerized tubulin dimers and gamma-tubulin transcription.

Golgi duplication in Trypanosoma brucei requires Centrin2

Centrins are highly conserved components of the centrosome, which in the parasitic protozoan T. brucei comprises the basal body and nucleates the flagellum used for locomotion. Here, we found TbCentrin2 in an additional bi-lobed structure near to the Golgi apparatus. One lobe was associated with the old Golgi, and the other became associated with the newly forming Golgi as the cell grew. Depletion of TbCentrin1 inhibited duplication of the basal body, whereas depletion of TbCentrin2 also inhibited duplication of the Golgi. Thus, a Centrin2-containing structure distinct from the basal body appears to mark the site for new Golgi assembly.

The flagellum of trypanosomes

Eukaryotic cilia and flagella are cytoskeletal organelles that are remarkably conserved from protists to mammals. Their basic unit is the axoneme, a well-defined cylindrical structure composed of microtubules and up to 250 associated proteins. These complex organelles are assembled by a dynamic process called intraflagellar transport. Flagella and cilia perform diverse motility and sensitivity functions in many different organisms. Trypanosomes are flagellated protozoa, responsible for various tropical diseases such as sleeping sickness and Chagas disease. In this review, we first describe general knowledge on the flagellum: its occurrence in the living world, its molecular composition, and its mode of assembly, with special emphasis on the exciting developments that followed the discovery of intraflagellar transport. We then present recent progress regarding the characteristics of the trypanosome flagellum, highlighting the original contributions brought by this organism. The most striking phenomenon is the involvement of the flagellum in several aspects of the trypanosome cell cycle, including cell morphogenesis, basal body migration, and cytokinesis.

γ-Tubulin in Leishmania: cell cycle-dependent changes in subcellular localization and heterogeneity of its isoforms

A panel of six anti-peptide antibodies recognizing epitopes in different regions of the gamma-tubulin molecule was used for the characterization and localization of gamma-tubulin during cell cycle in Leishmania promastigotes. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed the presence of gamma-tubulin in the basal bodies, posterior pole of the cell, and in the flagellum. Furthermore, the antibodies showed punctuate staining in the subpellicular microtubule. This complex localization pattern was observed in both interphase and dividing cells, where staining of posterior poles and the subpellicular corset was more prominent. In posterior poles, gamma-tubulin co-distributed with the 210-kDa microtubule-interacting protein and the 57-kDa protein immunodetected with anti-vimentin antibody. Immunogold electron microscopy on thin sections of isolated flagella showed that gamma-tubulin was associated with the paraflagellar rod (PFR) that runs adjacent to the axonemal microtubules. Under different extraction conditions, gamma-tubulin in Leishmania was found only in insoluble cytoskeletal fractions, in contrast to tubulin dimers that were both in soluble and cytoskeletal pool. Two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed multiple charge variants of gamma-tubulin. Posttranslational modifications of Leishmania gamma-tubulin might therefore have an important role in the regulation of microtubule nucleation and interaction with other proteins. The complex pattern of gamma-tubulin localization and its properties indicate that gamma-tubulin in Leishmania might have other function(s) besides microtubule nucleation.

The flagella connector of Trypanosoma brucei: an unusual mobile transmembrane junction

Throughout its elongation, the new flagellum of the procyclic form of the African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei is tethered at its tip to the lateral aspect of the old flagellum. This phenomenon provides a cytotactic mechanism for influencing inheritance of cellular pattern. Here, we show that this tethering is produced via a discrete, mobile transmembrane junction - the flagella connector. Light and electron microscopy reveal that the flagella connector links the extending microtubules at the tip of the new flagellum to the lateral aspect of three of the doublet microtubules in the old flagellar axoneme. Two sets of filaments connect the microtubules to three plates on the inner faces of the old and new flagellar membranes. Three differentiated areas of old and new flagellar membranes are then juxtaposed and connected by a central interstitial core of electron-dense material. The flagella connector is formed early in flagellum extension and is removed at the end of cytokinesis, but the exact timing of the latter event is slightly variable. The flagella connector represents a novel form of cellular junction that is both dynamic and mobile.

A novel form of actin in Leishmania: molecular characterisation, subcellular localisation and association with subpellicular microtubules

To study the occurrence and subcellular distribution of actin in trypanosomatid parasites, we have cloned and overexpressed Leishmania donovani actin gene in bacteria, purified the protein, and employed the affinity purified rabbit polyclonal anti-recombinant actin antibodies as a probe to study the organisation and subcellular distribution of actin in Leishmania cells. The Leishmania actin did not cross react with antimammalian actin antibodies but was readily recognized by the anti-Leishmania actin antibodies in both the promastigote and amastigote forms of the parasite. About 10(6) copies per cell of this protein (M(r) 42.05 kDa) were present in the Leishmania promastigote. Unlike other eukaryotic actins, the oligomeric forms of Leishmania actin were not stained by phalloidin nor were dissociated by actin filament-disrupting agents, like Latrunculin B and Cytochalasin D. Analysis of the primary structure of this protein revealed that these unusual characteristics may be related to the presence of highly diverged amino acids in the DNase I-binding loop (amino acids 40-50) and the hydrophobic plug (amino acids 262-272) regions of Leishmania actin. The subcellular distribution of actin was studied in the Leishmania promastigotes by employing immunoelectron and immunofluorescence microscopies. This protein was present not only in the flagella, flagellar pocket, nucleus and the kinetoplast but it was also localized on the nuclear, vacuolar and cytoplasmic face of the plasma membranes. Further, the plasma membrane-associated actin was colocalised with subpellicular microtubules, while most of the actin present in the kinetoplast colocalised with the k-DNA network. These results clearly indicate that Leishmania contains a novel form of actin which may structurally and functionally differ from other eukaryotic actins. The functional significance of these observations is discussed.

Gamma-tubulin functions in the nucleation of a discrete subset of microtubules in the eukaryotic flagellum

gamma-tubulin is an essential part of a multiprotein complex that nucleates the minus end of microtubules. Although the function of gamma-tubulin in nucleating cytoplasmic and mitotic microtubules from organizing centers such as the centrosome and spindle pole body is well documented, its role in microtubule nucleation in the eukaryotic flagellum is unclear. Here, we have used Trypanosoma brucei to investigate possible functions of gamma-tubulin in the formation of the 9 + 2 flagellum axoneme. T. brucei possesses a single flagellum and forms a new flagellum during each cell cycle. We have used an inducible RNA interference (RNAi) approach to ablate expression of gamma-tubulin, and, after induction, we observe that the new flagellum is still formed but is paralyzed, while the old flagellum is unaffected. Electron microscopy reveals that the paralyzed flagellum lacks central pair microtubules but that the outer doublet microtubules are formed correctly. These differences in microtubule nucleation mechanisms during flagellum growth provide insights into spatial and temporal regulation of gamma-tubulin-dependent processes within cells and explanations for the organization and evolution of axonemal structures such as the 9 + 0 axonemes of sensory cells and primary cilia.

Immunization with a tubulin-rich preparation from Trypanosoma brucei confers broad protection against African trypanosomosis

Tubulin from Trypanosoma brucei was purified to near homogeneity using a protocol which involved treatment with urea with subsequent renaturation and was then used to immunize mice. Renatured tubulin further purified by SDS-PAGE (denatured), synthetic tubulin peptides (STP), and rat brain tubulin (RbTub) were also used. Immunized mice were challenged with T. brucei, Trypanosoma congolense or Trypanosoma rhodesiense. Renatured T. brucei tubulin (nTbTub) induced protection in all mice tested, of which 60-80% (n = 81) was complete and the remainder partial. Denatured T. brucei tubulin (dTbTub), STP, or RbTub induced lower antibody levels than nTbTub and did not offer protection. However, in culture, the antibodies against dTbTub or STP killed trypanosomes although at lower dilutions than nTbTub, but those against RbTub did not. In Western blots anti-trypanosome antibodies recognized the tubulin of all the trypanosome species investigated but not vertebrate tubulin, whereas the anti-RbTUB antibodies recognized both trypanosome and vertebrate tubulin. Of the five mice given passive immunity by the transfer of anti-nTbTub serum, four were completely protected and one partially protected. These data suggest that tubulin is the relevant immunogen in the preparation used and could therefore be a promising target for the development of a parasite-specific, broad spectrum vaccine.

The biology of kinetoplastid parasites: insights and challenges from genomics and post-genomics

Kinetoplastid parasites exhibit a rich and diverse biology which mirrors many of the most interesting topics of current interest and study in the broader biological sciences. These evolutionarily ancient organisms possess intriguing mechanisms for control of gene expression, and exhibit complex patterns of cell morphogenesis orchestrated by an internal cytoskeleton. Their cell shapes change during a set of complex cell type differentiations in their life cycles. These differentiations are intimately linked to interactions with mammalian hosts or insect vectors, and often, these differentiations appear central to the successful transfer of the parasite between vector and host, and host and vector. The basics of this rich and complex cell and life cycle biology were described (with often rather forgotten clarity and prescience) in the early period of the last century. The last 30 years have seen major developments in our understanding of this biology. Ultrastructural differences in the various cells of the life cycle stages of Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and the various Leishmania species have been documented, and such studies have proven highly informative in defining important aspects of parasite adaptation. They have also proven to be a rich source of information for defining unusual aspects of parasite cell biology, novel organelles and cell architecture. This ultrastructural cell biology has been mirrored in a set of biochemical explanations defining unusual aspects of metabolism, surface molecules, and organelles. Finally, the application of molecular biology to these parasites revealed fascinating layers of complexity in the control of gene expression. These molecular studies have given us particular insights into polycistronic transcription, trans-splicing, RNA editing and gene rearrangements during antigenic variation. In contrast to other microbial systems, these cell biological, biochemical and molecular studies have not been greatly aided by insights gained from genetics--the diploid nature of the genome has discouraged the application of selectional genetics, mutant isolation and analysis. This is an important fact, since in general, it means that we have only recently started to analyse the phenotypes of mutants produced in the context of reverse genetics. In the following, I will argue that this lack of investment in the analysis of mutant phenotype is just one of the challenges that will need to be met if we are to gain the expected added value from the parasite genome projects. In this presentation, I will use some of the current areas of interest in the biology of T. brucei, T. cruzi and the Leishmania species to rehearse some of the insights and challenges that are likely to stem from the application of genomics and post-genomic studies to the kinetoplastid parasites. In some cases, I will exemplify points by illustrations from my laboratory's work, interests and hypotheses. The presentation slants therefore towards T. brucei biology, however, in each case the reader will, no doubt, see the generalities of application to other kinetoplastid parasites.

The adaptative mechanisms of Trypanosoma brucei for sterol homeostasis in its different life-cycle environments

Bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei do not synthesize sterols de novo and therefore cannot survive in medium devoid of lipoproteins. Growth of parasites is essentially supported by receptor-mediated endocytosis of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), which carry phospholipids and cholesteryl esters. These lipids are released from internalized LDL after apoprotein B-100 is degraded by acidic thiol-proteases in the endolysosomal apparatus and then metabolized, as in mammalian cells. The LDL receptor is recycled and its expression is regulated by the sterol stores. Documented pharmacological and immunological interferences with LDL receptor-mediated lipid supply to the bloodstream forms are summarized, and the potential for new approaches to fight against these parasites is evaluated. In contrast to bloodstream forms, cultured procyclic forms can acquire sterols from both exogenous (lipoprotein endocytosis) and endogenous (biosynthesis of ergosterol) sources. The rate-limiting steps of both endocytosis (surface LDL receptor expression) and biosynthesis (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity) are regulated by the cellular content of sterol. These two pathways thus complement each other to yield a balanced sterol supply, which demonstrates adaptative capacities to survive in totally different environments and fine regulatory mechanisms of sterol homeostasis.

T lymphocyte-triggering factor of african trypanosomes is associated with the flagellar fraction of the cytoskeleton and represents a new family of proteins that are present in several divergent eukaryotes

The trypanosome cytoskeleton consists almost entirely of microtubule-based structures. Although alpha- and beta-tubulin from Trypanosoma brucei have been well characterized, much less is known about other cytoskeleton-associated proteins in trypanosomes. Using biochemical fractionation, we demonstrate here that T lymphocyte-triggering factor (TLTF) from T. brucei is a component of the detergent-resistant and Ca(2+)-resistant fraction of the parasite cytoskeleton. This fraction contains the flagellar apparatus and a subset of cytoskeletal protein complexes that together function in cell motility, cytokinesis, and organelle inheritance. We also show that TLTF-related genes are present in several highly divergent eukaryotic organisms. Although the function of the corresponding proteins is not known, the mammalian TLTF-like gene (GAS11; growth arrest-specific gene 11) is up-regulated in growth-arrested cells and is a candidate tumor suppressor (Whitmore, S. A., Settasatian, C., Crawford, J., Lower, K. M., McCallum, B., Seshadri, R., Cornelisse, C. J., Moerland, E. W., Cleton-Jansen, A. M., Tipping, A. J., Mathew, C. G., Savnio, M., Savoia, A., Verlander, P., Auerbach, A. D., Van Berkel, C., Pronk, J. C., Doggett, N. A., and Callen, D. F. (1998) Genomics 52, 325-331), suggestive of a role in coordinating cytoskeleton activities. Consistent with this possibility, we show that the human GAS11 protein contains a 144-amino acid domain that co-localizes with microtubules when fused to the green fluorescent protein and expressed in mammalian cells. These findings suggest that TLTF represents a newly defined protein family, whose members contribute to cytoskeleton function in species as diverse as protozoa and mammals.

Characterization and disruption of a new Trypanosoma brucei repetitive flagellum protein, using double-stranded RNA inhibition

In Trypanosoma brucei, we have cloned a gene approximately 5 kb downstream of the glucose transporter gene cluster, containing a variable number of 102 bp repeats. This gene encodes a protein with no homologues in the data bases. Antibodies raised against the 34 amino acids repeated motif recognized proteins ranging from 145 to 270 kDa, depending on strains, in both bloodstream and procyclic forms of T. brucei. A correlation was established between the apparent molecular mass of the detected proteins and the number of 34 amino acid repeats which varies from 3 to 40. We have called this protein the flagellum transition zone component (FTZC) due to its localization to the proximal region of the axoneme, within the transition zone. FTZC is the only reported example of a trypanosomal protein present in the transition zone. To determine the role of FTZC we developed a new strategy of gene inactivation based on conditional expression of double-stranded RNA. In the presence of tetracycline, expression of the double-stranded RNA, we observed a complete disappearance of FTZC in the EATRO 1125 and EATRO 427 strains of T. hrucei. Molecular ablation of FTZC does not generate any obvious phenotype such as, lethality, modification of growth rate or cellular shape, in the growth conditions used.

Gamma-tubulin in Chlamydomonas: characterization of the gene and localization of the gene product in cells

In addition to their role in nucleating the assembly of axonemal microtubules, basal bodies often are associated with a microtubule organizing center (MTOC) for cytoplasmic microtubules. In an effort to define molecular components of the basal body apparatus in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, genomic and cDNA clones encoding gamma-tubulin were isolated and sequenced. The gene, present in a single copy in the Chlamydomonas genome, encodes a protein with a predicted molecular mass of 52,161 D and 73% and 65% conservation with gamma-tubulin from higher plants and humans, respectively. To examine the distribution of gamma-tubulin in cells, a polyclonal antibody was raised against two peptides contained within the protein. Immunoblots of Chlamydomonas proteins show a major cross-reaction with a protein of Mr 53,000. In Chlamydomonas cells, the antibody stains the basal body apparatus as two or four spots at the base of the flagella and proximal to the microtubule rootlets. During cell division, two groups of fluorescent dots separate and localize to opposite ends of the mitotic apparatus. They then migrate during cleavage to positions known to be occupied by basal bodies. Changes in gamma-tubulin localization during the cell cycle are consistent with a role for this protein in the nucleation of microtubules of both the interphase cytoplasmic array and the mitotic spindle. Immunogold labeling of cell sections showed that gamma-tubulin is closely associated with the basal bodies. The flagellar transition region was also labeled, possibly indicating a role for gamma-tubulin in assembly of the central pair microtubules of the axoneme.

Characterization of gamma-tubulin in Artemia: isoform composition and spatial distribution in polarized cells of the larval epidermis

Microtubule arrangement is influenced by gamma-tubulin, a soluble protein of the eukaryotic cell cytosol and a component of microtubule-organizing centers. In this study, affinity purified antibodies to gamma-tubulin were prepared and their specificity demonstrated by immunostaining of Western blots and in competitive ELISAs. When employed to label mouse fibroblasts, one or two brightly stained dots appeared in each cell, a pattern characteristic of centrosomes. Antibody 9, raised to a conserved amino-terminal peptide of gamma-tubulin, was used with TU-30 (from P. Dráber) to characterize gamma-tubulin in the crustacean, Artemia franciscana. Cell-free protein extracts from Artemia contained gamma-tubulin and it purified with alpha/beta-tubulin through several preparative steps. Probing of Western blots prepared from two-dimensional gels yielded a single isoform of gamma-tubulin in Artemia with a pI of about 5.6. Immunostaining with TAT, a general antibody to alpha-tubulin, demonstrated that Artemia possess two morphological types of immune blood cells (hemocytes) with distinctive microtubule arrays. Both the compact spherical hemocytes and the flatter, spreading cells exhibited fluorescent dots, often in pairs, when labelled with antibodies to gamma-tubulin. Microtubules in polarized cells of the epidermis were also brightly stained with antibody to alpha-tubulin, revealing interphase arrangements, anastral mitotic spindles and midbodies. Antibody 9 and TU-30 gave punctate staining patterns in interphase epidermal cell layers and they occasionally labelled midbodies. Unexpectedly, gamma-tubulin was seen only rarely at both poles of mitotic spindles in epidermal cells. The complete absence of asters and the apparent lack of gamma-tubulin at all but a small number of poles indicate that formation and structure of the mitotic spindle in epidermal cells of Artemia are unusual.

The cell cycle in protozoan parasites

Research into cell cycle control in protozoan parasites, which are responsible for major public health problems in the developing world, has been hampered by the difficulties in performing classical genetic analysis with these organisms. Nevertheless, in a large part thanks to the data gathered in other eukaryotic systems and to the acquisition of the sequences of parasite genes homologous to cell cycle regulators, many molecular tools required for an in-depth study of the cell cycle in protozoan parasites have been collected over the past few years. Despite the considerable phylogenetic divergence between these organisms and other eukaryotes, and notwithstanding important specificities such as the apparent lack of checkpoints during cell cycle progression, available data indicate that the major families of cell cycle regulators appear to operate in protozoan parasites. Functional studies are now needed to define the precise role of these regulators in the life cycle of the parasites, and to possibly validate cell cycle control elements as potential targets for chemotherapy.

Localization of gamma-tubulin in interphase and mitotic cells of a unicellular eukaryote, Giardia intestinalis

Giardia intestinalis, a bi-nucleated amitochondrial flagellate, possesses a complex cytoskeleton based on several microtubular systems (flagella, adhesive disk, median body, funis, mitotic spindles). MTOCs of the individual systems have not been fully defined. By using monoclonal antibodies against a conserved synthetic peptide from the C-terminus of human gamma-tubulin we investigated occurrence and distribution of gamma-tubulin in interphase and mitotic Giardia cells. On the immunoblots of Giardia cytoskeletal extracts the antibodies bound to a single polypeptide of approximately 50 kDa. Immunostaining of the interphase cell demonstrated gamma-tubulin as four bright spots at the basis of four out of eight flagella. Gamma-tubulin label was associated with perikinetosomal areas of the ventral and posterolateral pairs of flagella which are formed de novo during cell division. Basal body regions of the anterolateral and caudal pairs of flagella which persist during the division and are integrated into the flagellar systems of the daughter cells did not show gamma-tubulin staining. At early mitosis, gamma-tubulin spots disappeared reappearing again at late mitosis in accord with reorientation of parent flagella and reorganization of flagellar apparatus during cell division. The antibody-detectable gamma-tubulin epitope was absent at the poles of both mitotic spindles. Albendazole-treated Giardia, in which spindle assembly was completely inhibited, showed the same gamma-tubulin staining pattern thus confirming that the fluorescent label is exclusively located in the basal body regions. Our results point to a role of gamma-tubulin in nucleation of microtubules of newly formed flagella and indicate unusual mitotic spindle assembly. Moreover, the demonstration of gamma-tubulin in Giardia shows ubiquity of this protein through the evolutionary history of eukaryotes.

Microtubules, but not actin filaments, drive daughter cell budding and cell division in Toxoplasma gondii

We have used drugs to examine the role(s) of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons in the intracellular growth and replication of the intracellular protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. By using a 5 minute infection period and adding the drugs shortly after entry we can treat parasites at the start of intracellular development and 6–8 hours prior to the onset of daughter cell budding. Using this approach we found, somewhat surprisingly, that reagents that perturb the actin cytoskeleton in different ways (cytochalasin D, latrunculin A and jasplakinolide) had little effect on parasite replication although they had the expected effects on the host cells. These actin inhibitors did, however, disrupt the orderly turnover of the mother cell organelles leading to the formation of a large residual body at the posterior end of each pair of budding parasites. Treating established parasite cultures with the actin inhibitors blocked ionophore-induced egression of tachyzoites from the host cells, demonstrating that intracellular parasites were susceptible to the effects of these inhibitors. In contrast, the anti-microtubule drugs oryzalin and taxol, and to a much lesser extent nocodazole, which affect microtubule dynamics in different ways, blocked parasite replication by disrupting the normal assembly of the apical conoid and the microtubule inner membrane complex (IMC) in the budding daughter parasites. Centrosome replication and assembly of intranuclear spindles, however, occurred normally. Thus, daughter cell budding per se is dependent primarily on the parasite microtubule system and does not require a dynamic actin cytoskeleton, although disruption of actin dynamics causes problems in the turnover of parasite organelles.

Characterization of a coiled coil protein present in the basal body of Trypanosoma brucei

TBBC (for Trypanosoma brucei basal body component) is a unique gene transcribed in a 4.8 kb mRNA encoding a 1,410 amino acid protein that consists almost entirely of a coiled coil structure. This protein appeared to localize in the basal body, with an accessory presence at the posterior end of the cell, the nucleus and over the flagellum. Since the two other known components of the trypanosome basal body are (gamma)-tubulin and an uncharacterized component termed BBA4 we performed double immunofluorescence experiments with anti-TBBC and either anti-BBA4 or anti-(gamma)-tubulin antibodies. These three components did not colocalize but were very closely associated, BBA4 being the most proximal to the kinetoplast DNA. Anti-TBBC antibodies detected a 170 kDa protein in western blots of total HeLa cell extracts. Moreover, these antibodies stained the centriole of HeLa and COS cells as well as the centriole of mouse spermatozoa, indicating that a TBBC-like centriolar component has been conserved during the evolution of eukaryotes.

The cytoskeleton of trypanosomatid parasites

Species of the trypanosomatid parasite genera Trypanosoma and Leishmania exhibit a particular range of cell shapes that are defined by their internal cytoskeletons. The cytoskeleton is characterized by a subpellicular corset of microtubules that are cross-linked to each other and to the plasma membrane. Trypanosomatid cells possess an extremely precise organization of microtubules and filaments, with some of their organelles, such as the mitochondria, kinetoplasts, basal bodies, and flagella, present as single copies in each cell. The duplication of these structures and changes in their position during life cycle differentiations provide markers and insight into events involved in determining cell form and division. We have a rapidly increasing catalog of these structures, their molecular cytology, and their ontogeny. The current sophistication of available molecular genetic techniques for use in these organisms has allowed a new functional analysis of the cytoskeleton, including functions that are intrinsic to the proliferation and pathogenicity of these parasites.

Protein transport and flagellum assembly dynamics revealed by analysis of the paralysed trypanosome mutant snl-1

The paraflagellar rod (PFR) of Trypanosoma brucei is a large, complex, intraflagellar structure that represents an excellent system in which to study flagellum assembly. Molecular ablation of one of its major constituents, the PFRA protein, in the snl-1 mutant causes considerable alteration of the PFR structure, leading to cell paralysis. Mutant trypanosomes sedimented to the bottom of the flask rather than staying in suspension but divided at a rate close to that of wild-type cells. This phenotype was complemented by transformation of snl-1 with a plasmid overexpressing an epitope-tagged copy of the PFRA gene. In the snl-1 mutant, other PFR proteins such as the second major constituent, PFRC, accumulated at the distal tip of the growing flagellum, forming a large dilation or ‘blob’. This was not assembled as filaments and was removed by detergent-extraction. Axonemal growth and structure was unmodified in the snl-1 mutant and the blob was present only at the tip of the new flagellum. Strikingly, the blob of unassembled material was shifted towards the base of the flagellum after cell division and was not detectable when the daughter cell started to produce a new flagellum in the next cell cycle. The dynamics of blob formation and regression are likely indicators of anterograde and retrograde transport systems operating in the flagellum. In this respect, the accumulation of unassembled PFR precursors in the flagellum shows interesting similarities with axonemal mutants in other systems, illustrating transport of components of a flagellar structure during both flagellum assembly and maintenance. Observation of PFR components indicate that these are likely to be regulated and modulated throughout the cell cycle.

Indian hedgehog in the late-phase differentiation in mouse chondrogenic EC cells, ATDC5: upregulation of type X collagen and osteoprotegerin ligand mRNAs

Endochondral bone formation includes a cascade of cellular events such as proliferation, maturation, hypertrophic conversion and calcification of chondrocytes and the cartilage replacement by bone. During these processes, hypertrophic conversion and calcification of chondrocytes (the late-phase differentiation) is a crucial process of chondrogenic differentiation. Indian hedgehog (Ihh), a secreted protein expressed in early hypertrophic chondrocytes, is thought to be involved in regulation of hypertrophic conversion via a feedback loop through the perichondrium. In the present study, we showed by Northern analysis and in situ hybridization that Smoothened (Smo), a key component in hedgehog signal transduction, was expressed in chondrocytes in both adult mice and mouse embryos at 16 days post-coitum in vivo, suggesting that Ihh directly acts on chondrocytes. We previously reported that Ihh, Patched and Smo were all expressed in differentiated ATDC5 cells. Exogenously administered mouse recombinant N-terminal protein of Ihh (mrIhh-N) upregulated the gene expression of type X collagen, a phenotypic marker of hypertrophic chondrocytes, as well as osteoprotegerin ligand (OPGL), a potent stimulator of osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast activity, while it did not modulate the expression of Ihh itself, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4, BMP-6, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and TGF-beta2 in differentiated ATDC5 cells. Moreover, when added to the osteoclast cultures, mrIhh-N markedly stimulated the formation of resorption pits on dentine slices. Our data support the hypothesis that Ihh stimulated the late-phase chondrogenic differentiation in differentiated ATDC5 cells and upregulated the gene expression of OPGL in these cells.

Nuclear and genome organization of Trypanosoma brucei

In this article, Klaus Ersfeld, Sara Melville and Keith Gull review current understanding of the structural organization of the nucleus of Trypanosoma brucei, and summarize recent data pertinent to the organization of its genome. Until recently, the cell biology of the trypanosome nucleus and issues of DNA organization and gene expression have often been treated as separate themes. However, recent work emphasizes the need for a more holistic approach to understanding these aspects of the biology of this parasite.

Double-stranded RNA induces mRNA degradation in Trypanosoma brucei

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) recently has been shown to give rise to genetic interference in Caenorhabditis elegans and also is likely to be the basis for phenotypic cosuppression in plants in certain instances. While constructing a plasmid vector for transfection of trypanosome cells, we serendipitously discovered that in vivo expression of dsRNA of the alpha-tubulin mRNA 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) led to multinucleated cells with striking morphological alterations and a specific block of cytokinesis. Transfection of synthetic alpha-tubulin 5' UTR dsRNA, but not of either strand individually, caused the same phenotype. On dsRNA transfection, tubulin mRNA, but not the corresponding pre-mRNA, was rapidly and specifically degraded, leading to a deficit of alpha-tubulin synthesis. The transfected cells were no longer capable of carrying out cytokinesis and eventually died. Analysis of cytoskeletal structures from these trypanosomes revealed defects in the microtubules of the flagellar axoneme and of the flagellar attachment zone, a complex cortical structure that we propose is essential for establishing the path of the cleavage furrow at cytokinesis. Last, dsRNA-mediated mRNA degradation is not restricted to alpha-tubulin mRNA but can be applied to other cellular mRNAs, thus establishing a powerful tool to genetically manipulate these important protozoan parasites.

The two gamma-tubulin-encoding genes of the ciliate Euplotes crassus differ in their sequences, codon usage, transcription initiation sites and poly(A) addition sites

We have isolated and sequenced two gamma-tubulin (gamma-Tub)-encoding macronuclear genes of the ciliate Euplotes crassus (Ec), as well as their corresponding cDNAs. Our results reveal that the two genes (gamma-tub 1 and gamma-tub 2) have introns in homologous positions, but differ in their sequences, codon usage, transcription initiation sites and poly(A) addition sites. They both consist of three exons, two introns and two short non-coding sequences on both ends, and they both code for polypeptides of 462 amino acids (aa). The two genes share 76% identity at the nucleotide (nt) level, 86% at the deduced aa level and show 61-92% aa homology to the gamma-Tubs of other organisms. The gamma-tub 2 gene contains two in-frame UGA codons which, like UGA codons in other Euplotes genes, probably code for cysteines. No UGA triplet was found in the gamma-tub 1 gene. Further studies on the cDNA ends indicate that gamma-tub 1 uses at least three transcription initiation sites and two poly(A) addition sites. In contrast, only one transcription initiation site and one poly(A) addition site were identified in gamma-tub 2.

Multiple forms of tubulin: different gene products and covalent modifications

Tubulin, the subunit protein of microtubules, is an alpha/beta heterodimer. In many organisms, both alpha and beta exist in numerous isotypic forms encoded by different genes. In addition, both alpha and beta undergo a variety of posttranslational covalent modifications, including acetylation, phosphorylation, detyrosylation, polyglutamylation, and polyglycylation. In this review the distribution and possible functional significance of the various forms of tubulin are discussed. In analyzing the differences among tubulin isotypes encoded by different genes, some appear to have no functional significance, some increase the overall adaptability of the organism to environmental challenges, and some appear to perform specific functions including formation of particular organelles and interactions with specific proteins. Purified isotypes also display different properties in vitro. Although the significance of all the covalent modification of tubulin is not fully understood, some of them may influence the stability of modified microtubules in vivo as well as interactions with certain proteins and may help to determine the functional role of microtubules in the cell. The review also discusses isotypes of gamma-tubulin and puts various forms of tubulin in an evolutionary context.