The Trypanosoma brucei flagellum
Trypanosoma brucei and related subspecies are protozoan parasites that cause African trypanosomiasis in humans and animals, a deadly disease with devastating health and economic consequences. The T. brucei flagellum and flagellar motility are central to disease pathogenesis in the mammalian host and parasite development in the tsetse fly vector. Recent functional studies have revealed that the T. brucei flagellum is an essential and multifunctional organelle with critical roles in motility, cellular morphogenesis, cell division, immune evasion, and potentially, sensory perception. Concurrently, genomic and proteomic studies have significantly expanded the inventory of known trypanosome flagellar proteins. Because the flagellum is an essential organelle, understanding unique aspects of the T. brucei flagellum may uncover novel drug targets. In addition, T. brucei is emerging as a powerful experimental system for studies of conserved aspects of flagellum/cilium biology (flagellum and cilium are interchangeable terms for the same organelle), with direct relevance to other eukaryotes, including humans, in which flagellum/cilium defects underlie many heritable, fatal, and debilitating diseases.
African trypanosomes are devastating human and animal pathogens. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and T. b. gambiense subspecies cause the fatal human disease known as African sleeping sickness. It is estimated that several hundred thousand new infections occur annually and the disease is fatal if untreated. T. brucei is transmitted by the tsetse fly and alternates between bloodstream-form and insect-form life cycle stages that are adapted to survive in the mammalian host and the insect vector, respectively. The importance of the flagellum for parasite motility and attachment to the tsetse fly salivary gland epithelium has been appreciated for many years. Recent studies have revealed both conserved and novel features of T. brucei flagellum structure and composition, as well as surprising new functions that are outlined in this review. These discoveries are important from the standpoint of understanding trypanosome biology and identifying novel drug targets, as well as for advancing our understanding of fundamental aspects of eukaryotic flagellum structure and function.
Related:
- Antigenic Variation in African Trypanosomes
- Trypanosomes and immune evasion
- BILBO and the trypanosomes
Tags: Africa, Biology, Health, Medicine, Microbiology, Parasitology, Science
African trypanosomiasis is also known as sleeping sickness and it is transmitted by transmitted by the tsetse fly. Without medicament this disease is often fatal.