Trypanosoma cruzi Letm1 is involved in mitochondrial Ca²⁺ transport, and is essential for replication, differentiation, and host cell invasion.

ABSTRACT: Leucine zipper-EF-hand containing transmembrane protein 1 (Letm1) is a mitochondrial inner membrane protein involved in Ca²⁺ and K⁺ homeostasis in mammalian cells. Here, we demonstrate that the Letm1 orthologue of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, is important for mitochondrial Ca²⁺ uptake and release. The results show that both mitochondrial Ca²⁺ influx and efflux are reduced in TcLetm1 knockdown (TcLetm1-KD) cells and increased in TcLetm1 overexpressing cells, without alterations in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Remarkably, TcLetm1 knockdown or overexpression increases or does not affect mitochondrial Ca²⁺ levels in epimastigotes, respectively. TcLetm1-KD epimastigotes have reduced growth, and both ove

SUBMITTER: Dos Santos GRR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10437107 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature