Split-Cre-mediated GFP expression as a permanent marker for flagellar fusion of <i>Trypanosoma brucei</i> in its tsetse fly host.

ABSTRACT: Trypanosomes have different ways of communicating with each other. While communication via quorum sensing, or by the release and uptake of extracellular vesicles, is widespread in nature, the phenomenon of flagellar fusion has only been observed in Trypanosoma brucei. We showed previously that a small proportion of procyclic culture forms (corresponding to insect midgut forms) can fuse their flagella and exchange cytosolic and membrane proteins. This happens reproducibly in cell culture. It was not known, however, if flagellar fusion also occurs in the tsetse fly host, and at what stage of the life cycle. We have developed a split-Cre-Lox system to permanently label trypanosomes that undergo flagellar fusion. Specifically, we engineered trypanosomes to contain a GFP gene flanked by

SUBMITTER: Etzensperger R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11796343 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature