Depletion of the thioredoxin homologue tryparedoxin impairs antioxidative defence in African trypanosomes.

ABSTRACT: In trypanosomes, the thioredoxin-type protein TXN (tryparedoxin) is a multi-purpose oxidoreductase that is involved in the detoxification of hydroperoxides, the synthesis of DNA precursors and the replication of the kinetoplastid DNA. African trypanosomes possess two isoforms that are localized in the cytosol and in the mitochondrion of the parasites respectively. Here we report on the biological significance of the cTXN (cytosolic TXN) of Trypanosoma brucei for hydroperoxide detoxification. Depending on the growth phase, the concentration of the protein is 3-7-fold higher in the parasite form infecting mammals (50-100 microM) than in the form hosted by the tsetse fly (7-34 microM). Depletion of the mRNA in bloodstream trypanosomes by RNA interference revealed the indispensability of the p

SUBMITTER: Comini MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1783994 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature