Acetate produced in the mitochondrion is the essential precursor for lipid biosynthesis in procyclic trypanosomes.

ABSTRACT: Acetyl-CoA produced in mitochondria from carbohydrate or amino acid catabolism needs to reach the cytosol to initiate de novo synthesis of fatty acids. All eukaryotes analyzed so far use a citrate/malate shuttle to transfer acetyl group equivalents from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol. Here we investigate how this acetyl group transfer occurs in the procyclic life cycle stage of Trypanosoma brucei, a protozoan parasite responsible of human sleeping sickness and economically important livestock diseases. Deletion of the potential citrate lyase gene, a critical cytosolic enzyme of the citrate/malate shuttle, has no effect on de novo biosynthesis of fatty acids from (14)C-labeled glucose, indicating that another route is used for acetyl group transfer. Because acetate is produced from

SUBMITTER: Riviere L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2722340 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature