Probing for primary functions of prohibitin in Trypanosoma brucei

0342888 - BC 2011 RIV AU eng J - Journal Article
Týč, Jiří - Faktorová, Drahomíra - Kriegová, Eva - Jirků, Milan - Vávrová, Zuzana - Maslov, D. A. - Lukeš, Julius
Probing for primary functions of prohibitin in Trypanosoma brucei.
International Journal for Parasitology. Roč. 40, č. 1 (2010), s. 73-83. ISSN 0020-7519. E-ISSN 1879-0135
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA204/09/1667; GA AV ČR IAA500960705; GA ČR(CZ) GP204/06/P423
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60220518
Keywords : prohibitin * mitochondrion * morphology * mitochondrial translation
Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology
Impact factor: 3.822, year: 2010

We exploit the tractable reverse genetics of Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness, in order to specifically analyse the function of PHB in this highly divergent eukaryote. Using inducible RNA interference (RNAi) we show that PHB1 is essential in T brucei, where it is confined to the cell's single mitochondrion forming a high molecular weight complex. PHB1 and PHB2 appear to be indispensible for mitochondrial translation. Their ablation leads to a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, however no effect on the level of reactive oxygen species was observed. Flagellates lacking either PHB1 or both PHB1 and PHB2 exhibit significant morphological changes of their organelle, most notably its inflation. Even long after the loss of the PHB proteins, mtDNA was unaltered and mitochondrial cristae remained present, albeit displaced to the periphery of the mitochondrion, which is in contrast to other eukaryotes.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0185497