Thursday, April 30, 2009

What's new for 'Trypanosomatids' in PubMed

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Search kinetoplastids OR kinetoplastid OR Kinetoplastida OR "trypanosoma brucei" OR leishmania OR brucei OR leishmaniasis OR "African trypanosomiasis"
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PubMed Results
Items 1 -4 of 4

1: J Med Biogr. 2009 May;17(2):64-72.Click here to read

George Higoumenakis (1895-1983): Greek dermatologist.

Frangos CC, Frangos CC.

This paper describes the Higoumenakis sign, enlargement of the sternal end of the clavicle in patients with late congenital syphilis and the dermatologist after whom it is named. Several professors and doctors from the Medical School of the University of Athens opposed his actions especially at the University in Greece. His persistence led him to productive scientific activity in syphilis, leishmaniasis and psoriasis. He became a member of the Greek Parliament from 1964 to 1967 and eventually Minister of Hygiene - even though this may have been an imprudent political choice, due to the unstable socio-political status of that period. He died on 27 December 1983 at the age of 88.

PMID: 19401507 [PubMed - in process]

2: J Cell Sci. 2009 Apr 28. [Epub ahead of print]Click here to read

Ancient Leishmania coronin (CRN12) is involved in microtubule remodeling during cytokinesis.

Sahasrabuddhe AA, Nayak RC, Gupta CM.

In general, coronins play an important role in actin-based processes, and are expressed in a variety of eukaryotic cells, including Leishmania. Here, we show that Leishmania coronin preferentially distributes to the distal tip during cytokinesis, and interacts with microtubules through a microtubule-based motor, kinesin K39. We further show that reduction in coronin levels by 40-50% in heterozygous coronin mutants results in generation of bipolar cells (25-30%), specifically in the log phase, owing to unregulated growth of the corset microtubules. Further analysis of bipolar cells revealed that the main cause of generation of bipolar cell morphology is the intrusion of the persistently growing corset microtubules into the other daughter cell corset from the opposite direction. This defect in cytokinesis, however, disappears upon episomal gene complementation. Additionally, our attempts to prepare homozygous mutants were unsuccessful, as only the aneuploid cells survive the selection process. These results indicate that coronin regulates microtubule remodeling during Leishmania cytokinesis and is essentially required for survival of these parasites in culture.

PMID: 19401334 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

3: Mol Microbiol. 2009 Apr 27. [Epub ahead of print]Click here to read

PERTURBATION OF PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE SYNTHESIS AFFECTS MITOCHONDRIAL MORPHOLOGY AND CELL CYCLE PROGRESSION IN PROCYCLIC FORM TRYPANOSOMA BRUCEI.

Signorell A, Gluenz E, Rettig J, Schneider A, Shaw MK, Gull K, Bütikofer P.

Institute of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) are the two major constituents of eukaryotic cell membranes. In the protist Trypanosoma brucei, PE and PC are synthesised exclusively via the Kennedy pathway. To determine which organelles or processes are most sensitive to a disruption of normal phospholipid levels, the cellular consequences of a decrease in the levels of PE or PC, respectively, were studied following RNAi knockdown of four enzymes of the Kennedy pathway. RNAi against ethanolamine-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (ET) disrupted mitochondrial morphology and ultrastructure. Electron microscopy revealed alterations of inner mitochondrial membrane morphology, defined by a loss of disk-like cristae. Despite the structural changes in the mitochondrion, the cells maintained oxidative phosphorylation. Our results indicate that the inner membrane morphology of T. brucei procyclic forms is highly sensitive to a decrease of PE levels, as a change in the ultrastructure of the mitochondrion is the earliest phenotype observed after RNAi knockdown of ET. Interference with phospholipid synthesis also impaired normal cell cycle progression. ET RNAi led to an accumulation of multinucleate cells. By contrast, RNAi against choline-/ethanolamine phosphotransferase, which affected PC as well as PE levels, caused a cell division phenotype characterised by non-division of the nucleus and production of zoids.

PMID: 19400804 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

4: Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2008 Dec 15;18(24):6336-9. Epub 2008 Nov 1.Click here to read LinkOut

Synthesis of BODIPY-labeled alkylphosphocholines with leishmanicidal activity, as fluorescent analogues of miltefosine.

Hornillos V, Carrillo E, Rivas L, Amat-Guerri F, Acuña AU.

Instituto de Química Orgánica, CSIC, Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.

Two general synthetic methods are described, by which the highly fluorescent and photostable BODIPY group can be inserted in and aligned with the alkyl backbone of linear lipids. These methods have been used to prepare strongly emitting analogues of the leishmanicidal drug miltefosine, in which the antiparasite activity in vitro of the original drug is preserved.

PMID: 18990566 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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