Novel roles for the flagellum in cell morphogenesis and cytokinesis of trypanosomes
AUTOR(ES)
Kohl, Linda
FONTE
Oxford University Press
RESUMO
Flagella and cilia are elaborate cytoskeletal structures conserved from protists to mammals, where they fulfil functions related to motility or sensitivity. Here we demonstrate novel roles for the flagellum in the control of cell size, shape, polarity and division of the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei. To investigate the function of the flagellum, its formation was perturbed by inducible RNA interference silencing of com ponents required for intraflagellar transport, a dynamic process necessary for flagellum assembly. First, we show that down-regulation of intraflagellar transport leads to assembly of a shorter flagellum. Strikingly, cells with a shorter flagellum are smaller, with a direct correlation between flagellum length and cell size. Detailed morphogenetic analysis reveals that the tip of the new flagellum defines the point where cytokinesis is initiated. Secondly, when new flagellum formation is completely blocked, non-flagellated cells are very short, lose their normal shape and polarity, and fail to undergo cytokinesis. We show that flagellum elongation controls formation of cytoskeletal structures (present in the cell body) that act as molecular organizers of the cell.
ACESSO AO ARTIGO
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=213772Documentos Relacionados
- Regulation of Flagellar Morphogenesis by Temperature: Involvement of the Bacterial Cell Surface in the Synthesis of Flagellin and the Flagellum
- Flagellar Morphogenesis: Protein Targeting and Assembly in the Paraflagellar Rod of Trypanosomes
- A novel role for clathrin in cytokinesis
- Roles of a Fimbrin and an α-Actinin-like Protein in Fission Yeast Cell Polarization and Cytokinesis
- The Roles of Fission Yeast Ase1 in Mitotic Cell Division, Meiotic Nuclear Oscillation, and Cytokinesis Checkpoint SignalingD⃞V⃞