Phospholipid and glycolipid composition of acidocalcisomes of Trypanosoma cruzi

María Laura Salto, Theresa Kuhlenschmidt, Mark Kuhlenschmidt, Rosa M. de Lederkremer, Roberto Docampo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Highly purified acidocalcisomes from Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes were obtained by differential centrifugation and iodixanol gradient ultracentrifugation. Lipid analysis of acidocalcisomes revealed the presence of low amounts of 3β-hydroxysterols and predominance of phospholipids. Alkylacyl phosphatidylinositol (16:0/18:2), diacyl phosphatidylinositol (18:0/18:2), diacyl phosphatidylcholine (16:0/18:2; 16:1/18:2; 16:2/18:2; 18:1/18:2 and 18:2/18:2), and diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine (16:0/18:2 and 16:1/18:2) were the only phospholipids characterized by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Incubation of epimastigotes with [3H]-mannose and isolation of acidocalcisomes allowed the detection of a glycoinositolphospholipid (GIPL) in these organelles. The sugar content of the acidocalcisomal GIPL was similar to that of the GIPL present in a microsomal fraction but the amount of galactofuranose and inositol with respect to the other monosaccharides was lower, suggesting a different chemical structure. Taken together, these results indicate that acidocalcisomes of T. cruzi have a distinct lipid and carbohydrate composition.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)120-130
Number of pages11
JournalMolecular and Biochemical Parasitology
Volume158
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2008

Keywords

  • Acidocalcisomes
  • Glycolipids
  • Phospholipids
  • Trypanosoma cruzi

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Molecular Biology

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