Adaptations in the lipid metabolism of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei

Abstract 

Trypanosomes are unicellular parasites and like all decent parasites, they try to obtain from the host as much material as possible, including lipids. However, the needs of a parasite are not always the same as those of the host, and therefore, mostly, some biosynthetic work still has to be done by the parasite itself. Very often at least modifications of the lipid components that are acquired from the host have to be made. Furthermore, next to the lipids Trypanosoma brucei indeed obtains from the host, some other lipid components have to be synthesized de novo. Especially the processes where the metabolism of T. brucei differs from that of the host, will be discussed, as at least some of them are excellent targets for the development of urgently needed new chemotherapeutics.

Abbreviations: DHAP, dihydroxy-acetonephosphate, GPI, glycosylphosphatidylinositol, HMG-CoA, 3- hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A, PC, phosphatidylcholine, PE, phosphatidylethanolamine, PG, phosphatidylglycerol, PI, phosphatidylinositol, PS, phosphatidylserine, VSG, variant surface glycoprotein

Keywords: Kinetoplastid, Trypanosomes, Fatty acid synthesis, Sterol synthesis, Drug target