title: Sequence and expression of the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C of Trypanosoma brucei.
abstract: Trypanosoma brucei contains a membrane-bound phospholipase C which converts the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG), anchored in the membrane by a C-terminal glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol moiety, into a soluble form and diacylglycerol. The amino acid sequence (358 residues) of this enzyme, derived from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA and the gene, reveals a polypeptide which lacks an obvious N-terminal signal sequence and stretches of exclusively hydrophobic residues. These properties suggest that the phospholipase is synthesized in the cytoplasm and subsequently associates with or translocates across intracellular membranes. There are much higher levels of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol specific phospholipase C mRNA in bloodstream form than in procyclic form trypanosomes. The phospholipase gene is probably present in one or two copies per haploid genome, probably not associated with VSG expression sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Cambridge University, U.K.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrington
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bülow
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reinke
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Overath
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006017:Glycolipids; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014643:Variant Surface Glycoproteins, Trypanosoma; D004247:DNA; D010738:Type C Phospholipases