Localization of the initial steps in alkoxyphospholipid biosynthesis in glycosomes (microbodies) of Trypanosoma brucei.
Cell fractionation of Trypanosoma brucei cultured procyclic stages showed that the key enzyme of glycerol-ether lipid synthesis, dihydroxyacetone-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.42) was exclusively associated with the microbody fraction. These organelles contained in addition 1-acyl glycerol-3-phosphate: NADP+ oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.101) and acyl-CoA reductase and were capable of utilizing DHAP, but not G-3-P, as substrate for lysophosphatidic acid formation. It is concluded that in T. brucei the glycosomes are the exclusive site of the synthesis of precursors for glycerol-ether lipid synthesis and that they contain the entire pathway to form alkoxylipids from glycerol and acyl-CoA.
D000215:Acylation; D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D004099:Dihydroxyacetone Phosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D008246:Lysophospholipids; D008830:Microbodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D010712:Phosphatidic Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013401:Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D008246:Lysophospholipids; D010712:Phosphatidic Acids; D004099:Dihydroxyacetone Phosphate; D013401:Sugar Alcohol Dehydrogenases; C022312:acylglycerone-phosphate reductase; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; C021351:hexadecanal dehydrogenase (acylating); D000217:Acyltransferases; C020051:glycerone-phosphate O-acyltransferase