title: Cloning, expression, and characterization of the acyl-CoA-binding protein in African trypanosomes.
abstract: African trypanosomes are shielded from their hosts' defenses by a coat of variant surface glycoprotein molecules, each of which is attached to the plasma membrane by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. During the later stages of glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis, myristic acid is incorporated into the anchor from the donor myristoyl-CoA by a series of unique fatty acid remodeling and exchange reactions. We have cloned and expressed a recombinant trypanosome acyl-CoA-binding protein that has a preference for binding relatively short chain acyl-CoAs and that has a high affinity for binding myristoyl-CoA (K(d) = 3.5 x 10(-10) M). This protein enhances fatty acid remodeling of glycosylphosphatidylinositol precursors in the trypanosome cell-free system. We speculate that the trypanosome acyl-CoA-binding protein plays an active role in supplying myristoyl-CoA to the fatty acid remodeling machinery in the parasite.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Parasitology and Biological Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, The Wellcome Trust Building, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland, United Kingdom. k.g.milne@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Milne
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D002474:Cell-Free System; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols / Q000096:biosynthesis; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D007700:Kinetics; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: C408462:ACBP protein, Trypanosoma brucei; D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C040349:S-tetradecanoyl-coenzyme A