Flagellar elongation induced by glucose limitation is preadaptive for Trypanosoma cruzi differentiation.
Trypanosomes must sense and respond to environmental change in order to progress through their life cycles. The American trypanosome, Trypanosoma cruzi, differentiates from the noninfective epimastigote form to the infective metacyclic form spontaneously in axenic culture. Here, we investigate the initial stimulus for that change and demonstrate that T. cruzi epimastigotes sense limitation of glucose in the medium and respond by undergoing significant morphological and biochemical change. As part of this change, the mean flagellar length of the population triples, which is correlated with an increased ability to maintain interactions with hydrophobic substrates, a requirement for differentiation to the next life cycle stage.
Tyler
K M
KM
Departments of Pathology and Microbiology-Immunology and the Drug Discovery Program, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
Engman
D M
DM
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D048429:Cell Size; D003470:Culture Media; D005407:Flagella / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
D003470:Culture Media; D005947:Glucose