Succinate secreted by Trypanosoma brucei is produced by a novel and unique glycosomal enzyme, NADH-dependent fumarate reductase.
In all trypanosomatids, including Trypanosoma brucei, glycolysis takes place in peroxisome-like organelles called glycosomes. These are closed compartments wherein the energy and redox (NAD(+)/NADH) balances need to be maintained. We have characterized a T. brucei gene called FRDg encoding a protein 35% identical to Saccharomyces cerevisiae fumarate reductases. Microsequencing of FRDg purified from glycosome preparations, immunofluorescence, and Western blot analyses clearly identified this enzyme as a glycosomal protein that is only expressed in the procyclic form of T. brucei but is present in all the other trypanosomatids studied, i.e. Trypanosoma congolense, Crithidia fasciculata and Leishmania amazonensis. The specific inactivation of FRDg gene expression by RNA interference showed that FRDg is responsible for the NADH-dependent fumarate reductase activity detected in glycosomal fractions and that at least 60% of the succinate secreted by the T. brucei procyclic form (in the presence of d-glucose as the sole carbon source) is produced in the glycosome by FRDg. We conclude that FRDg plays a key role in the energy metabolism by participating in the maintenance of the glycosomal NAD(+)/NADH balance. We have also detected a significant pyruvate kinase activity in the cytosol of the T. brucei procyclic cells that was not observed previously. Consequently, we propose a revised model of glucose metabolism in procyclic trypanosomes that may also be valid for all other trypanosomatids except the T. brucei bloodstream form. Interestingly, H. Gest has hypothesized previously (Gest, H. (1980) FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 7, 73-77) that a soluble NADH-dependent fumarate reductase has been present in primitive organisms and evolved into the present day fumarate reductases, which are quinol-dependent. FRDg may have the characteristics of such an ancestral enzyme and is the only NADH-dependent fumarate reductase characterized to date.
Laboratoire de Parasitologie Moléculaire, UMR-5016 CNRS, Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux II, 146 Rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France.
Sébastien
S
Besteiro
Marc
M
Biran
Nicolas
N
Biteau
Virginie
V
Coustou
Théo
T
Baltz
Paul
P
Canioni
Frédéric
F
Bringaud
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002460:Cell Line; D002952:Citric Acid Cycle; D016831:Crithidia fasciculata / Q000378:metabolism; D004072:Digitonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007891:Leishmania / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008830:Microbodies / Q000201:enzymology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009245:NADH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D044925:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D019802:Succinic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D019802:Succinic Acid; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D044925:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors; C020155:fumarate reductase (NADH); D009245:NADH Dehydrogenase; D005947:Glucose; D004072:Digitonin