Neutral-lipid analysis reveals elevation of acylglycerols and lack of cholesterol esters in Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes.
Here we show that blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum organisms accumulate a high mass of triacylglycerol and diacylglycerol. However, we failed to detect cholesterol esters, a second neutral lipid species reported to be important for a related apicomplexan, Toxoplasma gondii. Evidence for P. falciparum and T. gondii homologues of acyl coenzyme A:diacylglycerol acyltransferase suggests that acylglycerols may be the conserved neutral lipids in apicomplexans.
Nawabi
Parwez
P
Departments of Pathology and Microbiology-Immunology, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
Lykidis
Athanasios
A
Ji
Darder
D
Haldar
Kasturi
K
D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000235:genetics; D000577:Amides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D051048:Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase; D004075:Diglycerides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D000577:Amides; D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D004075:Diglycerides; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds; D014280:Triglycerides; C040256:SAN 58035; D002784:Cholesterol; D000217:Acyltransferases; C426836:phospholipid diacylglycerol acyltransferase; D051048:Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase