Cofactor-independent phosphoglycerate mutase is an essential gene in procyclic form Trypanosoma brucei.
Glycolysis and gluconeogenesis are, in part, driven by the interconversion of 3- and 2-phosphoglycerate (3-PG and 2-PG) which is performed by phosphoglycerate mutases (PGAMs) which can be cofactor dependant (dPGAM) or cofactor independent (iPGAM). The African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei, possesses the iPGAM form which is thought to play an important role in glycolysis. Here, we report on the use of RNA interference to down-regulate the T. brucei iPGAM in procyclic form T. brucei and evaluation of the resulting phenotype. We first demonstrated biochemically that depletion of the steady state levels of iPGM mRNA correlates with a marked reduction of enzyme activity. We further show that iPGAM is required for cell growth in procyclic T. brucei.
Djikeng
Appolinaire
A
The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), 9712 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. adjikeng@tigr.org
Raverdy
Sylvine
S
Foster
Jeremy
J
Bartholomeu
Daniella
D
Zhang
Yinhua
Y
El-Sayed
Najib M
NM
Carlow
Clotilde
C
D000818:Animals; D003067:Coenzymes; D020043:Genes, Essential / Q000235:genetics*; D010736:Phosphoglycerate Mutase / Q000235:genetics*; D013997:Time Factors; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
D003067:Coenzymes; D010736:Phosphoglycerate Mutase