title: WCB is a C2 domain protein defining the plasma membrane - sub-pellicular microtubule corset of kinetoplastid parasites.
abstract: WCB is a protein that locates between the inner face of the plasma membrane and the sub-pellicular corset of microtubules in Trypanosoma brucei. We provide the molecular identity of WCB and bioinformatic analysis suggests that it possesses a C2 domain implicated in membrane/protein interactions and a highly charged region possessing characteristics of a putative tubulin-binding domain. Functional analyses via RNA interference (RNAi) depletion show that WCB is essential for cell morphogenesis. Depletion results in gross abnormalities in cell shape, mainly at the cytoskeletal/plasma membrane dynamic posterior end of the trypanosome. Failures in cytokinesis and zoid production are also evident. Furthermore, electron microscopy reveals that RNAi-induced trypanosomes lose local plasma membrane to microtubule corset integrity.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baines
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gull
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins