title: Trypanosoma brucei solanesyl-diphosphate synthase localizes to the mitochondrion.
abstract: Polyprenyl-diphosphate synthase is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of ubiquinone, a molecule considered essential for a typical eukaryotic cell. Its orthologue in the American stercorarian flagellate Trypanosoma cruzi, solanesyl diphosphate synthase, has been previously localized into the glycosomes. We wondered whether this unique cellular localization is shared by other trypanosome species. Using digitonin permeabilization, immunofluorescence and in situ tagging techniques, we show that in Trypanosoma brucei, the African salivarian flagellate, the enzyme localizes to the mitochondrion.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK. ltaclai@hotmail.com
authors.forename: De-Hua
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Esteban J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bontempi
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lukeš
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; C022644:trans-octaprenyltranstransferase