title: Efficient iron uptake via a reductive mechanism in procyclic Trypanosoma brucei.
abstract: The bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei acquires iron from transferrin by receptor-mediated endocytosis. However, it is unknown how procyclic forms that cannot bind transferrin acquire iron. Here, we show that the procyclic form of T. brucei efficiently takes up iron from ferric complexes via a reductive mechanism and that iron obtained using this mechanism is transported to, and used in, the mitochondria. The affinity of the transport system is comparable to that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae , with an apparent K(m) of 0.85 μM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mach
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tachezy
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sutak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D038181:FMN Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; C025314:ferric citrate; D007501:Iron; D038181:FMN Reductase; C023903:ferric citrate iron reductase