title: The Flagellum Attachment Zone: 'The Cellular Ruler' of Trypanosome Morphology.
abstract: A defining feature of Trypanosoma brucei cell shape is the lateral attachment of the flagellum to the cell body, mediated by the flagellum attachment zone (FAZ). The FAZ is a complex cytoskeletal structure that connects the flagellum skeleton through two membranes to the cytoskeleton. The FAZ acts as a 'cellular ruler' of morphology by regulating cell length and organelle position and is therefore critical for both cell division and life cycle differentiations. Here we provide an overview of the advances in our understanding of the composition, assembly, and function of the FAZ.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK. Electronic address: jack.sunter@path.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jack D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Sunter
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gull
mesh_terms: D005407:Flagella / Q000378:metabolism; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D021381:Protein Transport; D034622:RNA Interference; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: FAZ; Trypanosoma brucei; cytoskeleton; flagellum; morphology