title: The Trypanosoma cruzi Surface, a Nanoscale Patchwork Quilt.
abstract: The Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigote membrane provides a major protective role against mammalian host-derived defense mechanisms while allowing the parasite to interact with different cell types and trigger pathogenesis. This surface has been historically appreciated as a rather unstructured 'coat', mainly consisting of a continuous layer of glycolipids and heavily O-glycosylated mucins, occasionally intercalated with different developmentally regulated molecules displaying adhesive and/or enzymatic properties. Recent findings, however, indicate that the trypomastigote membrane is made up of multiple, densely packed and discrete 10-150nm lipid-driven domains bearing different protein composition; hence resembling a highly organized 'patchwork quilt' design. Here, we discuss different aspects underlying the biogenesis, assembly, and dynamics of this cutting-edge fashion outfit, as well as its functional implications.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mucci
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Andrés B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lantos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Buscaglia
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María Susana
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Leguizamón
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas - Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de San Martín (UNSAM) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), B1650HMP San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: oscar@unsam.edu.ar.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Campetella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008566:Membranes / Q000276:immunology; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism; D000072417:Protein Domains; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000502:physiology*; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D006017:Glycolipids; D009077:Mucins
keywords: membrane domains; membrane vesicle; mucin; sialic acids; trans-sialidase