Skip to main content
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1988 Apr;85(8):2598–2602. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.8.2598

Biogenesis of glycosomes of Trypanosoma brucei: an in vitro model of 3-phosphoglycerate kinase import.

H F Dovey 1, M Parsons 1, C C Wang 1
PMCID: PMC280045  PMID: 3282231

Abstract

Glycosomes are intracellular, membrane-bound microbody organelles of trypanosomes and leishmania. Nine glycolytic enzymes are the major protein components of the glycosomes of Trypanosoma brucei long-slender bloodstream forms. Glycosomal proteins are believed to be synthesized in the cytoplasm and inserted across the glycosomal membrane posttranslationally. We have developed an in vitro protein import assay for the study of glycosomal biogenesis in T. brucei. All nine glycosomal glycolytic enzymes were detectable by immunoprecipitation and gel analysis of radiolabeled products derived from in vitro translation of total mRNA. Radiolabeled translational products were incubated with purified glycosomes isolated from bloodstream forms and digested with protease to remove proteins not imported into glycosomes. Gel analysis of reisolated glycosomes revealed that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12) and 3-phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) (EC 2.7.2.3) were apparently imported intact into the glycosome. Specificity of the protein import assay was verified by using translational products derived from cloned genes encoding T. brucei glycosomal PGK and its 95% homologous cytosolic isozyme. Glycosomal PGK was inserted into the glycosome in vitro with a 27.6% efficiency, but no imported cytosolic PGK was detectable. Preliminary data suggest that certain sequences between the N terminus and residue 123 may be important for import of glycosomal PGK. Our assay, combined with the potential use of genetically altered substrate proteins, may provide the opportunity to explore the recognition systems involved in glycosome biogenesis.

Full text

PDF
2599

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Aman R. A., Kenyon G. L., Wang C. C. Cross-linking of the enzymes in the glycosome of Trypanosoma brucei. J Biol Chem. 1985 Jun 10;260(11):6966–6973. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Aman R. A., Wang C. C. Identification of two integral glycosomal membrane proteins in Trypanosoma brucei. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 1987 Aug;25(1):83–92. doi: 10.1016/0166-6851(87)90021-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Borst P. How proteins get into microbodies (peroxisomes, glyoxysomes, glycosomes). Biochim Biophys Acta. 1986 May 5;866(4):179–203. doi: 10.1016/0167-4781(86)90044-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Böhni P. C., Daum G., Schatz G. Import of proteins into mitochondria. Partial purification of a matrix-located protease involved in cleavage of mitochondrial precursor polypeptides. J Biol Chem. 1983 Apr 25;258(8):4937–4943. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bürglin T. R., De Robertis E. M. The nuclear migration signal of Xenopus laevis nucleoplasmin. EMBO J. 1987 Sep;6(9):2617–2625. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02552.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Clayton C. E. Structure and regulated expression of genes encoding fructose biphosphate aldolase in Trypanosoma brucei. EMBO J. 1985 Nov;4(11):2997–3003. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1985.tb04035.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Douglas M. G., McCammon M. T., Vassarotti A. Targeting proteins into mitochondria. Microbiol Rev. 1986 Jun;50(2):166–178. doi: 10.1128/mr.50.2.166-178.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fairlamb A. H., Bowman I. B. Uptake of the trypanocidal drug suramin by bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei and its effect on respiration and growth rate in vivo. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 1980 Oct;1(6):315–333. doi: 10.1016/0166-6851(80)90050-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Fujiki Y., Fowler S., Shio H., Hubbard A. L., Lazarow P. B. Polypeptide and phospholipid composition of the membrane of rat liver peroxisomes: comparison with endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial membranes. J Cell Biol. 1982 Apr;93(1):103–110. doi: 10.1083/jcb.93.1.103. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gasser S. M., Hay R. Assessing import of proteins into mitochondria: an overview. Methods Enzymol. 1983;97:245–254. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(83)97136-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hammond D. J., Aman R. A., Wang C. C. The role of compartmentation and glycerol kinase in the synthesis of ATP within the glycosome of Trypanosoma brucei. J Biol Chem. 1985 Dec 15;260(29):15646–15654. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hart D. T., Baudhuin P., Opperdoes F. R., de Duve C. Biogenesis of the glycosome in Trypanosoma brucei: the synthesis, translocation and turnover of glycosomal polypeptides. EMBO J. 1987 May;6(5):1403–1411. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02381.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Hart D. T., Misset O., Edwards S. W., Opperdoes F. R. A comparison of the glycosomes (microbodies) isolated from Trypanosoma brucei bloodstream form and cultured procyclic trypomastigotes. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 1984 May;12(1):25–35. doi: 10.1016/0166-6851(84)90041-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hurt E. C., Pesold-Hurt B., Schatz G. The amino-terminal region of an imported mitochondrial precursor polypeptide can direct cytoplasmic dihydrofolate reductase into the mitochondrial matrix. EMBO J. 1984 Dec 20;3(13):3149–3156. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1984.tb02272.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kalderon D., Richardson W. D., Markham A. F., Smith A. E. Sequence requirements for nuclear location of simian virus 40 large-T antigen. Nature. 1984 Sep 6;311(5981):33–38. doi: 10.1038/311033a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kindl H., Kruse C. Biosynthesis of glyoxysomal proteins. Methods Enzymol. 1983;96:700–715. doi: 10.1016/s0076-6879(83)96059-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Laemmli U. K. Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature. 1970 Aug 15;227(5259):680–685. doi: 10.1038/227680a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Lazarow P. B., Fujiki Y. Biogenesis of peroxisomes. Annu Rev Cell Biol. 1985;1:489–530. doi: 10.1146/annurev.cb.01.110185.002421. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Lazarow P. B., Robbi M., Fujiki Y., Wong L. Biogenesis of peroxisomal proteins in vivo and in vitro. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1982;386:285–300. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1982.tb21423.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Maccecchini M. L., Rudin Y., Blobel G., Schatz G. Import of proteins into mitochondria: precursor forms of the extramitochondrially made F1-ATPase subunits in yeast. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Jan;76(1):343–347. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.1.343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Michels P. A., Poliszczak A., Osinga K. A., Misset O., Van Beeumen J., Wierenga R. K., Borst P., Opperdoes F. R. Two tandemly linked identical genes code for the glycosomal glyceraldehyde-phosphate dehydrogenase in Trypanosoma brucei. EMBO J. 1986 May;5(5):1049–1056. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04321.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Misset O., Bos O. J., Opperdoes F. R. Glycolytic enzymes of Trypanosoma brucei. Simultaneous purification, intraglycosomal concentrations and physical properties. Eur J Biochem. 1986 Jun 2;157(2):441–453. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1986.tb09687.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Opperdoes F. R., Baudhuin P., Coppens I., De Roe C., Edwards S. W., Weijers P. J., Misset O. Purification, morphometric analysis, and characterization of the glycosomes (microbodies) of the protozoan hemoflagellate Trypanosoma brucei. J Cell Biol. 1984 Apr;98(4):1178–1184. doi: 10.1083/jcb.98.4.1178. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Opperdoes F. R., Borst P. Localization of nine glycolytic enzymes in a microbody-like organelle in Trypanosoma brucei: the glycosome. FEBS Lett. 1977 Aug 15;80(2):360–364. doi: 10.1016/0014-5793(77)80476-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Osinga K. A., Swinkels B. W., Gibson W. C., Borst P., Veeneman G. H., Van Boom J. H., Michels P. A., Opperdoes F. R. Topogenesis of microbody enzymes: a sequence comparison of the genes for the glycosomal (microbody) and cytosolic phosphoglycerate kinases of Trypanosoma brucei. EMBO J. 1985 Dec 30;4(13B):3811–3817. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1985.tb04152.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Pfanner N., Neupert W. Distinct steps in the import of ADP/ATP carrier into mitochondria. J Biol Chem. 1987 Jun 5;262(16):7528–7536. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Small G. M., Imanaka T., Shio H., Lazarow P. B. Efficient association of in vitro translation products with purified stable Candida tropicalis peroxisomes. Mol Cell Biol. 1987 May;7(5):1848–1855. doi: 10.1128/mcb.7.5.1848. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Small G. M., Lazarow P. B. Import of the carboxy-terminal portion of acyl-CoA oxidase into peroxisomes of Candida tropicalis. J Cell Biol. 1987 Jul;105(1):247–250. doi: 10.1083/jcb.105.1.247. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Stuart K., Gobright E., Jenni L., Milhausen M., Thomashow L., Agabian N. The IsTaR 1 serodeme of Trypanosoma brucei: development of a new serodeme. J Parasitol. 1984 Oct;70(5):747–754. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Swinkels B. W., Gibson W. C., Osinga K. A., Kramer R., Veeneman G. H., van Boom J. H., Borst P. Characterization of the gene for the microbody (glycosomal) triosephosphate isomerase of Trypanosoma brucei. EMBO J. 1986 Jun;5(6):1291–1298. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04358.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Toner J. J., Weber M. M. Respiratory control in mitochondria from Crithidia fasciculata. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1972 Jan 31;46(2):652–660. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(72)80190-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Towbin H., Staehelin T., Gordon J. Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Sep;76(9):4350–4354. doi: 10.1073/pnas.76.9.4350. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Vassarotti A., Stroud R., Douglas M. Independent mutations at the amino terminus of a protein act as surrogate signals for mitochondrial import. EMBO J. 1987 Mar;6(3):705–711. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb04811.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES