Species-Specific Adaptations of Trypanosome Morphology and Motility to the Mammalian Host

PLoS Pathogens

Markus Engstler¹  Jamin Jung²  Joel L. Bargul³  Collins O. Omogo³  Timothy Krüger⁴  Francis A. McOdimba⁴  Daniel K. Masiga⁴  Vincent O. Adung’a⁴ 

[1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, Egerton, Kenya;Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and technology, Nairobi, Kenya;Lehrstuhl für Zell- und Entwicklungsbiologie, Biozentrum, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Germany;Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics Unit, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya

关键词: Trypanosoma;    Swimming;    Blood;    Viscosity;    Trypanosoma brucei gambiense;    Flagella;    Trypanosoma vivax;    Trypanosoma brucei;   

DOI  :  10.1371/journal.ppat.1005448

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Public Library of Science

【 摘 要 】

African trypanosomes thrive in the bloodstream and tissue spaces of a wide range of mammalian hosts. Infections of cattle cause an enormous socio-economic burden in sub-Saharan Africa. A hallmark of the trypanosome lifestyle is the flagellate’s incessant motion. This work details the cell motility behavior of the four livestock-parasites Trypanosoma vivax, T. brucei, T. evansi and T. congolense. The trypanosomes feature distinct swimming patterns, speeds and flagellar wave frequencies, although the basic mechanism of flagellar propulsion is conserved, as is shown by extended single flagellar beat analyses. Three-dimensional analyses of the trypanosomes expose a high degree of dynamic pleomorphism, typified by the ‘cellular waveform’. This is a product of the flagellar oscillation, the chirality of the flagellum attachment and the stiffness of the trypanosome cell body. The waveforms are characteristic for each trypanosome species and are influenced by changes of the microenvironment, such as differences in viscosity and the presence of confining obstacles. The distinct cellular waveforms may be reflective of the actual anatomical niches the parasites populate within their mammalian host. T. vivax displays waveforms optimally aligned to the topology of the bloodstream, while the two subspecies T. brucei and T. evansi feature distinct cellular waveforms, both additionally adapted to motion in more confined environments such as tissue spaces. T. congolense reveals a small and stiff waveform, which makes these parasites weak swimmers and destined for cell adherence in low flow areas of the circulation. Thus, our experiments show that the differential dissemination and annidation of trypanosomes in their mammalian hosts may depend on the distinct swimming capabilities of the parasites.

【 授权许可】

CC BY