Two proteins involved in kinetoplast compaction

FEBS Letters

Carlsson, Lena¹  Thornell, Lars-Eric¹  Tittawella, Ivor² 

[1] Department of Anatomy, University of Umeå S 901 87, Umeå, Sweden;Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Umeå S 901 87, Umeå, Sweden

关键词: DNA binding protein;    Kinetoplast compaction;    Trypanosome;    Crithidia fasciculata;   

DOI  :  10.1016/0014-5793(93)80364-Z

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

The kinetoplast is the genome of the single mitochondrion of trypanosomatid Protozoa, and contains up to 30% of total cellular DNA in a network of catenated AT-rich rings. EM studies show that the kinetoplast is organized into a compact, disc-shaped structure in vivo, but little is known about proteins involved in its architecture. Defining such proteins would be useful to understand the molecular biology of this unusual organelle and to design compounds to contain parasite growth. We show here that two proteins, p1 and p2 of M _r ~ 22 and ~ 21 kDa, respectively, from the trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata can compact kDNA networks efficiently in vitro, the first such demonstration with purified trypanosome proteins. We show that these proteins are localized exclusively in the parasite's kinetoplast. Our data thus define two proteins potentially involved in kinetoplast organization in vivo.

【 授权许可】

Unknown