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Arginine metabolism in Trypanosoma cruzi is coupled to parasite stage and replication
Author(s) -
Pereira Claudio A,
Alonso Guillermo D,
Ivaldi Soledad,
Silber Ariel,
Alves Maria Júlia M,
Bouvier León A,
Flawiá Mirtha M,
Torres Héctor N
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(02)03157-5
Subject(s) - arginine , trypanosoma cruzi , arginine kinase , biology , metabolism , biochemistry , viral replication , microbiology and biotechnology , parasite hosting , cell culture , amino acid , genetics , world wide web , computer science
L ‐Arginine plays an essential role in the energetic metabolism of Trypanosoma cruzi . In this work we propose a relationship between L ‐arginine uptake, arginine kinase activity and the parasite replication ability. In epimastigote cultures L ‐arginine uptake decreases continuously accompanying a cell replication rate reduction. The use of conditioned or fresh medium mimics uptake variations. Interestingly, in non‐replicative trypomastigote cells, L ‐arginine uptake was undetectable. The association between L ‐arginine uptake and cell replication was demonstrated using the antimitotic agent hydroxyurea. Arginine kinase, the enzyme responsible for phosphoarginine and ATP synthesis, also shows a differential activity in epimastigote and trypomastigote parasite stages.