Vitamin C biosynthesis in trypanosomes: A role for the glycosome

Shane R. Wilkinson, S. Radhika Prathalingam, Martin C. Taylor, David Horn, John M. Kelly

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

55 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The capacity to synthesize vitamin C (ascorbate) is widespread in eukaryotes but is absent from humans. The last step in the biosynthetic pathway involves the conversion of an aldonolactone substrate to ascorbate, a reaction catalyzed by members of an FAD-dependent family of oxidoreductases. Here we demonstrate that both the African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei, and the American trypanosome, Trypanosoma cruzi, have the capacity to synthesize vitamin C and show that this reaction occurs in a unique single-membrane organelle, the glycosome. The corresponding T. brucei flavoprotein (TbALO) obeys Michaelis-Menten kinetics and can utilize both L-galactono-γ-lactone and D-arabinono-γ-lactone as substrate, properties characteristic of plant and fungal enzymes. We could detect no activity toward the mammalian enzyme substrate L-gulono-γ-lactone. TbALO null mutants (bloodstream form) were found to display a transient growth defect, a trait that was enhanced when they were cultured in medium in which the essential serum component had been pretreated with ascorbate oxidase to deplete vitamin C. It is implicit, therefore, that bloodstream-form trypanosomes also possess a capacity for ascorbate transport.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11645-11650
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume102
Issue number33
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 16 Aug 2005

Keywords

  • Ascorbic acid
  • FAD
  • Oxidase
  • Trypanosoma brucei

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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