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First published online 5 September 2006
doi: 10.1242/jcs.03203

Journal of Cell Science 119, 3935-3943 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
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Research Article

Trypanosome IFT mutants provide insight into the motor location for mobility of the flagella connector and flagellar membrane formation

Jacqueline A. Davidge1,*, Emma Chambers2,*, Harriet A. Dickinson1, Katie Towers2, Michael L. Ginger1, Paul G. McKean2 and Keith Gull1,{ddagger}

1 Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
2 Biomedical Sciences Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK

{ddagger} Author for correspondence (e-mail: keith.gull{at}path.ox.ac.uk)

Accepted 8 August 2006

The flagella connector (FC) of procyclic trypanosomes is a mobile, transmembrane junction important in providing cytotactic morphogenetic information to the daughter cell. Quantitative analyses of FC positioning along the old flagellum, involving direct observations and use of the MPM2 anti-phosphoprotein monoclonal reveals a `stop point' is reached on the old flagellum which correlates well with the initiation of basal body migration and kinetoplast segregation. This demonstrates further complexities of the FC and its movement in morphogenetic events in trypanosomes than have hitherto been described. We used intraflagellar transport RNAi mutants to ablate the formation of a new flagellum. Intriguingly the FC could still move, indicating that a motor function beyond the new flagellum is sufficient to move it. When such a FC moves, it drags a sleeve of new flagellar membrane out of the flagellar pocket. This axoneme-less flagellar membrane maintains appropriate developmental relationships to the cell body including following the correct helical path and being connected to the internal cytoskeleton by macula adherens junctions. Movement of the FC in the apparent absence of intraflagellar transport raises the possibility of a new form of motility within a eukaryotic flagellum.

Key words: Trypanosome, Morphogenesis, Flagellar connector, Phosphorylation, Basal body




This article has been cited by other articles:


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S. Absalon, T. Blisnick, L. Kohl, G. Toutirais, G. Dore, D. Julkowska, A. Tavenet, and P. Bastin
Intraflagellar Transport and Functional Analysis of Genes Required for Flagellum Formation in Trypanosomes
Mol. Biol. Cell, March 1, 2008; 19(3): 929 - 944.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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