The Trypanosoma cruzi surface, a nanoscale patchwork quilt.

MUCCI, J.; LANTOS, A; CARLOS ANDRES BUSCAGLIA; LEGUIZAMÓN, M. S.; CAMPETELLA, O. E.

TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCI LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2017 vol. 33 p. 102 - 112

1471-4922

The Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigote membrane provides a major protectiverole against mammalian host-derived defense mechanisms while allowing theparasite to interact with different cell types and trigger pathogenesis.Thissurface has been historically appreciated as a rather unstructured ?coat?, mainlyconsisting of a continuous layer of glycolipids and heavily O-glycosylatedmucins,occasionally intercalated with different developmentally regulated mol-ecules displaying adhesive and/or enzymatic properties.Recent findings,how-ever,indicate that the trypomastigote membrane is made up of multiple,denselypacked and discrete 10?150nm lipid-driven domains bearing different proteincomposition;hence resembling a highly organized ?patchwork quilt? design.Here,we discuss different aspects underlying the biogenesis,assembly,anddynamics of this cutting-edge fashion outfit, as well as its functional implications.