Transbilayer dynamics of phospholipids in the plasma membrane of the Leishmania genus

Protozoans of the Leishmania genus are the etiological agents of a wide spectrum of diseases commonly known as leishmaniases. Lipid organization of the plasma membrane of the parasite may mimic the lipid organization of mammalian apoptotic cells and play a role in phagocytosis and parasite survival...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2013-01, Vol.8 (1), p.e55604-e55604
Main Authors: dos Santos, Marcos Gonzaga, Muxel, Sandra Marcia, Zampieri, Ricardo Andrade, Pomorski, Thomas Günther, Floeter-Winter, Lucile Maria
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Annexin A5 - metabolism
Annexin V
Apoptosis
Asymmetry
Biological Transport
Biology
Calcium
Calcium ionophores
Cell Membrane - metabolism
Cell membranes
Cell survival
Drug resistance
Etiology
Flow cytometry
Ionomycin - pharmacology
Ionophores
Leishmania
Leishmania - drug effects
Leishmania - metabolism
Leishmania donovani
Lipid Bilayers - metabolism
Lipids
Machinery
Machinery and equipment
Mammals
Membranes
Miltefosine
Parasites
Parasitic diseases
Phagocytosis
Phospholipid Transfer Proteins - metabolism
Phospholipids
Phospholipids - metabolism
Plasma membranes
Protein Binding
Proteins
Substrate specificity
Substrates
Translocation
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Summary:Protozoans of the Leishmania genus are the etiological agents of a wide spectrum of diseases commonly known as leishmaniases. Lipid organization of the plasma membrane of the parasite may mimic the lipid organization of mammalian apoptotic cells and play a role in phagocytosis and parasite survival in the mammal host. Here, we analyzed the phospholipid dynamics in the plasma membrane of both the L. (Leishmania) and the L. (Viannia) subgenera. We found that the activity and substrate specificity of the inward translocation machinery varied between Leishmania species. The differences in activity of inward phospholipid transport correlated with the different sensitivities of the various species towards the alkyl-phospholipid analogue miltefosine. Furthermore, all species exhibited a phospholipid scramblase activity in their plasma membranes upon stimulation with calcium ionophores. However, binding of annexin V to the parasite surface was only detected for a subpopulation of parasites during the stationary growth phase and only marginally enhanced by scramblase activation.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0055604