TcArf1: a Trypanosoma cruzi ADP-ribosylation factor.

Authors :: de Sá-Freire A
Nepomuceno-Silva JL
da Paixão JC
de Mendonça SM
de Melo LD
Lopes UG
Source :: Parasitology research [Parasitol Res] 2003 Sep; Vol. 91 (2), pp. 166-70. Date of Electronic Publication: 2003 Aug 16.
Publication Year :: 2003
Abstract: Arfs (ADP-ribosylation factors) are conserved GTP-binding proteins involved in the control of coatomers assembling in budding vesicles in the eukaryotic secretory pathway and during some endocytic events. Here, we describe the gene for an Arf-homologue from the unicellular kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, named TcArf1. TcArf1 is present in a discrete copy number in the T. cruzi genome and is expressed as a 1-kb transcript in the three main life forms of the parasite. Increased mRNA expression in epimastigotes may correlate with abundant protein biosynthesis and endocytosis in this stage.