Berlin 2015 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik
CPP 56: Membranes and vesicles II (joint session BP, CPP)
CPP 56.3: Vortrag
Mittwoch, 18. März 2015, 15:45–16:00, H 1028
VSG dynamics on the Trypanosome and on model membranes — Marius Glogger1, Marie Spindler1, Andreas Hartel1,2, Nicola Jones1, Markus Engstler1, and •Susanne Fenz1 — 1Biocenter: Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany — 2Department of Electrical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
Trypanosomes are the pathogens of sleeping sickness in humans and Nagana in cattle. They exhibit a uniform surface coat of multiple copies of variable surface glycoproteins (VSGs). Trypanosomes use this extremely dense, albeit highly dynamic surface coat for protection against the host's innate immune response. The entire VSG surface coat can be exchanged by endocytosis of the old VSG and parallel exocytosis of a new VSG variant within 10 minutes. However, both processes are restricted to a small membrane invagination of the cell surface, the so-called flagellar pocket. The mobility of VSG is essential for the parasite's survival and the focus of our research interest. Trypanosomes are excellent model organisms because 95% of their surface coat consists of VSGs. Thus, comparable measurements in live cells and model membranes will allow us to separate active motion from passive diffusion. As VSGs are abundant they can be easily purified and subsequently integrated into supported lipid bilayers via their membrane anchor. We apply single-molecule fluorescence microscopy to study VSG dynamics in immobilized trypanosomes and model membranes with special emphasis on the modulating character of protein glycosylation.