Abstract
Most cells use either a type I or type II synthase to make fatty acids. Trypanosoma brucei, the sleeping sickness parasite, provides the first example of a third mechanism for this process. Trypanosomes use microsomal elongases to synthesize fatty acids de novo, whereas other cells use elongases to make long-chain fatty acids even longer. The modular nature of the pathway allows synthesis of different fatty-acid end products, which have important roles in trypanosome biology. Indeed, this newly discovered mechanism seems ideally suited for the parasitic lifestyle.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 287-297 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Nature Reviews Microbiology |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2007 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Infectious Diseases