Journal Article

Bidirectional intraflagellar transport is restricted to two sets of microtubule doublets in the trypanosome flagellum

Abstract

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) is the rapid bidirectional movement of large protein complexes driven by kinesin and dynein motors along microtubule doublets of cilia and flagella. In this study, we used a combination of high-resolution electron and light microscopy to investigate how and where these IFT trains move within the flagellum of the protist Trypanosoma brucei. Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) analysis of trypanosomes showed that trains are found almost exclusively along two sets of doublets (3–4 and 7–8) and distribute in two categories according to their length. High-resolution live imaging of cells expressing mNeonGreen::IFT81 or GFP::IFT52 revealed for the first time IFT trafficking on two parallel lines within the flagellum. Anterograde and retrograde IFT occurs on each of these lines. At the distal end, a large individual anterograde IFT train is converted in several smaller retrograde trains in the space of 3–4 s while remaining on the same side of the axoneme.

Attached files

Authors

Bertiaux, Eloïse
Mallet, Adeline
Fort, Cécile
Blisnick, Thierry
Bonnefoy, Serge
Jung, Jamin
Lemos, Moara
Marco, Sergio
Vaughan, Sue
Trépout, Sylvain
Tinevez, Jean-Yves
Bastin , Philippe

Oxford Brookes departments

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences\Department of Biological and Medical Sciences

Dates

Year of publication: 2018
Date of RADAR deposit: 2018-10-17

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This RADAR resource is the Version of Record of Bidirectional intraflagellar transport is restricted to two sets of microtubule doublets in the trypanosome flagellum