The Actomyosin System is Essential for the Integrity of the Endosomal System in Bloodstream Form

Overview

Journal Elife

Specialty Biology

Date 2024 Nov 21

PMID 39570285

Authors

Fabian Link

Sisco Jung

Xenia Malzer

Felix Zierhut

Antonia Konle

Alyssa Borges

Christopher Batters

Monika Weiland

Mara Poellmann

An Binh Nguyen

Johannes Kullmann

Claudia Veigel

Markus Engstler

Brooke Morriswood

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The actin cytoskeleton is a ubiquitous feature of eukaryotic cells, yet its complexity varies across different taxa. In the parasitic protist , a rudimentary actomyosin system consisting of one actin gene and two myosin genes has been retained despite significant investment in the microtubule cytoskeleton. The functions of this highly simplified actomyosin system remain unclear, but appear to centre on the endomembrane system. Here, advanced light and electron microscopy imaging techniques, together with biochemical and biophysical assays, were used to explore the relationship between the actomyosin and endomembrane systems. The class I myosin (TbMyo1) had a large cytosolic pool and its ability to translocate actin filaments in vitro was shown here for the first time. TbMyo1 exhibited strong association with the endosomal system and was additionally found on glycosomes. At the endosomal membranes, TbMyo1 colocalised with markers for early and late endosomes (TbRab5A and TbRab7, respectively), but not with the marker associated with recycling endosomes (TbRab11). Actin and myosin were simultaneously visualised for the first time in trypanosomes using an anti-actin chromobody. Disruption of the actomyosin system using the actin-depolymerising drug latrunculin A resulted in a delocalisation of both the actin chromobody signal and an endosomal marker, and was accompanied by a specific loss of endosomal structure. This suggests that the actomyosin system is required for maintaining endosomal integrity in .

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