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Does Litomosoides sigmodontis synthesize dimethylethanolamine from choline?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 September 2007

K. M. HOUSTON ,
S. A. BABAYAN ,
J. E. ALLEN  and
W. HARNETT
K. M. HOUSTON
Affiliation:
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 27 Taylor Street, Glasgow G4 0NR, UK
S. A. BABAYAN
Affiliation:
Institute of Evolution, Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
J. E. ALLEN
Affiliation:
Institute of Evolution, Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
W. HARNETT*
Affiliation:
Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 27 Taylor Street, Glasgow G4 0NR, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, The John Arbuthnott Building, 27 Taylor Street, Glasgow G4 0NR, UK. Tel: 0141 548 3725. Fax: 0141-552-2562. E-mail: w.harnett@strath.ac.uk
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Summary

Juvenile female Litomosoides sigmodontis secrete a protein (Juv-p120) highly modified with dimethylethanolamine (DMAE). In an attempt to establish the source of this decoration worms were pulsed with [3H]-choline and [3H]-ethanolamine and the radio-isotope labelled products analysed. Both isotope labels were successfully taken up by the worms, as demonstrated by labelling of phospholipids with [3H]-choline, being predominantly incorporated into phosphatidylcholine and [3H]-ethanolamine into phosphatidylethanolamine. Isotope labelling of phosphatidylethanolamine was particularly striking with the worms taking up ~30 times as much labelled ethanolamine as choline. It was possible to detect faint labelling of Juv-p120 with [3H]-ethanolamine after prolonged exposure periods but, unlike the situation with the phospholipids, it was much more readily labelled with [3H]-choline. When pulsing with [3H]-ethanolamine it was also possible to detect isotope-labelled phosphatidylcholine, which may ultimately account for the low levels of labelling of Juv-p120. Overall our results raise the previously unconsidered but intriguing possibility that in L. sigmodontis, choline may be the precursor of DMAE.

Keywords

cholinedimethylethanolaminefilarial nematodeLitomosoidesphospholipid
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 135 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 55 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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