The complex life cycle of Trypanosoma brucei provides an excellent model system to understand signalling pathways that regulate development. We described previously the classical functions of TOR (target of rapamycin) 1 and TOR2 in T. brucei. In a more recent study, we described a novel TOR kinase, named TOR4, which regulates differentiation from the proliferative infective form to the quiescent form. In contrast with TOR1 loss-of-function, down-regulation of TOR4 triggers an irreversible differentiation process through the development of the insect pre-adapted quiescent form. TOR4 governs a signalling pathway distinct from those controlled by the conventional TOR complexes TORC1 and TORC2. Depletion of TOR4 induces all well-known characteristics of the quiescent developmental stage in trypanosomes, including expression of the PAD (proteins associated with differentiation) surface proteins and transcriptional down-regulation of the VSG (variant surface glycoprotein) gene. TOR4 kinase forms a structurally and functionally distinct complex named TORC4. TOR4 associates with LST8 (lethal with sec-13 protein 8) and other factors including an armadillo-domain-containing protein and the major vault protein, which probably serves as a scaffold for this kinase. Research in T. brucei, a protozoan parasite that diverged from the eukaryotic tree early in evolution, may help to uncover new functions of TOR kinases.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
August 2013
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
Conference Article|
July 18 2013
Target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase in Trypanosoma brucei: an extended family Available to Purchase
Manuel Saldivia;
Manuel Saldivia
*Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, IPBLN, 18100 Granada, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
Antonio Barquilla;
Antonio Barquilla
*Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, IPBLN, 18100 Granada, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
Jean-Mathieu Bart;
Jean-Mathieu Bart
*Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, IPBLN, 18100 Granada, Spain
†Centro Nacional de Medicina Tropical, ISCIII, 28019 Madrid, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
Rosario Diaz-González;
Rosario Diaz-González
*Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, IPBLN, 18100 Granada, Spain
Search for other works by this author on:
Michael N. Hall;
Michael N. Hall
‡Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
Search for other works by this author on:
Miguel Navarro
Miguel Navarro
1
*Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, IPBLN, 18100 Granada, Spain
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email[email protected]).
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
April 11 2013
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2013 Biochemical Society
2013
Biochem Soc Trans (2013) 41 (4): 934–938.
Article history
Received:
April 11 2013
Citation
Manuel Saldivia, Antonio Barquilla, Jean-Mathieu Bart, Rosario Diaz-González, Michael N. Hall, Miguel Navarro; Target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase in Trypanosoma brucei: an extended family. Biochem Soc Trans 1 August 2013; 41 (4): 934–938. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20130052
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Get Email Alerts
Open Access for all
We offer compliant routes for all authors from 2025. With library support, there will be no author nor reader charges in 5 journals. Check here |
![]() |