Functional analysis of motility-related genes of Trypanosoma brucei: relationship with cellular morphology and apoptosis

对TbUNC119及其结合分子的双敲除分析显示，虫型锥虫细胞发生细胞凋亡、形态改变（细胞形状延长）和运动性降低。在这些表型中，首先观察到延长的细胞形状。这至少部分是由于内吞作用的上调。在血流型锥虫细胞中，TbUNC119表达于鞭毛和鞭毛袋周围区域，仅在这些区域内吞作用发生。因此，人们认为TbUNC119及其结合蛋白的功能包括调节细胞内吞作用。

Double knock-down analysis of TbUNC119 and its binding molecule showed cellular apoptosis, morphological change (extended cell shape), and reduced motility in insect-form trypanosome cells. Among those phenotypes, extended cell shape was firstly observed. This was revealed to be at least in part by up-regulated endocytosis. In bloodstream-form trypanosome cells, TbUNC119 was expressed in flagellum and an area around flagella pocket, only in which endocytosis occurred. Functions of TbUNC119 and its binding protein were thus considered to include regulation of cellular endocytosis.