ReviewMitochondrial calcium transport in trypanosomes

- Discovery of MCU in trypanosomes led to the finding of the MCU gene in mammals.
- While MCU is essential in trypanosomes it is not essential in mice.
- Other components of the trypanosome MCU complex are MCUb, MICU1 and MICU2.
- Mitochondrial Ca2+ is essential to regulate trypanosome bioenergetics.

The biochemical peculiarities of trypanosomes were fundamental for the recent molecular identification of the long-sought channel involved in mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter or MCU. This discovery led to the finding of numerous regulators of the channel, which form a high molecular weight complex with MCU. Some of these regulators have been bioinformatically identified in trypanosomes, which are the first eukaryotic organisms described for which MCU is essential. In trypanosomes MCU is important for buffering cytosolic Ca2+ changes and for activation of the bioenergetics of the cells. Future work on this pathway in trypanosomes promises further insight into the biology of these fascinating eukaryotes, as well as the potential for novel target discovery.

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