Acquisition and biosynthesis of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids by trypanosomatids

Abstract

As components of phospholipids and glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors, fatty acids are responsible for forming the core of biological membranes and the correct localization of proteins within membranes. They also contribute to anchoring proteins by direct acylation of specific amino acids. Fatty acids can be used as energy sources and serve as signaling molecules or precursors for their synthesis. All these processes highlight the important role of fatty acids in cell physiology, justifying the diverse strategies for their acquisition evolved by different organisms. This review describes several recent findings in the salvage and biosynthesis of fatty acids by parasitic protists belonging to the class Kinetoplastea. They include two biosynthetic routes, the mitochondrial one and a peculiar membrane-associated pathway, the synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the scavenging of lysophospholipids and lipoproteins from host plasma. These different processes are also explored as putative targets for chemotherapy.