A alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase is present in Trypanosoma cruzi glycosomes

alpha -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (alpha -GPDH-EC. 1. 1. 1. 8) has been considered absent in Trypanosoma cruzi in contradiction with all other stu died trypanosomatids. After observing that the sole malate dehydrogenase ca n nor maintain the intraglycosomal redox balance, GPDH activin, was looked for and found, although in very variable levels, in epimastigotes extracts. GPDH was shown to be exclusively located in the glycosome of T. cruzi by d igitonin treatment and isopycnic centrifugation. Antibody against T. brucei GPDH showed that this enzyme seemed to be present in an essentially inacti ve form at the beginning of the epimastigotes growth. GPDH is apparently li nked to a salicylhydroxmic-sensitive glycerophosphate reoxidizing system an d plays an essential role in the glycosome redox balance.