Type: | Family | Name: | Flagellar calcium-binding protein calflagin |
Description: | The protozoan parasite that causes Chagas' disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, contains a 24kDa protein that is recognised by antisera from both humans and experimental animals infected with this organism. Near its C terminus are two regions that have sequence similarity with E-F hand Ca2+-binding proteins []. Indeed, the native trypanosome protein exhibits low Ca2+-binding capacity and high Ca2+-binding affinity, consistent with binding via E-F hand structures. Immunofluorescence assays have suggested that theprotein is localised to the trypanosome's flagellum. This observation,coupled with the protein's Ca2+-binding properties, suggests that it may participate in molecular processes associated with the high motility of the parasite []. A set of similar 24 kDa proteins, termed calflagins, are contained within the flagellum of Trypanosoma brucei. These contain three EF-hand Ca2+- binding domains and one degenerate EF-hand motif []. | Short Name: | Calflagin-bd |