Discussion

Intracellular transport is a major aspect of eukaryotic cell physiology, and has its origins with the earliest eukaryotes. The system has been adapted in many lineages and this is presumed to be a feature of the lifestyle and specific ecological niche that each organism occupies. Parasitic trypanosomes have an especial burden, in terms of avoiding the immune response of their hosts. In the African trypanosome there are clear modifications to the basic endocytic machinery. Here I will discuss several of these findings, together with the identification and characterisation of novel proteins involved in endocytosis and which appear trypanosome specific. Further, recent evidence indicates an intimate connection between the parasite endocytic apparatus and sensitivity and uptake to drugs currently in the clinic, suggesting that this system may offer a means to target the parasite therapeutically.