Discussion

The flagellar pocket of T. brucei is the site of all endo- and exocytic traffic. Clustered around the neck of the flagellar pocket on its cytoplasmic face are a number of cytoskeletal complexes. One of these, the hook complex (containing the repeat motif protein TbMORN1), was recently implicated in regulating macromolecule access to the flagellar pocket. Previous work using proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID) provided a list of new hook complex components. One of these, Tb927.10.8820, was also recently determined to be a candidate binding partner and substrate of the mitotic kinase TbPLK. Tb927.10.8820 was named TbSmee1 due to its presence in the hook complex. A preliminary characterisation of TbSmee1 in bloodstream form cells is presented here.