An Intracellular Ammonium Transporter Is Necessary for Replication, Differentiation, and Resistance to Starvation and Osmotic Stress in Trypanosoma cruzi

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi is an important human and animal pathogen and the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. The parasite undergoes drastic changes in its metabolism during its life cycle. Amino acid consumption becomes important in the infective stages and leads to the production of ammonia (NH 3 ), which needs to be detoxified. We report here the identification of an ammonium (NH 4 + ) transporter that localizes to acidic compartments and is important for replication, differentiation, and resistance to starvation and osmotic stress.