Difference Between Mitochondria and Kinetoplast

The key difference between mitochondria and kinetoplast is that mitochondria are eukaryotic cell organelles that produce energy (ATP). Meanwhile, kinetoplast is a network of circular DNA present inside a large mitochondrion, specifically in protozoa of the class Kinetoplastea.

1. What is the function of Kinetoplast?
2. What is Kinetoplast structure?
3. What is Kinetoplast in Leishmania?
4. What is the difference between mtDNA and nDNA?
5. Why are Kinetoplastids dangerous?
6. How do Kinetoplastids reproduce?
7. Are Kinetoplastids heterotrophic?
8. What is the vector of Trypanosoma brucei?
9. What is Kinetoplastid biology?
10. Where is the Kinetoplast located?
11. What disease is caused by Trypanosoma Gambiense?
12. How do Trypanosoma obtain nutrients?

What is the function of Kinetoplast?

In kinetoplasts, maxicircles play an important role in encoding ribosomal RNAs as well as various proteins involved in bioenergetic processes within the mitochondria. Here, some of the transcripts of RNA may later be modified through the insertion or deletion of uridine residues.

What is Kinetoplast structure?

A kinetoplast is a network of circular DNA (called kDNA) inside a large mitochondrion that contains many copies of the mitochondrial genome. The most common kinetoplast structure is a disk, but they have been observed in other arrangements. Kinetoplasts are only found in Excavata of the class Kinetoplastida.

What is Kinetoplast in Leishmania?

In fact, Leishmania belongs to the Kinetoplastida order, Trypanosomatidae family, in which all the members contain a kinetoplast situated at the base of the flagellum. The kinetoplast contains a concatenated network of circular DNA molecules [18], i.e. mitochondrial DNA, composed of minicircles and maxicircles.

What is the difference between mtDNA and nDNA?

mtDNA is located in sausage-shaped organelles called mitochrondia, and instead of having an open-ended double-helix form like nDNA, it has a closed, circular structure. Whereas nDNA only has two copies per cell, mtDNA can have literally thousands in a single cell, and these work to convert protein into energy.

Why are Kinetoplastids dangerous?

The most common human diseases caused by kinetoplastids include human African trypanosomiasis (HAT; also known as African sleeping sickness), which is caused by infection with two of the three subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei; Chagas disease, which is caused by infection with Trypanosoma cruzi; and various forms of ...

How do Kinetoplastids reproduce?

For this reason, reproduction in Leishmania is both asexual (binary fission where single cells divide to form two daughter cells) and asexual (nuclear fusion where male and female cells exchange genetic material).

Are Kinetoplastids heterotrophic?

While euglenids are mostly autotrophic, the other group of euglenozoans are mostly heterotrophic. Kinetoplastids are euglenozoans that have to live inside a host making them symbiotes with another living creature.

What is the vector of Trypanosoma brucei?

Trypanosoma brucei is a species of parasitic kinetoplastid belonging to the genus Trypanosoma. This parasite is the cause of vector-borne diseases of vertebrate animals, including humans, carried by species of tsetse fly in sub-Saharan Africa. In humans T. brucei causes African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness.

What is Kinetoplastid biology?

Kinetoplastids are flagellated protozoans, which are unicellular eukaryotic organisms. They include free-living microorganisms, as well as parasites of diverse invertebrate, vertebrate, and plant species.

Where is the Kinetoplast located?

The kinetoplast is found near the basal body which is located at the base of the flagellum (Figure).

What disease is caused by Trypanosoma Gambiense?

Parasites - African Trypanosomiasis (also known as Sleeping Sickness) African Trypanosomiasis, also known as “sleeping sickness”, is caused by microscopic parasites of the species Trypanosoma brucei.

How do Trypanosoma obtain nutrients?

Trypanosomes feed by absorbing nutrients, through their outer membrane, from the body fluids of the host. The proteins, carbohydrates and fats are digested by enzyme systems within their protoplasm.