Arginine kinase of the flagellate protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi. Regulation of its expression and catalytic activity.

In epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, arginine kinase activity increased continuously during the exponential phase of growth. A correlation between growth rate, enzyme-specific activity and enzyme protein was observed. Arginine kinase-specific activity, expressed as a function of enzyme protein, remains roughly constant up to 18 days of culture. In the whole range of the culture time mRNA levels showed minor changes indicating that the enzyme activity is post-transcriptionally regulated. Arginine kinase could be proposed as a modulator of energetic reserves under starvation stress condition.