Evidence of myristylated disulfide-linked dimer of variant surface glycoprotein of Trypanosoma brucei-brucei.

1. Variant surface glycoprotein (VSGs) of Trypanosoma brucei-brucei may exist as a disulfide-linked dimer in both forms: myristylated (mfVSG) and non-myristylated (sVSG), as judge by fluorography and immunoblotting of SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions. 2. The dimeric VSG form is labeled with [3H]-myristic acid in our incorporation conditions. 3. AnTat 1.1 trypanosomes preincubated with tunicamycin and incubated with [3H]-myristic acid synthesized a labeled molecule that has an apparent molecular weight slightly smaller than the native form, and that also corresponds to a disulfide-linked dimer.