RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Quantitative assessment of the nanoanatomy of the contractile vacuole complex in Trypanosoma cruzi JF Life Science Alliance JO Life Sci. Alliance FD Life Science Alliance LLC SP e202402826 DO 10.26508/lsa.202402826 VO 7 IS 10 A1 Augusto, Ingrid A1 Girard-Dias, Wendell A1 Schoijet, Alejandra A1 Alonso, Guillermo Daniel A1 Portugal, Rodrigo V A1 de Souza, Wanderley A1 Jimenez, Veronica A1 Miranda, Kildare YR 2024 UL https://www.life-science-alliance.org/content/7/10/e202402826.abstract AB Trypanosoma cruzi uses various mechanisms to cope with osmotic fluctuations during infection, including the remodeling of organelles such as the contractile vacuole complex (CVC). Little is known about the morphological changes of the CVC during pulsation cycles occurring upon osmotic stress. Here, we investigated the structure–function relationship between the CVC and the flagellar pocket domain where fluid discharge takes place—the adhesion plaque—during the CVC pulsation cycle. Using TcrPDEC2 and TcVps34 overexpressing mutants, known to have low and high efficiency for osmotic responses, we described a structural phenotype for the CVC that matches their corresponding physiological responses. Quantitative tomography provided data on the volume of the CVC and spongiome connections. Changes in the adhesion plaque during the pulsation cycle were also quantified and a dense filamentous network was observed. Together, the results suggest that the adhesion plaque mediates fluid discharge from the central vacuole, revealing new aspects of the osmoregulatory system in T. cruzi.