Trypanosomes metabolism

Thus with the exception of T. vivax, the African trypanosomes metabolize purines in a manner similar to T. cruzi. The major difference between the trypanosomes and Leishmania is the former s lack of adenine deaminase. 

Fish, W. R., Marr, J. J. and Berens, R. L. et al. (1985) Inosine analogs as chemotherapeutic agents for African trypanosomes metabolism in trypanosomes and efficacy in tissue culture. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 27 33-36. 

Doering, T. L., Pessin, M. S., Hoff, E. F., Hart, G. W., Raben, D. M. and Englund, P. T. (1993) Trypanosome metabolism of myristate, the fatty acid required for the variant surface glycoprotein membrane anchor. J. Biol. Chem. 268 9215-9222. 

It is of historical interest that Tetrahymena gelii, whose metabolism has been described in detail [387], is inhibited by 8-azaguanine [388] and other purine analogues [389, 390]. Of more importance to chemotherapy is the fact that pathogenic protozoa such as the trypanosomes respond in vitro to a number of... 

Clark CG, Roger AJ (1995) Direct evidence for secondary loss of mitochondria in Entamoeba histolytica. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92 6518-6521 Clayton CE, Michels P (1996) Metabolic compartmentation in African trypanosomes. Parasitol Today 12 465-471... 

S glycerol 3-phosphate -h D-glucose <1> (<1> involved in anaerobic metabolism of sugars in bloodstream trypanosomes [1]) (Reversibility <1>... 

Glucose metabolism in glycosomes of trypanosomes (a) Glycerolphosphate kinase (b) Glycerol kinase. 

The glucose metabolism in aerotolerant anaerobes like trichomonad flagellates, Amoeba and Giardia spp. is somewhat different than in trypanosomes. These parasites carry out anaerobic production of energy from glucose, which may be stored in the form of glycogen upto 30% of their dry weight. 

As discussed above, trans-splicing serves to mature 5 ends of mRNAs embedded with polycistronic transcription units in trypanosomes and may serve the same function in nematodes. However, trans-splicing may be important in other aspects of mRNA metabolism. 

Fairlamb, A. H. and Opperdoes, F. R. (1986) Carbohydrate metabolism in African trypanosomes, with special reference to the glycosome. In Carbohydrate Metabolism of Cultured Cells (ed. Morgan, M. J.), Plenum Press, New York, pp. 183-224. 

Trypanosoma brucei complex. African trypanosomes of the Trypanosoma brucei complex metabolize pyrimidines in a manner similar to that of Leishmania and T. cruzi (Fig. 6.17). All six enzyme activities for the synthesis of UMP were detected in homogenates of blood trypomastigotes of T.b. brucei (87). In addition, uracil PRTase, cytidine deaminase, and pyrimidine cleavage activities have been detected in cell-free homogenates no uridine kinase activity was detected (94). 

Ogbunude, P. O. and Ikediobi, C. O. (1983) Comparative aspects of purine metabolism in some African trypanosomes. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 9 279-287. 

Disruption of AdoMet metabolism is a key element also in the action of 5 - [(Z)-5-amino-2-butenyl]methylamino 5 -deoxyadenosine (MDL73811), an AdoMet decarboxylase inhibitor which is a highly effective trypanocide (53). Treatment of trypanosomes with MDL73811 caused a 20-fold increase in the trypanosome AdoMet level after only 1 h of exposure. In comparison, AdoMet levels in cultured mammalian cells rose only 1.5-fold after similar treatment with MDL73811 (48). This analog is rapidly concentrated by trypanosomes through the purine transport system (54). 

Lipid and Membrane Metabolism of the Malaria Parasite and the African Trypanosome... 

As the only unicellular parasite to live free in the host s bloodstream the African, or salivarian, trypanosomes are unique. Unfortunately, there is little information on African trypanosome lipids and lipid metabolism. The life cycle of the African trypanosome involves bloodstream forms in the mammalian host and various insect forms in the tsetse fly vector. Of the insect forms, only the in vitro propagated procyclic form, equivalent to those in the tsetse fly midgut, has been examined. Early studies used complex culture medium that contained significant exogenous lipid. Later studies used... 

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