IMP dehydrogenase from the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

ABSTRACT: The opportunistic apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii damages fetuses in utero and threatens immunocompromised individuals. The toxicity associated with standard antitoxoplasmal therapies, which target the folate pathway, underscores the importance of examining alternative pharmacological strategies. Parasitic protozoa cannot synthesize purines de novo; consequently, targeting purine salvage enzymes is a plausible pharmacological strategy. Several enzymes critical to purine metabolism have been studied in T. gondii, but IMP dehydrogenase (IMPDH), which catalyzes the conversion of IMP to XMP, has yet to be characterized. Thus, we have cloned the gene encoding this enzyme in T. gondii. Northern blot analysis shows that two IMPDH transcripts are present in T. gondii tachyzoites. The large

SUBMITTER: Sullivan WJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1140536 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature