The post-reactive structures of <i>Leishmania major</i> UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase provide insights into the product release mechanism.

ABSTRACT: Biosynthesis of the nucleotide sugars UDP-glucose (UDP-Glc) and UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal) is intimately connected and essential for the viability of trypanosomatid parasites. In the genus Leishmania, it is controlled by the UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP) and UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase (USP). In contrast to UGP, USP has a broad substrate specificity and may generate several UDP-sugars in vitro, including UDP-Glc and UDP-Gal. This enzyme, present in protozoan parasites (including Leishmania species and Trypanosoma cruzi) and in plants, most likely plays a role in salvaging monosaccharides. In order to gain a detailed mechanistic understanding of USPs, we determined high-resolution X-ray structures of Leishmania major USP (LmUSP) in post-reactive

SUBMITTER: Prakash O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12584669 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature