Identification, molecular cloning and functional characterization of an octaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase in intra-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum.

ABSTRACT: Isoprenoids play important roles in all living organisms as components of structural cholesterol, steroid hormones in mammals, carotenoids in plants, and ubiquinones. Significant differences occur in the length of the isoprenic side chains of ubiquinone between different organisms, suggesting that different enzymes are involved in the synthesis of these side chains. Whereas in Plasmodium falciparum the isoprenic side chains of ubiquinone contain 7-9 isoprenic units, 10-unit side chains are found in humans. In a search for the P. falciparum enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of isoprenic side chains attached to the benzoquinone ring of ubiquinones, we cloned and expressed a putative polyprenyl synthase. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the corresponding recombinant protein confirme

SUBMITTER: Tonhosolo R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1317670 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature