Cloning, expression and functional activity of deoxyhypusine synthase from Plasmodium vivax.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread human malaria parasite. However, genetic information about its pathogenesis is limited at present, due to the lack of a reproducible in vitro cultivation method. Sequencing of the Plasmodium vivax genome suggested the presence of a homolog of deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) from P. falciparum, the key regulatory enzyme in the first committed step of hypusine biosynthesis. DHS is involved in cell proliferation, and thus a valuable drug target for the human malaria parasite P. falciparum. A comparison of the enzymatic properties of the DHS enzymes between the benign and severe Plasmodium species should contribute to our understanding of the differences in pathogenicity and phylogeny of both malaria parasites.

Results

We describe

SUBMITTER: Njuguna JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1654163 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature