Sulfadoxine resistance in Plasmodium vivax is associated with a specific amino acid in dihydropteroate synthase at the putative sulfadoxine-binding site.

ABSTRACT: Sulfadoxine is predominantly used in combination with pyrimethamine, commonly known as Fansidar, for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum. This combination is usually less effective against Plasmodium vivax, probably due to the innate refractoriness of parasites to the sulfadoxine component. To investigate this mechanism of resistance by P. vivax to sulfadoxine, we cloned and sequenced the P. vivax dhps (pvdhps) gene. The protein sequence was determined, and three-dimensional homology models of dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) from P. vivax as well as P. falciparum were created. The docking of sulfadoxine to the two DHPS models allowed us to compare contact residues in the putative sulfadoxine-binding site in both species. The predicted sulfadoxine-binding sites between the species differ

SUBMITTER: Korsinczky M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC415609 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature