Plasma membrane-located purine nucleotide transport proteins are key components for host exploitation by microsporidian intracellular parasites.

ABSTRACT: Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites of most animal groups including humans, but despite their significant economic and medical importance there are major gaps in our understanding of how they exploit infected host cells. We have investigated the evolution, cellular locations and substrate specificities of a family of nucleotide transport (NTT) proteins from Trachipleistophora hominis, a microsporidian isolated from an HIV/AIDS patient. Transport proteins are critical to microsporidian success because they compensate for the dramatic loss of metabolic pathways that is a hallmark of the group. Our data demonstrate that the use of plasma membrane-located nucleotide transport proteins (NTT) is a key strategy adopted by microsporidians to exploit host cells. Acquisition of an anc

SUBMITTER: Heinz E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4256464 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature