2b4r

Publication Abstract from PubMed

The crystal structure of D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (PfGAPDH) from the major malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is solved at 2.25 A resolution. The structure of PfGAPDH is of interest due to the dependence of the malaria parasite in infected human erythrocytes on the glycolytic pathway for its energy generation. Recent evidence suggests that PfGAPDH may also be required for other critical activities such as apical complex formation. The cofactor NAD(+) is bound to all four subunits of the tetrameric enzyme displaying excellent electron densities. In addition, in all four subunits a completely unexpected large island of extra electron density in the active site is observed, approaching closely the nicotinamide ribose of the NAD(+). This density is most likely the protease inhibitor AEBSF, found in maps from two different crystals. This putative AEBSF molecule is positioned in a crucial location and hence our structure, with expected and unexpected ligands bound, can be of assistance in lead development and design of novel antimalarials.

Crystal structure of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Plasmodium falciparum at 2.25 A resolution reveals intriguing extra electron density in the active site.,Robien MA, Bosch J, Buckner FS, Van Voorhis WC, Worthey EA, Myler P, Mehlin C, Boni EE, Kalyuzhniy O, Anderson L, Lauricella A, Gulde S, Luft JR, DeTitta G, Caruthers JM, Hodgson KO, Soltis M, Zucker F, Verlinde CL, Merritt EA, Schoenfeld LW, Hol WG Proteins. 2006 Mar 15;62(3):570-7. PMID:16345073^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.