4a26

Publication Abstract from PubMed

Three enzyme activities in the protozoan Leishmania major, namely N(5),N(10)-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase/N(5),N(10)-methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase (DHCH) and N(10)-formyltetrahydrofolate ligase (FTL) produce the essential intermediate N(10)-formyltetrahydrofolate. Although trypanosomatids possess at least one functional DHCH, the same is not true for FTL, which is absent in Trypanosoma brucei. Here, we present the 2.7A resolution crystal structure of the bifunctional apo-DHCH from L. major, which is a potential drug target. Sequence alignments show that the cytosolic enzymes found in trypanosomatids share a high level of identity of approximately 60%. Additionally, residues that interact and participate in catalysis in the human homologue are conserved amongst trypanosomatid sequences and this may complicate attempts to derive potent, parasite specific DHCH inhibitors.

The crystal structure of Leishmania major N(5),N(10)-methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase/cyclohydrolase and assessment of a potential drug target.,Eadsforth TC, Cameron S, Hunter WN Mol Biochem Parasitol. 2012 Feb;181(2):178-85. Epub 2011 Nov 15. PMID:22108435^[1]

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