The Parasite-Specific Trypanothione Metabolism of Trypanosoma and Leishmania
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R. L. Krauth-Siegel
Abstract
The bis(glutathionyl)spermidine trypanothione exclusively occurs in parasitic protozoa of the order Kinetoplastida, such as trypanosomes and leishmania, some of which are the causative agents of several tropical diseases. The dithiol is kept reduced by the flavoenzyme trypanothione reductase and the trypanothione system replaces in these parasites the nearly ubiquitous glutathione/glutathione reductase couple. Trypanothione is a reductant of thioredoxin and tryparedoxin, small dithiol proteins, which in turn deliver reducing equivalents for the synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides as well as for the detoxification of hydroperoxides by different peroxidases. Depending on the individual organism and the developmental state, the parasites also contain significant amounts of glutathione, mono-glutathionylspermidine and ovothiol, whereby all four low molecular mass thiols are directly (trypanothione and monoglutathionylspermidine) or indirectly (glutathione and ovothiol) maintained in the reduced state by trypanothione reductase. Thus the trypanothione system is central for any thiol regeneration and trypanothione reductase has been shown to be an essential enzyme in these parasites. The absence of this pathway from the mammalian host and the sensitivity of trypanosomatids toward oxidative stress render the enzymes of the trypanothione metabolism attractive target molecules for the rational development of new drugs against African sleeping sickness, Chagas' disease and the different forms of leishmaniasis.
Copyright © 2003 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
Articles in the same Issue
- Glutathione, Related Enzymology, and Leopold Flohé
- 'Lest I Forget Thee, Glutathione...'
- Glutathione Pathways in the Brain
- The Role of Glutathione Peroxidases in Trypanosomatids
- Cytoprotection against Oxidative Stress and the Regulation of Glutathione Synthesis
- The Parasite-Specific Trypanothione Metabolism of Trypanosoma and Leishmania
- Glutathione – Functions and Metabolism in the Malarial Parasite Plasmodium falciparum
- Oxidative Stress Caused by Inactivation of Glutathione Peroxidase and Adaptive Responses
- Versatility of Selenium Catalysis in PHGPx Unraveled by LC/ESI-MS/MS
- Modulation of the Chymotrypsin-Like Activity of the 20S Proteasome by Intracellular Redox Status: Effects of Glutathione Peroxidase-1 Overexpression and Antioxidant Drugs
- Microflora Trigger Colitis in Mice Deficient in Selenium-Dependent Glutathione Peroxidase and Induce Gpx2 Gene Expression
- Recruitment of the Interleukin-1 Receptor (IL-1RI)-Associated Kinase IRAK to the IL-1RI Is Redox Regulated
- Kinetics and Redox-Sensitive Oligomerisation Reveal Negative Subunit Cooperativity in Tryparedoxin Peroxidase of Trypanosoma brucei brucei
- Testis-Specific Expression of the Nuclear Form of Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase (PHGPx)
- Selective Recognition of Peptide Sequences by Glutathione Transferases: A Possible Mechanism for Modulation of Cellular Stress-Induced Signaling Pathways
- Biosynthesis of Trypanothione in Trypanosoma brucei brucei
- Transcriptional Regulation of Cytosol and Membrane Alanyl-Aminopeptidase in Human T Cell Subsets
- Regulation of Gene Transcription by a Constitutively Active Mutant of Activating Transcription Factor 2 (ATF2)
- Solvent Isotope Effect on the Reaction Catalysed by the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex from Escherichia coli
- Selective Induction of Liver Parenchymal Cell Heme Oxygenase-1 in Selenium-Deficient Rats
Articles in the same Issue
- Glutathione, Related Enzymology, and Leopold Flohé
- 'Lest I Forget Thee, Glutathione...'
- Glutathione Pathways in the Brain
- The Role of Glutathione Peroxidases in Trypanosomatids
- Cytoprotection against Oxidative Stress and the Regulation of Glutathione Synthesis
- The Parasite-Specific Trypanothione Metabolism of Trypanosoma and Leishmania
- Glutathione – Functions and Metabolism in the Malarial Parasite Plasmodium falciparum
- Oxidative Stress Caused by Inactivation of Glutathione Peroxidase and Adaptive Responses
- Versatility of Selenium Catalysis in PHGPx Unraveled by LC/ESI-MS/MS
- Modulation of the Chymotrypsin-Like Activity of the 20S Proteasome by Intracellular Redox Status: Effects of Glutathione Peroxidase-1 Overexpression and Antioxidant Drugs
- Microflora Trigger Colitis in Mice Deficient in Selenium-Dependent Glutathione Peroxidase and Induce Gpx2 Gene Expression
- Recruitment of the Interleukin-1 Receptor (IL-1RI)-Associated Kinase IRAK to the IL-1RI Is Redox Regulated
- Kinetics and Redox-Sensitive Oligomerisation Reveal Negative Subunit Cooperativity in Tryparedoxin Peroxidase of Trypanosoma brucei brucei
- Testis-Specific Expression of the Nuclear Form of Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase (PHGPx)
- Selective Recognition of Peptide Sequences by Glutathione Transferases: A Possible Mechanism for Modulation of Cellular Stress-Induced Signaling Pathways
- Biosynthesis of Trypanothione in Trypanosoma brucei brucei
- Transcriptional Regulation of Cytosol and Membrane Alanyl-Aminopeptidase in Human T Cell Subsets
- Regulation of Gene Transcription by a Constitutively Active Mutant of Activating Transcription Factor 2 (ATF2)
- Solvent Isotope Effect on the Reaction Catalysed by the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex from Escherichia coli
- Selective Induction of Liver Parenchymal Cell Heme Oxygenase-1 in Selenium-Deficient Rats
