title: Biochemical evidence for the presence of arginine decarboxylase activity in Trypanosoma cruzi.
abstract: Trypanosoma cruzi was found to release 14CO2 from radiolabeled arginine, and this effect was inhibited by either DL-alpha-difluoromethylarginine or monofluoromethylagmatine, both specific inhibitors of arginine decarboxylase (ADC). Furthermore, agmatine, which can be derived metabolically only by ADC-mediated arginine decarboxylation, was produced when T. cruzi was incubated with radiolabeled arginine, and agmatine production was inhibited in the presence of DL-alpha-difluoromethylarginine. These results constitute direct biochemical evidence for the presence in T. cruzi of ADC, an enzyme that does not occur in mammalian cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Majumder
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wirth
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bitonti
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: McCann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kierszenbaum
mesh_terms: D000376:Agmatine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D000518:Eflornithine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: C052733:monofluoromethylagmatine; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C030965:alpha-(difluoromethyl)arginine; D000376:Agmatine; D001120:Arginine; D002262:Carboxy-Lyases; C019722:arginine decarboxylase; D000518:Eflornithine