title: Distribution of macromolecular methylations in promastigotes of Leishmania donovani and impact of sinefungin.
abstract: Sinefungin, an antifungal and antiparasitic nucleoside antibiotic, is a very potent antileishmanial agent both in vitro and in vivo. This molecule, structurally related to S-adenosylmethionine, is a good competitive inhibitor of methyltransferases in vitro. The aim of this report is to analyze the impact of sinefungin on methylation pattern and the subcellular localisation of methyl groups and various methylases in promastigotes of Leishmania donovani. We have shown the presence of various methylated macromolecules in different subcellular fractions, with somewhat higher concentration in membrane fraction. In vitro, sinefungin inhibits the three main protein methylases, but in cells cultured in its presence the protein carboxylmethylations are specifically inhibited.
authors.affiliation: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Gif-sur Yvette, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Robert-Gero
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008745:Methylation; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; D000241:Adenosine; C006235:sinefungin