title: The putative gene for the first enzyme of glutathione biosynthesis in Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: The putative gene for gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, the rate-limiting enzyme in glutathione biosynthesis, has been characterized both in Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium falciparum. Protein sequence comparison between these two species reveals large conserved regions sharing more than 80% similarity, separated by less conserved portions. When the comparison is extended to known gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetases from other eukaryotes, a number of high similarity blocks are observed which may help in identifying sequence essential for protein function.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Biologia Cellulare, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Birago
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Picci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pizzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scotti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponzi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase; D005978:Glutathione