title: The NAD-linked aromatic alpha-hydroxy acid dehydrogenase from Trypanosoma cruzi. A new member of the cytosolic malate dehydrogenases group without malate dehydrogenase activity.
abstract: Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite causing Chagas disease, contains a novel aromatic alpha-hydroxy acid dehydrogenase. This enzyme is responsible, together with tyrosine aminotransferase, for the catabolism of aromatic amino acids, which leads to the excretion of aromatic lactate derivatives into the culture medium. The gene encoding the aromatic alpha-hydroxy acid dehydrogenase has been cloned through a combined approach using screening of an expression genomic library with antibodies, peptide sequencing and PCR amplification. Its sequence shows high similarity to the cytosolic malate dehydrogenases. However, the enzyme has no malate dehydrogenase activity. The gene seems to be present in a single copy per haploid genome and is differentially expressed throughout the parasite's life cycle, the highest levels being found in the insect forms of T. cruzi. The purified recombinant enzyme, expressed in Escherichia coli, was unable to reduce oxaloacetate and had kinetic constants similar to those of the natural aromatic alpha-hydroxy acid dehydrogenase. Sequence comparisons suggest that the aromatic alpha-hydroxy acid dehydrogenase derives from a cytosolic malate dehydrogenase no longer present in the parasite, made redundant by the presence of a glycosomal malate dehydrogenase as a member of a shuttle device involving the mitochondrial isoenzyme.
authors.affiliation: IQUIFIB (CONICET-Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cazzulo Franke
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vernal
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cazzulo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nowicki
mesh_terms: D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003600:Cytosol / Q000201:enzymology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; C403187:ahadh1 protein, Trypanosoma cruzi; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase