title: The shikimate pathway and its branches in apicomplexan parasites.
abstract: The shikimate pathway is essential for production of a plethora of aromatic compounds in plants, bacteria, and fungi. Seven enzymes of the shikimate pathway catalyze sequential conversion of erythrose 4-phosphate and phosphoenol pyruvate to chorismate. Chorismate is then used as a substrate for other pathways that culminate in production of folates, ubiquinone, napthoquinones, and the aromatic amino acids tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. The shikimate pathway is absent from animals and present in the apicomplexan parasites Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium falciparum, and Cryptosporidium parvum. Inhibition of the pathway by glyphosate is effective in controlling growth of these parasites. These findings emphasize the potential benefits of developing additional effective inhibitors of the shikimate pathway. Such inhibitors may function as broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents that are effective against bacterial and fungal pathogens and apicomplexan parasites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Craig W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Russell E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kirisits
authors.forename: Ernest J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mui
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finnerty
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: David J P
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Coggins
authors.forename: Tino
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krell
authors.forename: Graham H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Coombs
authors.forename: Wilbur K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Milhous
authors.forename: Dennis E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kyle
authors.forename: Saul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tzipori
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnwell
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Dame
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carlton
authors.forename: Rima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McLeod
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019761:Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012765:Shikimic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000097797:Glyphosate
chemical_list: D005998:Glycine; D019761:Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases; D012765:Shikimic Acid; D000097797:Glyphosate; C019895:chorismate synthase