The surface membrane 3'-nucleotidase/nuclease of trypanosomatid protozoa.
The plasma membrane of protozoan parasites has been the subject of intense research interest because it serves as the interface between the parasite and its host] This structure functions in the acquisition of nutrients, in the response to environmental signals, in the secretion and excretion of metabolites, in the recognition of host surfaces and in the avoidance of host-destructive factors including the components of the immune response. Recent technological advances, such as the use of monoclonal antibodies and recombinant DNA methodologies, have led to the identification of specific plasma membrane components and their coding; sequences, often in the absence of information regarding the physiological role of the component. In this article Michael Gottlieb considers the functional activity of o plasma membrane enzyme which has been identified in a number of protozoa belonging to the family Trypanosomatidae, and considers its adaptive significance and possible evolution in the different genera of this family.
Gottlieb
M
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Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, 615 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.