S-Adenosylmethionine in protozoan parasites: functions, synthesis and regulation.
S-adenosylmethionine is one of the most frequently used enzymatic substrates in all living organisms. It plays a role in all biological methyl transfer reactions in as much as it is a donor of propylamine groups in the synthesis of the polyamines spermidine and spermine, it participates in the trans-sulphuration pathway to cysteine one of the three amino acids involved in glutathione and trypanothione synthesis in trypanosomatids and finally it is a source of the 5-deoxyadenosyl radicals, which are involved in many reductive metabolic processes, biodegradative pathways, tRNA modification and DNA repair. This mini-review is an update of the progress on the S-adenosylmethionine synthesis in different representative protozoan parasites responsible for many of the most devastating so-called tropical diseases that have an enormous impact on global health.
Reguera
Rosa M
RM
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain.
Redondo
Carmen M
CM
Pérez-Pertejo
Yolanda
Y
Balaña-Fouce
Rafael
R
D000818:Animals; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000502:physiology*; D010271:Parasites / Q000502:physiology*; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology*
D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine