title: Leishmania amazonensis: biosynthesis of polyprenols of 9 isoprene units by amastigotes.
abstract: The isoprenoid metabolic pathway in protozoa of the Leishmania genus exhibits distinctive characteristics. These parasites, as well as other members of the Trypanosomatidae family, synthesize ergosterol, instead of cholesterol, as the main membrane sterol lipid. Leishmania has been shown to utilize leucine, instead of acetate as the main precursor for sterol biosynthesis. While mammalian dolichols are molecules containing 15-23 isoprene units, Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes synthesize dolichol of 11 and 12 units. In this paper, we show that the intracellular stages of L. amazonensis, amastigotes, synthesize mainly polyprenols of 9 isoprene units, instead of dolichol.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, CEP 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Denise Costa
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Arruda
authors.forename: Fabio Luiz
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: D'Alexandri
authors.forename: Alejandro M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Katzin
authors.forename: Silvia Reni B
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Uliana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002070:Butadienes / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004286:Dolichols / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D045782:Hemiterpenes / Q000737:chemistry; D007894:Leishmania mexicana / Q000378:metabolism*; D010420:Pentanes / Q000737:chemistry; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002070:Butadienes; D004286:Dolichols; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D010420:Pentanes; D013729:Terpenes; C005059:isoprene