title: The role of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins in protozoan parasites.
abstract: The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily is one of the largest protein families with representatives in all kingdoms of life. Members of this superfamily are involved in a wide variety of transport processes with substrates ranging from small ions to relatively large polypeptides and polysaccharides, but also in cellular processes such as DNA repair, translation or regulation of gene expression. For many years, the role of ABC proteins was mainly investigated for their implication in drug resistance. However, recent studies focused rather on their physiological functions for the parasite. In this review, we present an overview of ABC proteins in major protozoan parasites including Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium and Entamoeba species. We will also discuss the role of characterized ABC transporters in the biology of the parasite and in drug resistance.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, EA 3800, IFR 53, UFR Médecine, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51 rue Cognacq-Jay, 51095 Reims Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sauvage
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aubert
authors.forename: Sandie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Escotte-Binet
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Villena
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000502:physiology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D015800:Protozoan Proteins