title: Thymidylate kinase: the lost chemotherapeutic target.
abstract: Here we highlight the unusual substrate specificity of Plasmodium falciparum thymidylate kinase (PfTMK) and the validity of the enzyme as a new drug target. Furthermore, we predict that the Anaplasma marginale enzyme has attractive domain constituents and may be functionally different from other TMPKs. We postulate that thymidylate kinases could have multiple attractive functions in pathogens and may be a new drug target against numerous microorganisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Engineering, Center for Advanced Drug Research and Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and United Graduate School of Drug Discovery and Medical Information Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kandeel
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitade
mesh_terms: D042322:Anaplasma marginale / Q000201:enzymology; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009703:Nucleoside-Phosphate Kinase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology*; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013936:Thymidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D009703:Nucleoside-Phosphate Kinase; C020093:dTMP kinase; D013936:Thymidine