title: Metabolic pathways required for the intracellular survival of Leishmania.
abstract: Leishmania spp. are sandfly-transmitted parasitic protozoa that cause a spectrum of important diseases and lifelong chronic infections in humans. In the mammalian host, these parasites proliferate within acidified vacuoles in several phagocytic host cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils. In this review, we discuss recent progress that has been made in defining the nutrient composition of the Leishmania parasitophorous vacuole, as well as metabolic pathways required by these parasites for virulence. Analysis of the virulence phenotype of Leishmania mutants has been particularly useful in defining carbon sources and nutrient salvage pathways that are essential for parasite persistence and/or induction of pathology. We also review data suggesting that intracellular parasite stages modulate metabolic processes in their host cells in order to generate a more permissive niche.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Bio21 Institute of Molecular Science and Biotechnology, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. malcolmm@unimelb.edu.au
authors: Malcolm J
authors: MJ
authors: McConville
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Naderer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D014774:Virulence