title: Schistosoma mansoni displays an adenine phosphoribosyltransferase preferentially expressed in mature female gonads and vitelaria.
abstract: Schistosoma mansoni depends upon the purine salvage pathway to obtain purine nucleotides; therefore, enzymes from this pathway are essential for parasite survival. Here, we focused on the adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) enzyme, which catalyzes the condensation reaction between adenine and PRPP (5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate) to produce AMP and PPi. Kinetic experiments using the heterologously expressed protein of one APRT isoform from S. mansoni indicate that it is catalytically active, and whole-mount in situ hybridization studies indicate that the transcripts of this protein are concentrated in the posterior region of the ovary and vitellaria of female adult worms. Moreover, a phylogenetic analysis has shown that APRT exists in multiple copies originating from gene duplications at the base of the Schistosoma genus. Other enzymes from the purine and pyrimidine salvage pathways have also been found to present multiple copies in schistosomes, suggesting that evolutionary pressure to diversify these genes' families may be related to a specialized role in parasite reproduction.
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, São Paulo University, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil. Electronic address: anazeraik@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana Eliza
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Zeraik
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, São Paulo University, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor Hugo
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Balasco Serrão
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, São Paulo University, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romanello
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, São Paulo University, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Roberta
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Torini
authors.affiliation: Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory, LNNano/CNPEM, Campinas, SP 13083-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassago
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, São Paulo University, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DeMarco
authors.affiliation: São Carlos Institute of Physics, São Paulo University, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil.
authors.forename: Humberto D'Muniz
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000228:Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000201:enzymology; D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D020440:Gene Duplication; D010053:Ovary / Q000201:enzymology*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D000249:Adenosine Monophosphate; D000228:Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase
keywords: Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase; Purine salvage pathway; Schistosoma mansoni