Molecular genetics of nucleoside transporters in Leishmania and African trypanosomes

Landfear, SM

Sm. Landfear, Molecular genetics of nucleoside transporters in Leishmania and African trypanosomes, BIOCH PHARM, 62(2), 2001, pp. 149-155

42

INGLESE

Editorial Material

Pharmacology & Toxicology

BIOCHEMICAL PHARMACOLOGY

0006-2952 → ACNP

62

2

2001

149 - 155

ISI

0006-2952(20010715)62:2<149:MGONTI>2.0.ZU;2-G

Nucleoside transporters play central roles in the biochemistry of parasitic protozoa such as Leishmania and African trypanosomes, because these parasi tes cannot synthesize purines de novo and are absolutely reliant upon purin e salvage from their hosts. Furthermore, nucleoside transporters are import ant to the pharmacology of these significant human pathogens, because they mediate the uptake of purine analogs, as well as some non-purine drugs, tha t are selectively cytotoxic to the parasites. Recent advances in molecular biology and genomics have allowed the cloning and functional expression of several nucleoside transporter genes from Leishmania donovani and Trypanoso ma brucei, providing molecular reagents for a detailed functional examinati on of these permeases and their role in the delivery of nutrients and drugs to the parasites. Furthermore, the molecular basis of drug-resistant mutan ts that are deficient in nucleoside transport functions can now be fathomed . (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.