Biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in Pneumocystis*
Advances in sequencing the Pneumocystis carinii genome have helped identify potential metabolic pathways operative in the organism. Also, data from characterizing the biochemical and physiological nature of these organisms now allow elucidation of metabolic pathways as well as pose new challenges an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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EDP Sciences
2010-12-01
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| Series: | Parasite |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2010174285 |
| _version_ | 1797426522237173760 |
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| author | Kaneshiro E.S. |
| author_facet | Kaneshiro E.S. |
| author_sort | Kaneshiro E.S. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Advances in sequencing the Pneumocystis carinii genome have helped identify potential metabolic pathways operative in the organism. Also, data from characterizing the biochemical and physiological nature of these organisms now allow elucidation of metabolic pathways as well as pose new challenges and questions that require additional experiments. These experiments are being performed despite the difficulty in doing experiments directly on this pathogen that has yet to be subcultured indefinitely and produce mass numbers of cells in vitro. This article reviews biochemical approaches that have provided insights into several Pneumocystis metabolic pathways. It focuses on 1) S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet; SAM), which is a ubiquitous participant in numerous cellular reactions; 2) sterols: focusing on oxidosqualene cyclase that forms lanosterol in P. carinii; SAM:sterol C-24 methyltransferase that adds methyl groups at the C-24 position of the sterol side chain; and sterol 14α-demethylase that removes a methyl group at the C-14 position of the sterol nucleus; and 3) synthesis of ubiquinone homologs, which play a pivotal role in mitochondrial inner membrane and other cellular membrane electron transport. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:31:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14f5a2daa20a497d834e302febc63cc2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1252-607X 1776-1042 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T08:31:27Z |
| publishDate | 2010-12-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasite |
| spelling | doaj.art-14f5a2daa20a497d834e302febc63cc22023-12-02T19:35:14ZengEDP SciencesParasite1252-607X1776-10422010-12-0117428529110.1051/parasite/2010174285parasite2010174p285Biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in Pneumocystis*Kaneshiro E.S.Advances in sequencing the Pneumocystis carinii genome have helped identify potential metabolic pathways operative in the organism. Also, data from characterizing the biochemical and physiological nature of these organisms now allow elucidation of metabolic pathways as well as pose new challenges and questions that require additional experiments. These experiments are being performed despite the difficulty in doing experiments directly on this pathogen that has yet to be subcultured indefinitely and produce mass numbers of cells in vitro. This article reviews biochemical approaches that have provided insights into several Pneumocystis metabolic pathways. It focuses on 1) S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet; SAM), which is a ubiquitous participant in numerous cellular reactions; 2) sterols: focusing on oxidosqualene cyclase that forms lanosterol in P. carinii; SAM:sterol C-24 methyltransferase that adds methyl groups at the C-24 position of the sterol side chain; and sterol 14α-demethylase that removes a methyl group at the C-14 position of the sterol nucleus; and 3) synthesis of ubiquinone homologs, which play a pivotal role in mitochondrial inner membrane and other cellular membrane electron transport.http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2010174285S-adenosyl-L-methionineatovaquonebuparvaquonechorismateerg6erg7erg11sam1geneslanosterol synthaselungmicrosomesmitochondrianicotinep-hydroxybenzoatepneumocysterolshikimatesterol 14α-demethylasesterol C-24-methyltransferasestigmatellintriazolesubiquinones (Coenzyme Q, CoQ) |
| spellingShingle | Kaneshiro E.S. Biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in Pneumocystis* Parasite S-adenosyl-L-methionine atovaquone buparvaquone chorismate erg6 erg7 erg11 sam1 genes lanosterol synthase lung microsomes mitochondria nicotine p-hydroxybenzoate pneumocysterol shikimate sterol 14α-demethylase sterol C-24-methyltransferase stigmatellin triazoles ubiquinones (Coenzyme Q, CoQ) |
| title | Biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in Pneumocystis* |
| title_full | Biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in Pneumocystis* |
| title_fullStr | Biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in Pneumocystis* |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in Pneumocystis* |
| title_short | Biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in Pneumocystis* |
| title_sort | biochemical research elucidating metabolic pathways in pneumocystis |
| topic | S-adenosyl-L-methionine atovaquone buparvaquone chorismate erg6 erg7 erg11 sam1 genes lanosterol synthase lung microsomes mitochondria nicotine p-hydroxybenzoate pneumocysterol shikimate sterol 14α-demethylase sterol C-24-methyltransferase stigmatellin triazoles ubiquinones (Coenzyme Q, CoQ) |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2010174285 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kaneshiroes biochemicalresearchelucidatingmetabolicpathwaysinpneumocystis |