Biochemical characterization of a low-affinity arginine permease from the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi

Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, uses arginine for several metabolic processes, including energy reserves management. In the present work, a novel low-affinity arginine transport system has been studied. Maximum velocity (97 pmol min −1 per 10 7 cells), and an estimate for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEMS microbiology letters 2004-07, Vol.236 (1), p.79-84
Main Authors: Canepa, Gaspar E, Silber, Ariel M, Bouvier, León A, Pereira, Claudio A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino acid transporter
Arginine
Chagas disease
Metabolite transport
Trypanosoma cruzi
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Summary:Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, uses arginine for several metabolic processes, including energy reserves management. In the present work, a novel low-affinity arginine transport system has been studied. Maximum velocity (97 pmol min −1 per 10 7 cells), and an estimate for the apparent K m value (350 μM) of this arginine transporter, were 6-fold and 80-fold higher respectively, when compared with the previously described high-affinity arginine transport system. This transport activity seems to be H +-mediated, presents a broad specificity by other amino acids such as methionine, and is regulated along the parasite growth curve and life cycle.
ISSN:0378-1097
1574-6968
DOI:10.1016/j.femsle.2004.05.021