The shikimate pathway and its branches in apicomplexan parasites

C W Roberts, F Roberts, R E Lyons, M J Kirisits, E J Mui, J Finnerty, J J Johnson, D J P Ferguson, J R Coggins, T Krell, G H Coombs, W K Milhous, D E Kyle, S Tzipori, J Barnwell, J B Dame, J Carlton, R McLeod, Craig Roberts

Research output: Contribution to journalConference Contributionpeer-review

145 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The shikimate pathway is essential for production of a plethora of aromatic compounds in plants, bacteria, and fungi. Seven enzymes of the shikimate pathway catalyze sequential conversion of erythrose 4-phosphate and phosphoenol pyruvate to chorismate. Chorismate is then used as a substrate for other pathways that culminate in production of folates, ubiquinone, napthoquinones, and the aromatic amino acids tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. The shikimate pathway is absent from animals and present in the apicomplexan parasites Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium falciparum, and Cryptosporidium parvum. Inhibition of the pathway by glyphosate is effective in controlling growth of these parasites. These findings emphasize the potential benefits of developing additional effective inhibitors of the shikimate pathway. Such inhibitors may function as broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents that are effective against bacterial and fungal pathogens and apicomplexan parasites.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S25-S36
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume185
Issue numberSupplement 1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2002
EventSymposium on Insights on Infection and Immunity - PALO ALTO, United States
Duration: 19 Jan 200119 Jan 2001

Keywords

  • 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase
  • escherichia-coli k-12
  • 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-PHOSPHATE SYNTHASE
  • saccharomyces-cerevisiae
  • plasmodium-falciparum
  • chorismate synthase
  • herbicide glyphosate
  • toxoplasma-gondii
  • euglena-gracilis
  • EPSP synthase

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