The causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, metabolizes glucose through two major pathways: glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway. Glucose is taken up via one facilitated transporter and its catabolism by the glycolytic pathway leads to the excretion of reduced products, succinate and l-alanine, even in the presence of oxygen; the first six enzymes are located in a peroxisome-like organelle, the glycosome, and the lack of regulatory controls in hexokinase and phosphofructokinase results in the lack of the Pasteur effect. All of the enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway are present in the four major stages of the parasite's life cycle, and some of them are possible targets for chemotherapy. The gluconeogenic enzymes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase are present, but there is no reserve polysaccharide.
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October 2011
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Review Article|
October 24 2011
Glucose metabolism in Trypanosoma cruzi
Dante A. Maugeri
;
Dante A. Maugeri
1Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH, UNSAM – CONICET), Av. Gral. Paz 5445, INTI, Edificio 24, 1650 San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Joaquin J.B. Cannata
;
Joaquin J.B. Cannata
1Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH, UNSAM – CONICET), Av. Gral. Paz 5445, INTI, Edificio 24, 1650 San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Juan-José Cazzulo
Juan-José Cazzulo
1
1Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas – Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH, UNSAM – CONICET), Av. Gral. Paz 5445, INTI, Edificio 24, 1650 San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (jcazzulo@iibintech.com.ar).
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Essays Biochem (2011) 51: 15–30.
Citation
Roberto Docampo, Dante A. Maugeri, Joaquin J.B. Cannata, Juan-José Cazzulo; Glucose metabolism in Trypanosoma cruzi. Essays Biochem 24 October 2011; 51 15–30. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bse0510015
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