Abstract
A major difference between the metabolism of Leishmania species amastigotes and cultured promastigotes was found in the area of CO 2 fixation and phosphoenolpyruvate metabolism. Malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (EC 4.1.1.49) were at much higher activities in amastigotes than promastigotes of both L. m. mexicana and L. donovani, whereas the reverse was true of pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40). Pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1) and malic enzyme (carboxylating) (EC 1.1.1.40) could not be detected in L. m. mexicana amastigotes. Promastigotes of L. m. mexicana had a high NAD-linked glutamate dehydrogenase activity in comparison to amastigotes, whereas NADP-linked glutamate dehydrogenase activity was detected only in amastigotes. Leishmania m. mexicana culture promastigotes were killed in vitro by the trivalent antimonial Triostam (LD 50, 20 μg/ml) and the trivalent arsenical melarsen oxide (LD 50, 20 μg/ml), but they were unaffected by Pentostam. Neither antimonial drug significantly inhibited leishmanial hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.2), phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11), pyruvate kinase, malate dehydrogenase or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, whereas melarsen oxide was a potent inhibitor of all the enzymes tested except phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
