TbPDE1, a novel class I phosphodiesterase of Trypanosoma brucei

Cyclic nucleotide specific phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are important components of all cAMP signalling networks. In humans, 11 different PDE families have been identified to date, all of which belong to the class I PDEs. Pharmacologically, they have become of great interest as targets for the development of drugs for a large variety of clinical conditions. PDEs in parasitic protozoa have not yet been extensively investigated, despite their potential as antiparasitic drug targets. The current study presents the identification and characterization of a novel class I PDE from the parasitic protozoon Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of human sleeping sickness. This enzyme, TbPDE1, is encoded by a single-copy gene located on chromosome 10, and it functionally complements PDE-deficient strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Its C-terminal catalytic domain shares about 30% amino acid identity, including all functionally important residues, with the catalytic domains of human PDEs. A fragment of TbPDE1 containing the catalytic domain could be expressed in active form in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme is specific for cAMP, but exhibits a remarkably high Km of > 600 microm for this substrate.