Polyamine metabolism of filaria and allied parasites

Putrescine and the polyamines spermidine and spermine occur both in prokaroytes and in eukaryotes where they seem intimately involved in regulatory processes of cellular growth and differentiation. They seem to play an important role related to the biosynthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, although at the molecular level their precise function remains unclear. In general, prokaryotes utilize putrescine and spermidine while eukaryotes tend to have higher concentrations of spermidine and spermine compared to putrescine(1-3.) Differences in polyamine metabolism between parasites and their hosts suggest several potential targets for chemotherapeutic attack As Rolf Walter discusses here, such approaches have already been exploited for African trypanosomes and also offer some leads for the chemotherapy of helminth infections.