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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

In Vivo Infection with Leishmania amazonensis to Evaluate Parasite Virulence in Mice
Published on: February 20, 2020
Leishmania amazonensis: biosynthesis of polyprenols of 9 isoprene units by amastigotes
Denise Costa Arruda1, Fabio Luiz D'Alexandri, Alejandro M Katzin
1Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, CEP 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
The isoprenoid metabolic pathway in protozoa of the Leishmania genus exhibits distinctive characteristics. These parasites, as well as other members of the Trypanosomatidae family, synthesize ergosterol, instead of cholesterol, as the main membrane sterol lipid. Leishmania has been shown to utilize leucine, instead of acetate as the main precursor for sterol biosynthesis. While mammalian dolichols are molecules containing 15-23 isoprene units, Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes synthesize dolichol of 11 and 12 units. In this paper, we show that the intracellular stages of L. amazonensis, amastigotes, synthesize mainly polyprenols of 9 isoprene units, instead of dolichol.
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