González LAN, Baca CS, Pastrana PC, Saavedra E, Belmont DJA

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 156-160
PDF size: 793.32 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) is a pyridoxal 5-phosphate-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the condensation of a homocysteine molecule with a serine molecule to form cystathionine. This reaction constitutes the first step of the transsulfuration pathway, which has the formation of cysteine as its final product. Cysteine plays a key role in the antioxidant defense of Trypanosoma cruzi, the hemoflagellate parasite that causes Chagas disease. Due to the critical role of CBS in the antioxidant metabolism of Trypanosoma cruzi and its significant structural difference with its human counterpart, CBS is a good candidate as a therapeutic target against Chagas disease. In the present work, a kinetic analysis of the enzyme cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) is carried out with the aim of exploring its kinetic mechanism.