Methionine metabolism

Methionine, an essential amino acid in humans is also essential to all apicomplexans and need to be salvaged from the host. The methionine metabolism pathway in Piroplasma is essential for providing S-adenosylmethionine, the methyl group donor in various reactions. A metabolic capability which is present in Plasmodium falciparum and absent in Coccidia and Piroplasma is the synthesis of polyamines such as spermine and spermidine. This has been incorporated with methionine metabolism in MPMP (methionine and polyamine metabolism). The genes coding for the enzymes ornithine decarboxylase, arginine decarboxylase and spermine/spermidine synthase are absent in the genomes of Piroplasma. The back conversion of putrescine from spermine present in Coccidia is also absent in Piroplasma.

 

Enzyme EC Number Gene id
S-adenosyl-methyltransferase 2.1.1.- TP01_0113
S-adenosyl-methyltransferase 2.1.1.- TP03_0020
Homocysteine S-methyltransferase 2.1.1.10 Missing in annotation
Methionine adenosyl transferase 2.5.1.6 TP04_0893
Adenosylhomocysteinase 3.3.1.1 TP03_0160
Met-tRNA ligase 6.1.1.10 TP01_1212
Met-tRNA ligase 6.1.1.10 TP03_0137
tRNA binding protein none TP02_0124

 

List of genes annotated as tRNA-Met in T. parva genome

 

TP02_0976 TP04_0934 TP05_0051

 

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Sources and fates of metabolites

 

Substrate Source pathways Product Fate pathways
Methionine Host Adenosine Purine metabolism


 

Examples of adenosylmethionine-dependent methyltransferases in Theileria parva genome

 

 

Enzyme EC Number Gene id
DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 2.1.1.37 TP04_0566
mRNA(2'-D-methyladenosine-N6)-methyltransferase 2.1.1.62 TP01_0343