Analysis of genetic and structural similarity of transferrin receptor in trypanosomatids and their hosts

摘要

Iron (Fe) is a very important element for parasites and hosts. Vital events as oxidative metabolism,oxygen transport, DNA synthesis and other, require iron to occur. Mammals evolved an Iron delivery systemthat involves serum iron chelator proteins. The unavailability of Iron on mammalian blood prevents access ofparasites to it. The most common iron chelating protein is transferrin (Tf), which is internalized into the targetcell after linked to the transferrin receptor (TfR). This system is not fully efficient to avoid parasites of the genusTrypanosoma, which also express a Transferrin Receptor. The objective of this study was to compare, in silico,the primary structure similarity between transferrin receptor of human (mammalian host) and of theTrypanosoma brucei parasite.