Role of Heme and Heme-Proteins in Trypanosomatid Essential Metabolic Pathways

Figure 4

Biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids in trypanosomatids. This is an important pathway that takes place in trypanosomatids and has been recently described [39, 40]. Cytochrome b5 operates as the electron donor for desaturation, both as an independent enzyme or as a domain at the N-terminus of the desaturase (wildcards). Δ12, Δ15 (ω3) and Δ4-desaturases are absent from mammalian hosts and are potential targets for trypanocidal agents.