Crystal structure of phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase from Plasmodium falciparum in complex with amodiaquine

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2012 Aug 1;22(15):4990-3. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.06.032. Epub 2012 Jun 17.

Abstract

Phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PMT) is essential for phospholipid biogenesis in the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PfPMT catalyzes the triple methylation of phosphoethanolamine to produce phosphocholine, which is then used for phosphatidylcholine synthesis. Here we describe the 2.0Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of PfPMT in complex with amodiaquine. To better characterize inhibition of PfPMT by amodiaquine, we determined the IC(50) values of a series of aminoquinolines using a direct radiochemical assay. Both structural and functional analyses provide a possible approach for the development of new small molecule inhibitors of PfPMT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aminoquinolines / chemistry
  • Amodiaquine / chemistry*
  • Binding Sites
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Methyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism
  • Plasmodium falciparum / enzymology*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary

Substances

  • Aminoquinolines
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Amodiaquine
  • Methyltransferases
  • phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase