Pyrimidine transport activities in trypanosomes

Abstract

Parasites of the Trypanosomatidae family are unable to synthesize purines. Instead, they rely on their hosts to supply these necessary compounds. The article by Gudin et al. identifies three transport mechanisms of the equilibrative nucleoside transporter family by which nucleosides and nucleobases are transported in this medically important family of organisms. The work by Gudin et al. characterizes the dynamics of these transporters and points to further areas for future genetic and therapeutic experiments.