LmxMPK4, a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase homologue essential for promastigotes and amastigotes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leishmania mexicana</Emphasis>
(1) Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Parasitology Section, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, D-20359 Hamburg, Germany
Abstract:
Background
Leishmania parasites undergo profound morphological and biochemical changes while passing through their life cycle. Protein kinases
have been shown to be involved in the differentiation from the extracellular flagellated promastigotes to the intracellular
"non-flagellated" amastigotes and vice versa. Moreover, these enzymes are likely involved in the regulation of the proliferation
of the different life stages.