Trichinella spiralis thymidylate synthase: developmental pattern, isolation, molecular properties, and inhibition of substrate and cofactor analogues

Thymidylate synthase specific activity was found to remain at a constant level in crude extracts from muscle larvae, isolated (1-15 months after infection) by pepsin-HCl digestion, as well as from adult worms of Trichinella spiralis. The enzyme was purified and its molecular (monomer mol. wt 35 kD) and kinetic (sequential mechanism with the Km values 3.1 and 19 micromolar for dUMP and N5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate, respectively) properties determined. 5-Fluoro-dUMP was a competitive, slow-binding inhibitor of the parasite enzyme. N5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate analogues 10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate (CB3717), ZD1694, BW1843U89, and AG337 were weaker inhibitors of the parasite than regenerating rat liver enzyme. Inhibition by 10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolate was strengthened by an increasing number of glutamate residues. Thymidine kinase activity could not be detected in the muscle larvae crude extracts.