Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. It bears a significant global health burden with limited treatment options, thus calling for the development of new and effective drugs. Certain trypanosomal metabolic enzymes have been suggested to be druggable and valid for subsequent inhibition. In this study, the crystal structure of glycerol kinase from T. cruzi, a key enzyme in glycerol metabolism in this parasite, is presented. Structural analysis allowed a detailed description of the glycerol binding pocket, while comparative assessment pinpointed a potential regulatory site which may serve as a target for selective inhibition. These findings advance the understanding of glycerol metabolism in eukaryotes and provide a solid basis for the future treatment of Chagas disease.

中文翻译：

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克氏锥虫甘油激酶的晶体结构，恰加斯病的潜在分子靶点。


恰加斯病是一种被忽视的热带疾病，由原生动物寄生虫克氏锥虫引起。它承担着巨大的全球健康负担，而治疗选择有限，因此需要开发新的有效药物。某些锥虫代谢酶已被认为是可药物化的并且对于随后的抑制有效。在这项研究中，介绍了来自克氏锥虫的甘油激酶的晶体结构，甘油激酶是这种寄生虫甘油代谢的关键酶。结构分析允许对甘油结合袋进行详细描述，而比较评估则确定了可能作为选择性抑制靶标的潜在调节位点。这些发现增进了对真核生物甘油代谢的理解，并为未来治疗恰加斯病提供了坚实的基础。