Identification of a RAC/AKT-like gene in Leishmania parasites as a putative therapeutic target in leishmaniasis

Abstract

Our data suggest that Ld-RAC/AKT-like protein represents a Leishmania orthologue of mammalian AKT involved in parasite stress response and survival, and therefore could become a novel therapeutic and druggable target in leishmaniasis therapy. In addition, following comparative sequence analyses, we found the RAC/AKT-like proteins from Leishmania constitute a subgroup by themselves within a general AKT-like protein family.