In eukaryotes, effective calcium homeostasis is critical for many key biological processes. There is an added level of complexity in parasites, particularly multicellular helminth worms, which modulate calcium levels while inhabiting the host microenvironment. Parasites ensure efficient calcium homeostasis through gene products, such as the calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMK), the main focus of this review. The importance of CaMK is becoming increasingly apparent from recent functional studies of helminth and protozoan parasites. Investigations on the molecular regulation of calcium and the role of CaMK are important for both supplementing current drug regimens and finding new antiparasitic compounds. Whereas calcium regulators, including CaMK, are well characterised in mammalian systems, knowledge of their functional properties in parasites is increasing but is still in its infancy.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
December 2018
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
Dysfunctional cytoskeleton and neurodegeneration: novel pathways in Parkinson's disease? This image represents the degeneration of the neuronal tree during the aging process. In this issue Civiero et al. discuss the consequence of impaired cytoskeletal dynamics on neurite morphology and neuronal physiology in Parkinson's disease. For further details see pages 1653–1663.
Review Article|
November 12 2018
Calcium and Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent kinase II as targets for helminth parasite control
Sujeevi S. K. Nawaratna;
Sujeevi S. K. Nawaratna
1QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
2School of Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia
Search for other works by this author on:
Hong You;
Hong You
1QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
Search for other works by this author on:
Malcolm K. Jones;
Malcolm K. Jones
3School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
Search for other works by this author on:
Donald P. McManus;
Donald P. McManus
1QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
Search for other works by this author on:
Geoffrey N. Gobert
4School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, U.K.
Correspondence: Geoffrey N. Gobert (G.Gobert@qub.ac.uk)
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
May 17 2018
Revision Received:
September 07 2018
Accepted:
October 01 2018
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2018
Biochem Soc Trans (2018) 46 (6): 1743–1751.
Article history
Received:
May 17 2018
Revision Received:
September 07 2018
Accepted:
October 01 2018
Citation
Sujeevi S. K. Nawaratna, Hong You, Malcolm K. Jones, Donald P. McManus, Geoffrey N. Gobert; Calcium and Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent kinase II as targets for helminth parasite control. Biochem Soc Trans 17 December 2018; 46 (6): 1743–1751. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20180480
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Captcha Validation Error. Please try again.