Modeling of phosphomethyl pyrimidine kinase from Leptospira interrogans serovar lai strain 56601

Many microorganisms, as well as plants and fungi, synthesize thiamin, but vertebrates do not produce it.
Phosphomethyl pyrimidine kinase is an enzyme involved in an intermediary step of thiamin biosynthesis from purine
molecules. This enzyme is absent in humans. Thus, it is a potential chemotherapeutic target for antileptospiral
treatment. Structure of this enzyme from Leptospira interrogans serovar lai strain 56601 has not yet been elucidated.
We used the structural template of phosphomethyl pyrimidine kinase from Thermus thermophilus HB8 for modeling
the phosphomethyl pyrimidine kinase structure from Leptospira interrogans serovar lai strain 56601. The model is
deposited in Protein Data Bank (PDB ID: 2G53) at RCSB. Thus, we analyse and propose the usefulness of the
modeled phosphomethyl pyrimidine kinase for the design of suitable inhibitors towards the treatment of leptospirosis.