Cheryl Ingram-Smith

Assistant Professor

 

Email:  cheryli@clemson.edu

 

Education:

Ph.D., Molecular Biology, University of Pennsylvania SOM, 2003

B.S., Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1986

 

The overall goal of my research is to provide a better understanding of energy metabolism in the pathogenic protist Entamoeba histolytica. This microbe is a scavenger that lacks ATP-generating mitochondria and hydrogenosomes as well as many common metabolic pathways. Thus, glycolysis is thought to be a primary pathway for ATP production. Glycolysis and the downstream conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA and subsequently to acetate are atypical in several ways in E. histolytica. The glycolytic enzymes phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase are replaced by PPi-dependent phosphofructokinase and PPi-dependent pyruvate phosphate dikinase, and pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase replaces pyruvate dehydrogenase for conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. As acetyl-CoA cannot enter the citric acid cycle, ADP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase (Ads) is present in E. histolytica to break down acetyl-CoA to generate additional ATP and recycle CoA. In addition, a PPi-forming acetate kinase (Ack) is present that may serve to supply PPi for glycolysis. My research focuses on the enzymology and physiological role of Ads and Ack.