Eimeria thiamine transporter (THT) (THT)

Eimeria thiamine transporters are specialized membrane proteins essential for the survival and pathogenesis of Eimeria species, the protozoan parasites responsible for coccidiosis in livestock and poultry (PubMed: 16513287). These parasites are auxotrophic for thiamine (vitamin B1) and must scavenge it from the host environment to support critical metabolic pathways, such as the citric acid cycle and pentose phosphate pathway, where thiamine pyrophosphate is a mandatory cofactor. The transporter facilitates the active movement of thiamine across the parasite's plasma membrane. The veterinary drug amprolium serves as a competitive inhibitor of this transporter due to its structural similarity to thiamine (PubChem: CID 2151). By blocking thiamine uptake, amprolium induces a state of vitamin deficiency within the parasite, effectively halting its life cycle during the first-generation schizont stage. This target is a cornerstone of coccidiosis management, though its efficacy can be limited by the development of parasite resistance and the potential for host thiamine deficiency if administered at excessive doses (ScienceDirect: Veterinary Parasitology).

Other names

Thiamine transport proteinVitamin B1 transporterAmprolium-sensitive thiamine transporterEtTHT1

Competitive inhibition of thiamine uptake