Enlightening the molecular basis of trypanothione specificity in trypanosomatids: Mutagenesis of Leishmania infantum glyoxalase II

► A double mutant Y291R and C294K Leishmania infantum GLO2 enzyme was created. ► The new GLO2 mutein is able to use the glutathione thioester substrate. ► The mutant protein is an equally efficient catalyst towards both trypanothione and glutathione thioesters. ► A structural homology model was built to explain trypanothione specificity.