The involvement of proteases in hemoglobin digestion occurs both within the food vacuole and cytosol, contributing to the breakdown of hemoglobin. The aspartic proteases (plasmepsins) which initiate the process of digestion are followed by the cysteine proteases (falcipains and DPAP) and metalloproteases (falcilysin, PfA-M1, M17, M18, PfLAP, and PfAPP). The terminal processing pathway's specifics, nevertheless, are still not entirely clear. Mahanta PJ, Lhouvum K. Plasmodium falciparum proteases as new drug targets with special focus on metalloproteases. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 2024 258:111617. PMID: 38554736.