Malaria Parasite Metabolic Pathways

Plasmodium Iron-Sulfur [Fe-S] cluster assembly protein Dre2 MAL8P1.31 Recently the screening of protein alkylation targets for artemisinin in Plasmodium falciparum led to identification of Dre2, a protein involved in redox mechanism for the cytoplasmic Fe-S cluster assembly in different organisms. In the present study, to f

Kinases and their inhibitors Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) was initially identified more than two decades ago as an enzyme involved in the control of glycogen metabolism. In recent years it has been shown to have key roles in regulating a diverse range of cellular functions, whic

Progression of nuclear cycle stages in mononucleated parasites Contrary to most studied eukaryotes, which divide by binary fission, the parasite undergoes several rounds of DNA replication and nuclear division that are not directly followed by cytokinesis, resulting in multinucleated cells. Moreover, despite sharing

Dynamics of phospholipid asymmetry and cholesterol uptake upon parasite infection The malaria parasite Plasmodium infects red blood cells and extensively refurbishes these terminally differentiated cells. Cholesterol depletion and an altered intracellular calcium ion homeostasis can lead to disruption in erythrocyte membrane asymmetry

Parasite response to AA depletion Eukaryotes have canonical pathways for responding to amino acid (AA) availability. Under AA-limiting conditions, the TOR complex is repressed, whereas the sensor kinase GCN2 is activated. While these pathways have been highly conserved throughout evolutio

Proposed kidney–brain pathogenic axis in severe falciparum malaria Severe falciparum malaria is a medical emergency and a leading cause of death and neurodisability in endemic areas. Common complications include acute kidney injury (AKI) and cerebral malaria, and recent studies have suggested links between kidney and bra

GEP1/GCa-dependent cGMP signaling pathway : Gametogenesis is an essential step for malaria parasite transmission and is activated in mosquito by signals including temperature drop, pH change, and mosquito-derived xanthurenic acid (XA). Recently, a membrane protein gametogenesis essential protein

Plasmodium proteins involved in host immune evasion The host immune response against the Plasmodium parasite is heterogenous and stage-specific both in the human host and mosquito vector. The Plasmodium parasite virulence is predominantly associated with its ability to evade the host's immune response. Thi

Cell fate decision events during sexual differentiation of malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum parasites undergo repeated rounds of mitotic replication in red blood cells via transitioning through distinct stages (ring, trophozoite, schizont). During every replication cycle, a small fraction of parasites commits to gametocytog

Predicted GPI-anchored proteins The GPI (Glycosylphosphatidylinositol) biosynthetic pathway is a multistep conserved pathway in eukaryotes that culminates in the generation of GPI glycolipid which in turn anchors many proteins (GPI-APs) to the cell surface. Many of the GPI structures an