Isoprenoid biosynthesis in the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 106 Suppl 1; no. suppl 1; pp. 134 - 141
• Main Authors: Jordão, Fabiana Morandi, Kimura, Emília Akemi, Katzin, Alejandro Miguel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde 01.08.2011; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
• Subjects: Carotenoids - biosynthesis; Dolichol - biosynthesis; Erythrocytes - parasitology; Humans; isoprenoids; malaria; methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway; PARASITOLOGY; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - growth & development; Plasmodium falciparum - metabolism; Protein Prenylation - physiology; Terpenes - metabolism; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Ubiquinone - biosynthesis; Vitamin K 2 - metabolism; Plasmodium falciparum; methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway; malaria; isoprenoids
• ISSN: 0074-0276; 1678-8060; 1678-8060; 0074-0276
• DOI: 10.1590/S0074-02762011000900018

The development of new drugs is one strategy for malaria control. Biochemical pathways localised in the apicoplast of the parasite, such as the synthesis of isoprenic precursors, are excellent targets because they are different or absent in the human host. Isoprenoids are a large and highly diverse group of natural products with many functions and their synthesis is essential for the parasite's survival. During the last few years, the genes, enzymes, intermediates and mechanisms of this biosynthetic route have been elucidated. In this review, we comment on some aspects of the methylerythritol phosphate pathway and discuss the presence of diverse isoprenic products such as dolichol, ubiquinone, carotenoids, menaquinone and isoprenylated proteins, which are biosynthesised during the intraerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum.