de novo biosynthesis of heme offers a new chemotherapeutic target in the human malarial parasite.
The human malarial parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, has been found to synthesize heme de novo, despite the accumulation of large quantities of polymeric heme derived from the hemoglobin of the red cell host. The parasite delta-aminolevulinate dehydrase level is significantly lower than that of the host and its inhibition by succinylacetone leads to inhibition of parasite protein synthesis and viability.
Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
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Surolia
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Padmanaban
D000624:5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D005971:Glutamates / Q000378:metabolism; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006418:Heme / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006537:Heptanoates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007532:Isoleucine / Q000378:metabolism; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis
D005971:Glutamates; D006537:Heptanoates; D007532:Isoleucine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006418:Heme; C020804:succinylacetone; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; D000624:5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase