Hemoglobin degradation.
Hemoglobin degradation by Plasmodium is a massive catabolic process within the parasite food vacuole that is important for the organism's survival in its host erythrocyte. A proteolytic pathway is responsible for generating amino acids from hemoglobin. Each of the enzymes involved has its own peculiarities to be exploited for development of antimalarial agents that will starve the parasite or result in build-up of toxic intermediates. There are a number of unanswered questions concerning the cell biology, biochemistry and metabolic roles of this crucial pathway.
Goldberg
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Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Medicine, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. goldberg@borcim.wustl.edu
D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D006454:Hemoglobins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C099607:falcipain; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C089643:plasmepsin; D008666:Metalloendopeptidases; C400754:falcilysin protein, Plasmodium falciparum