title: Apicoplast translation, transcription and genome replication: targets for antimalarial antibiotics.
abstract: Several antibiotics possess antimalarial properties, although the mechanisms by which they kill malaria parasites have been poorly understood. Recent data suggest that the target for multiple antimalarial antibiotics is the apicoplast, a chloroplast-like organelle of uncertain function. Translation inhibitors (such as tetracyclines, clindamycin and macrolides) and gyrase inhibitors (such as ciprofloxacin) cause modest antimalarial effects initially but are much more potent against the progeny of treated parasites. These progeny inherit nonfunctional apicoplasts, suggesting that blocking production of apicoplast proteins causes the 'delayed-death effect'. Interestingly, the antibiotics thiostrepton and rifampin are fast acting and might target additional processes outside the apicoplast.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Box 0811, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Erica L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015388:Organelles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000962:Antimalarials; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins