title: Plasmodium falciparum: organelle-specific acquisition of lipoic acid.
abstract: Lipoic acid is an essential cofactor of multienzyme complexes that are integral to energy metabolism, amino acid degradation and folate metabolism. In recent years it has been shown that the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum possesses organelle-specific pathways that guarantee the lipoylation of their multienzyme complexes which occur in the mitochondrion (LA salvage) and in a plastid-like organelle, the apicoplast (LA biosynthesis). The unique distribution of the lipoylation machineries and the unique metabolic requirements of the parasites present a situation that is potentially exploitable for new ways to improve malaria control.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection & Immunity, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, Faculty of Biomedical Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
authors.forename: Svenja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Storm
authors.forename: Sylke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D015388:Organelles / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008063:Thioctic Acid