Recent Advances in the [Fe-S] Cluster Biogenesis (SUF) Pathway Functional in the Apicoplast of Plasmodium.

Zarna Rajeshkumar Pala, Vishal Saxena, Gagandeep Singh Saggu, Shilpi Garg

Journal: Trends in parasitology 2019;34(9):800-809

PMID: 30064903

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Iron-sulfur [Fe-S] clusters are one of the most ancient, ubiquitous, structurally and functionally versatile natural biosynthetic prosthetic groups required by various proteins involved in important metabolic processes. Genome mining and localization studies in Plasmodium have shown two evolutionarily distinct biogenesis pathways: the ISC pathway in mitochondria and the SUF pathway in the apicoplast. In recent years, the myriad efforts made to elucidate the SUF pathway have deciphered the role of various proteins involved in the pathway and their importance for the parasite life cycle in both asexual and sexual stages. This review aims to discuss recent research in the apicoplast [Fe-S] biogenesis pathway from Plasmodium to enhance our current understanding of parasite biology with an overall aim to identify gaps to strengthen our fight against malaria.

Address: Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India.; Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergic and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.; Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India. Electronic address: [email protected].

DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2018.05.010