Plasmodium falciparum possesses organelle-specific α-keto acid dehydrogenase complexes and lipoylation pathways

Abstract

The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum possesses a single mitochondrion and a plastid-like organelle called the apicoplast. Both organelles contain members of the KADH (α-keto acid dehydrogenase) complexes – multienzyme complexes that are involved in intermediate metabolism. In the asexual blood stage forms of the parasites, the α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and branched chain KADH complexes are both located in the mitochondrion, whereas the pyruvate dehydrogenase is exclusively found in the apicoplast. In agreement with this distribution, Plasmodium parasites have two separate and organelle-specific pathways that guarantee lipoylation of the KADH complexes in both organelles. A bi..