Long known infections such as malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhea are still at the top of the list of killer diseases. Rapid emergence of resistance to drugs emphasizes the need for continuous research to identify novel targets in the microbes for developing effective drugs . Glycolytic Pathway of Malaria Parasite Malaria is caused by the intracellular parasitic protozoa, Plasmodium. Of the four species that causes disease in humans, P. falciparum is the most lethal and is responsible for majority of the 2-3 million deaths annually worldwide. In the intraerythrocytic cycle of its life malaria parasite requires high level of energy.
Glycolysis serves as the major source of energy.
Glucose consumption by the parastized erythrocyte is 25 to 50 fold greater than the rate in the uninfected erythrocyte. Malaria parasite employs a complete set of its own glycolytic enzymes. Several of these enzymes are being studied in this laboratory. The aim of this research is to identify the biochemical and structural differences between the host enzymes and their mammalian homologs. Lactate Dehydrogenase catalyzes the last step in the glycolytic pathway, the conversion of pyruvate to lactate.