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Updated: May 6, 2026

Author Spotlight: Identifying Compensatory Pathways in Malaria Parasites Containing Hypomorphic Allele of Essential Protein Kinases
Published on: November 22, 2024
Structure of the (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl-diphosphate reductase from Plasmodium falciparum
Ingo Rekittke1, Elena Olkhova, Jochen Wiesner
1Medizinische Klinik IV (Hämatologie), Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Klinikstrasse 33, D-35392 Giessen, Germany.
Abstract:
Terpenoid precursor biosynthesis occurs in human and many pathogenic organisms via the mevalonate and 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathways, respectively. We determined the X-ray structure of the Fe/S containing (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl-diphosphate reductase (LytB) of the pathogenic protozoa Plasmodium falciparum which catalyzes the terminal step of the MEP pathway. The cloverleaf fold and the active site of P. falciparum LytB corresponds to those of the Aquifex aeolicus and Escherichia coli enzymes. Its distinct electron donor [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin was modeled to its binding site by docking calculations. The presented structural data provide a platform for a rational search of anti-malarian drugs.
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