Identification of a Putative Metal Transporter in the Apicoplast of Malaria Parasites - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #metal transporter
- #malaria parasite
- #apicoplast
- Researchers identified an uncharacterized transmembrane protein (UCT) in the apicoplast of Plasmodium falciparum using tetracycline-affinity proteomics.
- UCT has a predicted structure similar to CorA-family metal transporters, suggesting a role in metal import into the apicoplast.
- UCT is dispensable in blood-stage asexual parasites but its knockdown impairs gametocyte development, which is crucial for mosquito transmission.
- The study highlights UCT as a potential target for understanding apicoplast metal transport mechanisms across parasite life stages.