Post-translational protein modifications in malaria parasites

The modification of proteins by addition of various chemical groups is pervasive at all stages of the life cycle of malaria parasites; such modifications can regulate the activity, localization, interactions and other properties of the target proteins.The post-translational modifications (PTMs) that have been most extensively studied in malaria parasites are phosphorylation (notably in the context of signalling pathways), acetylation and methylation (notably in the context of epigenetic control of gene expression), and lipidation (notably in the context of membrane association).The enzymes that mediate PTM of proteins in malaria parasites fulfil many essential functions along the parasites' life cycle and are, in many instances, sufficiently divergent from their mammalian homologues to provide opportunities for selective inhibition by small molecules; therefore, they are attractive potential targets for novel curative and/or transmission-blocking antimalarial drugs.