Question

Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria-causing parasite, has some unique constraints on its nucleotide metabolism. The parasite is unable to synthesize purine rings via the de novo pathway and cannot salvage preformed pyrimidine nucleosides. Thus, it must use preformed purine nucleosides from the red blood cell host and synthesize pyrimidines de novo. Given the above information, which two enzymes of nucleotide metabolism would you target for inhibition to control growth of Plasmodium falciparum? Why?

Answer 1