Target intelligence / Profile preview

Dihydropteroate Synthase (Plasmodium falciparum) (DHPS)

Target
DHPS
Molecular classification
Enzyme
01

Overview

Dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) is a key enzyme in the folate biosynthesis pathway of *Plasmodium falciparum*, the parasite responsible for the most severe form of human malaria. DHPS catalyzes the condensation of para-aminobenzoic acid (pABA) with dihydropterin pyrophosphate to produce dihydropteroate, a precursor for folic acid derivatives essential for DNA synthesis and cell division in the parasite. It is a target for sulfa drugs like sulfadoxine. Resistance to these drugs arises from point mutations within the dhps gene that reduce drug binding affinity without abolishing enzymatic function.

02

Mechanism of action

Competitive inhibition at pABA site

03

Biological functions

Folate biosynthesisNucleotide biosynthesis
04

Disease associations

Infection
05

Safety considerations

Drug resistanceReduced treatment efficacy
06

Interacting drugs

Sulfadoxine

2 more in the full profile.

07

Biomarkers

dhps A437G mutationdhps mutations

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