Heme Polymerase (Plasmodium)

Heme polymerase in Plasmodium species is an enzyme implicated in the detoxification of free heme, a toxic byproduct released during the parasite's digestion of host hemoglobin. This process is essential for parasite survival within red blood cells and is a key target for antimalarial drug development. The histidine-rich protein II (HRPII) from Plasmodium falciparum has been identified as a major mediator of this process, catalyzing the conversion of free heme into an insoluble crystalline form called hemozoin.

Other names

Histidine-rich protein II (HRPII)HRP IIHistidine-rich protein III (HRP III)HRP III

Inhibition of heme polymerase, leading to accumulation of toxic free heme within the parasite's digestive vacuole.