Plasmepsin IX and Plasmepsin X (PMIX and PMX)

Plasmepsin IX and Plasmepsin X are aspartic protease enzymes encoded by the malaria parasite *Plasmodium falciparum*. PMIX is critical for invasion of erythrocytes, playing a role in the biogenesis of rhoptry secretory organelles. PMX is central to both egress (the exit of merozoites from infected red blood cells) and subsequent invasion into new erythrocytes; it mediates maturation/activation of the subtilisin-like protease SUB1 and processes proteins central to merozoite biology. Both enzymes are essential for parasite survival in the asexual blood stage and, unlike other plasmepsins, are validated drug targets for novel antimalarial agents, with multiple specific inhibitors under investigation for their ability to block the malaria parasite lifecycle in preclinical models[1][2][3][4][6][7][8][9].

Other names

PMIXPMXAspartic protease IXAspartic protease X

Inhibition of protease activity, blocking parasite egress from host erythrocyte and/or subsequent invasion Disruption of maturation/activation of key proteins (e.g., SUB1, PCRCR complex members) essential for parasite replication