Plasmodium falciparum 80S Ribosomal Subunit (Pf80S)

The Plasmodium falciparum 80S ribosomal subunit (Pf80S) is the cytoplasmic ribosome of the malaria parasite P. falciparum, responsible for protein synthesis during its asexual blood stage. As in other eukaryotes, it consists of two subunits: the small 40S and large 60S subunits. However, Pf80S displays unique structural features that distinguish it from human and yeast ribosomes, making it an attractive target for antimalarial drug development. Several antimalarial drugs act by targeting this complex; for example, emetine binds within the E-site cleft, and mefloquine directly binds within the GTPase-associated center. These findings enable rational design of new derivatives with improved efficacy based on structure–activity relationships.

Other names

P. falciparum 80S ribosomeP. falciparum cytoplasmic ribosome

Inhibition of protein synthesis