Plasmodium falciparum peroxide antimalarial targets (null)

Plasmodium endoperoxide targets encompass diverse parasite proteins, primarily those involved in redox homeostasis, as well as heme, which bioactivates endoperoxide drugs like artemisinin and ozonides by iron-catalyzed cleavage of the endoperoxide bridge. The resulting radicals alkylate - i.e., covalently modify - dozens to hundreds of parasite proteins, leading to disrupted redox balance, proteome damage, and ultimately parasite death[1][8]. These targets are chemically and functionally heterogeneous and are not unified by sequence or structure; "endoperoxide targets" is thus a functional and chemical rather than a precise molecular designation. The emergence of resistance (notably via Kelch13 mutations) does not correspond to direct mutation of these target proteins but rather to alterations in the parasite’s stress response[1]. Note: There is no single, universally accepted "Plasmodium endoperoxide receptor" or named protein; instead, the targets are numerous and were identified via chemoproteomics approaches[1][8]. This collective term cannot be mapped to a gene or protein database entry.

Other names

artemisinin targetsperoxide antimalarial targetsPlasmodium peroxide targets

Alkylation of redox-related proteins and heme, leading to disruption of parasite redox homeostasis and widespread proteome damage[1][8]. Generation of free radicals following activation by heme or iron within the parasite, leading to macromolecular damage[5].