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3 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 3
Targeting glycolysis in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract (Expand)

Glycolysis is the main pathway for ATP production in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and essential for its survival. Following a sensitivity analysis of a detailed kinetic model for glycolysis … in the parasite, the glucose transport reaction was identified as the step whose activity needed to be inhibited to the least extent to result in a 50% reduction in glycolytic flux. In a subsequent inhibitor titration with cytochalasin B, we confirmed the model analysis experimentally and measured a flux control coefficient of 0.3 for the glucose transporter. In addition to the glucose transporter, the glucokinase and phosphofructokinase had high flux control coefficients, while for the ATPase a small negative flux control coefficient was predicted. In a broader comparative analysis of glycolytic models, we identified a weakness in the P. falciparum pathway design with respect to stability towards perturbations in the ATP demand.

Authors: David D. van Niekerk, Gerald P. Penkler, Francois du Toit, Jacky L. Snoep

Date Published: 1st Feb 2016

Publication Type: Not specified

Quantitative analysis of drug effects at the whole-body level: a case study for glucose metabolism in malaria patients

Abstract (Expand)

We propose a hierarchical modelling approach to construct models for disease states at the whole-body level. Such models can simulate effects of drug-induced inhibition of reaction steps on the whole-body … physiology. We illustrate the approach for glucose metabolism in malaria patients, by merging two detailed kinetic models for glucose metabolism in the parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the human red blood cell with a coarse-grained model for whole-body glucose metabolism. In addition we use a genome-scale metabolic model for the parasite to predict amino acid production profiles by the malaria parasite that can be used as a complex biomarker.

Authors: J. L. Snoep, K. Green, J. Eicher, D. C. Palm, G. Penkler, F. du Toit, N. Walters, R. Burger, H. V. Westerhoff, D. D. van Niekerk

Date Published: 27th Nov 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Construction and validation of a detailed kinetic model of glycolysis in Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract (Expand)

The enzymes in the Embden–Meyerhof–Parnas pathway of Plasmodium falciparum trophozoites were kinetically characterized and their integrated activities analyzed in a mathematical model. For validation … of the model, we compared model predictions for steady-state fluxes and metabolite concentrations of the hexose phosphates with experimental values for intact parasites. The model, which is completely based on kinetic parameters that were measured for the individual enzymes, gives an accurate prediction of the steady-state fluxes and intermediate concentrations. This is the first detailed kinetic model for glucose metabolism in P. falciparum, one of the most prolific malaria-causing protozoa, and the high predictive power of the model makes it a strong tool for future drug target identification studies. The modelling workflow is transparent and reproducible, and completely documented in the SEEK platform, where all experimental data and model files are available for download.

Authors: Gerald Penkler, Francois du Toit, Waldo Adams, Marina Rautenbach, Daniel C. Palm, David D. van Niekerk, Jacky L. Snoep

Date Published: 1st Apr 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

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