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. 1977;55(2-3):285–289.

Cofactors and vitamins in the metabolism of malarial parasites. Factors other than folates

William Trager
PMCID: PMC2366748  PMID: 412604

Abstract

Relatively few cofactors have so far been demonstrated to be essential for the intracellular development of erythrocytic stages of malarial parasites. Besides 4-aminobenzoic acid, presumably required for the synthesis of folates, these are biotin and pantothenate. The pantothenate is not used directly by the parasites but rather as coenzyme A synthesized by the host erythrocyte. Parasites maintained extracellularly in vitro also have a requirement for exogenous adenosine triphosphate. No information is available concerning cofactor requirements of the sporogonic or pre-erythrocytic stages.

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Selected References

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