Fate of haem iron in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Timothy J. Egan, Jill M. Combrinck, Joanne Egan, Giovanni R. Hearne, Helder M. Marques, Skhumbuzo Ntenteni, B. Trevor Sewell, Peter J. Smith, Dale Taylor, Donelly A. Van Schalkwyk, Jason C. Walden

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

241 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Chemical analysis has shown that Plasmodium falciparum trophozoites contain 61±2% of the iron within parasitized erythrocytes, of which 92±6% is located within the food vacuole. Of this, 88±9% is in the form of haemozoin. 57Fe- Mössbauer spectroscopy shows that haemozoin is the only detectable iron species in trophozoites. Electron spectroscopic imaging confirms this conclusion.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)343-347
Number of pages5
JournalBiochemical Journal
Volume365
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Jul 2002
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Electron spectroscopic imaging
  • Haemozoin
  • Mössbauer spectroscopy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

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