Abstract:
This chapter gives an introduction on Plasmodium falciparum life cycle and its
metabolism. Studying P. falciparum metabolism will not only lead to novel biochemical
targets for chemotherapeutic intervention but also stimulate broader scientific interests.
Special emphasis is laid on the purine salvage pathway, de novo pyrimidine biosynthetic
pathway and the TCA cycle during the asexual stages of the parasite life cycle.