What is the relation between malaria and apicoplast.?

Question

While studying about malaria, we came across apicoplast and the fatty acid apicoplast pathway. So what exactly does apicoplast have to do with malaria

Answer 1

The functions of apicoplasts have not been conclusively defined. However, it has been established that the apicoplast is a vital organelle to the parasite's(malaria) survival. Intriguingly, the destruction of the apicoplast does not immediately kill the parasite but instead prevents it from invading new host cells. This observation suggests that the apicoplast may be involved in lipid metabolism. If unable to synthesize sufficient fatty acids the parasite is unable to form the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) that is imperative to a successful invasion of host cells. This conclusion is supported by the discovery of Type II Fatty Acid Synthesase (FAS) machinery in the apicoplast.

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