Structure of a ribulose 5‐phosphate 3‐epimerase from Plasmodium falciparum

The crystal structure of Pfal009167AAA, a putative ribulose 5-phosphate 3-epimerase (PfalRPE) from Plasmodium falcipa- rum, has been determined to 2 A resolution. RPE represents an exciting potential drug target for developing antimalarials because it is involved in the shikimate and the pentose phosphate pathways. The structure is a classic TIM-barrel fold. A coordi- nated Zn ion and a bound sulfate ion in the active site of the enzyme allow for a greater understanding of the mechanism of action of this enzyme. This structure is solved in the framework of the Struc- tural Genomics of Pathogenic Protozoa (SGPP) con- sortium. Proteins 2006;62:338 -342.