RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Mutations in the pantothenate kinase of the malaria parasite P. falciparum confer resistance or hypersensitivity to diverse pantothenate analogues JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 137182 DO 10.1101/137182 A1 Erick T. Tjhin A1 Christina Spry A1 Alan L. Sewell A1 Annabelle Hoegl A1 Leanne Barnard A1 Anna E. Sexton A1 Vanessa M. Howieson A1 Alexander G. Maier A1 Darren J. Creek A1 Erick Strauss A1 Rodolfo Marquez A1 Karine Auclair A1 Kevin J. Saliba YR 2017 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/05/16/137182.abstract AB The malaria-causing blood stage of Plasmodium falciparum requires extracellular pantothenate for proliferation. The parasite converts pantothenate into coenzyme A (CoA) via five enzymes, the first being a pantothenate kinase (PfPanK). Multiple antiplasmodial pantothenate analogues, including pantothenol and CJ-15,801, kill the parasite by targeting CoA biosynthesis/utilisation. Their mechanism of action, however, remains unknown. Here, we show that parasites pressured with pantothenol or CJ-15,801 become resistant to these analogues. Whole-genome sequencing revealed mutations in one of two putative PanK genes (Pfpank1) in each resistant line. These mutations significantly alter PfPanK activity, with two conferring a fitness cost, consistent with Pfpank1 coding for a functional PanK that is essential for normal growth. The mutants exhibit a different sensitivity profile to recently-described, potent, antiplasmodial pantothenate analogues, with one line being hypersensitive. We provide evidence consistent with different pantothenate analogue classes having different mechanisms of action: some inhibit CoA biosynthesis while others inhibit CoA-utilising enzymes.