Structure-based binding between protein farnesyl transferase and PRL-PTP of malaria parasite: an interaction study of prenylation process in Plasmodium

Protein prenylation is a post-translational modification critical for many cellular processes such as DNA replication, signaling, and trafficking. It is mediated by protein farnesyltransferase by recognizing ‘CAAX’ motif on protein substrate. Plasmodium falciparum also possesses many such proteins with ‘CAAX’ motif, involved in various pathways of the parasite. The interaction studies of PfPFT with its substrate were carried out using synthetic peptides but not with full protein. Therefore, in this study, we have modeled both PfPFT and its substrate protein tyrosine phosphatase (PfPRL-PTP) followed by interaction studies using protein–protein docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Our findings provided a clear picture of interactions at atomic level between prenyltransferase and its protein substrate. We are assured that this piece of information can be extended to many other proteins of parasite containing ‘CAAX’ motif and that it may also lead to the development of anti-malarials based on the inhibition of prenylation-dependent pathways of parasite..