The metabolic repair enzyme phospho-glycolate phosphatase regulates central carbon metabolism and fosmidomycin sensitivity in Plasmodium falciparum

The asexual blood stages of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum are highly dependent on glycolysis for ATP synthesis, redox balance and provision of essential anabolic precursors. Recent studies have suggested that members of the haloacid dehalogenase (HAD) family of metabolite phosphatases may play an important role in regulating multiple pathways in P. falciparum central carbon metabolism. Here, we show that the P. falciparum HAD protein, phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PfPGP), which is homologous to yeast Pho13 and mammalian PGP, regulates glycolysis in asexual blood stages by controlling intracellular levels of several intermediates and novel end-products of this pathway. Deletion of the P. falciparum pgp gene significantly attenuated asexual parasite growth in red blood cells, while comprehensive metabolomic analysis revealed the accumulation of two previously uncharacterized metabolites, as well as changes in a number of intermediates in glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway. The two unknown metabolites were assigned as 2-phospho-lactate and 4-phosphoerythronate by comparison of their mass spectra with synthetic standards. 2-Phospho-lactate was significantly elevated in wildtype and {Delta}PfPGP parasites cultivated in the presence of methylglyoxal and D-lactate, but not L-lactate, indicating that it is a novel end-product of the methylglyoxal pathway. 4-Phosphoerythronate is a putative side product of the glycolytic enzyme, glyceraldehyde dehydrogenase and the accumulation of both 4-phosphoerythronate and 2-phospho-D-lactate were associated with changes in glycolytic and the pentose phosphate pathway fluxes as shown by 13C-glucose labelling studies and increased sensitivity of the {Delta}PfPGP parasites to the drug fosmidomycin. Our results suggest that PfPGP contributes to a novel futile metabolic cycle involving the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of D-lactate as well as detoxification of metabolites, such as 4-phosphoerythronate, and both may have important roles in regulating P. falciparum central carbon metabolism.\n\nAuthor summaryThe major pathogenic stages of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, develop in red blood cells where they have access to an abundant supply of glucose. Unsurprisingly these parasite stages are addicted to using glucose, which is catabolized in the glycolytic and the pentose phosphate pathways. While these pathways also exist in host cells, there is increasing evidence that P. falciparum has evolved novel ways for regulating glucose metabolism that could be targeted by next-generation of anti-malarial drugs. In this study, we show the red blood cell stages of P. falciparum express an enzyme that is specifically involved in regulating the intracellular levels of two metabolites that are novel end-products or side products of glycolysis. Parasite mutants lacking this enzyme are viable but exhibit diminished growth rates in red blood cells. These mutant lines accumulate the two metabolites, and exhibit global changes in central carbon metabolism. Our findings suggest that metabolic end/side products of glycolysis directly regulate the metabolism of these parasites, and that the intracellular levels of these are tightly controlled by previously uncharacterized metabolite phosphatases.