THE ANTIBIOTIC MICROCOCCIN IS A POTENT INHIBITOR OF GROWTH AND PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN THE MALARIA PARASITE

The antibiotic microfoccin is a potent growth inhibitor of the human m alaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, with a 50% inhibitory concentra tion of 35 nM. This is comparable to or less than the corresponding le vels of commonly used antimalarial drugs. Micrococcin, like thiostrept on, putatively targets protein synthesis in the plastid-like organelle of the parasite.