The non-mevalonate isoprenoid biosynthesis of plants as a test system for new herbicides and drugs against pathogenic bacteria and the malaria parasite

Higher plants and several photosynthetic algae contain the plastidic 1-deox y-D-xylulose 5-phosphate / 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway (DOX P/MEP pathway) for isoprenoid biosynthesis. The first four enzymes and thei r genes are known of this novel pathway. All of the ca. 10 enzymes of this isoprenoid pathway are potential targets for new classes of herbicides. Sin ce the DOXP/MEP pathway also occurs in several pathogenic bacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falcipa rum, all inhibitors and potential herbicides of the DOXP/MEP pathway in pla nts are also potential drugs against pathogenic bacteria and the malaria pa rasite. Plants with their easily to handle DOXP/MEP-pathway are thus very s uitable test-systems also for new drugs against pathogenic bacteria and the malaria parasite as no particular security measures are required. In fact, the antibiotic herbicide fosmidomycin specifically inhibited not only the DOXP reductoisomerase in plants, but also that in bacteria and in the paras ite P. falciparum, and cures malaria-infected mice. This is the first succe ssful application of a herbicide of the novel isoprenoid pathway as a possi ble drug against malaria.