Biosynthesis of uridine monophosphate inPlasmodium berghei

Abstract
High activities of the enzymes orotate phosphoribosyltransferase and orotidylate decarboxylase, that convert orotic acid to uridine monophosphate, have been demonstrated in crude super-natants obtained from lysed Plasmodium berghei. The enzymes are inhibited in vitro by 5-azaorotate, 5-azauracil and 6-azauracil. Of these, 5-azaorotate was the most effective and could serve as the prototype of a potential antimalarial.