AUTHOR=Yu Xinyu , Feng Gaoqian , Zhang Qingfeng , Cao Jun 

TITLE=From Metabolite to Metabolome: Metabolomics Applications in Plasmodium Research

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2020

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.626183

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2020.626183

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=Research advances over the past few decades have greatly improved the metabolomics-based approaches in studying parasite biology and disease etiology which holds advantages in the investigation in varied metabolic requirement during life stages or followed transmission to their hosts, as well as fulfilling the demand for improved diagnostics and precise therapeutics. Therefore, this review highlights the progress of metabolomics in malaria researches, including metabolic mapping of Plasmodium vertebrate life cycle stages, investigating antimalarials mode of actions and underling complex host-parasite interactions. Also, we discuss current limitations as well as make several practical suggestions for methodological improvements which can drive following metabolomics progress for malaria from a comprehensive perspective.