Plastid–endomembrane connections in apicomplexan parasites

The apicoplast is a nonphotosynthetic plastid found in most apicomplexan parasites, including Plasmodium spp.(causative agents of malaria) and Toxoplasma gondii (causative agent of toxoplasmosis) [1,2].It houses essential metabolic pathways and is the target of several antiparasitic drugs [3].A peculiar feature of the apicoplast is that, unlike endosymbiotic organelles in model organisms, it is integrated into the endomembrane system.Here, we discuss the interplay between the apicoplast and molecular machinery typically associated with the endomembrane system, highlighting outstanding questions and opportunities for drug discovery.