Lipoic acid is a cofactor for α-keto acid dehydrogenase system that is involved in the central energy metabolism. In the apicomplexan parasite， Plasmodium， lipoic acid protein ligase 1 (LplA1) and LplA2 catalyse the ligation of acquired lipoic acid to the dehydrogenase complexes in the mitochondrion. The enzymes LipB and LipA mediate lipoic acid synthesis and ligation to the enzymes in the apicoplast. These enzymes in the lipoic acid metabolism machinery have been shown to play important roles in the biology of Plasmodium parasites， but the relationship between the enzymes is not fully elucidated.
Lipoic acid is a cofactor for α-keto acid dehydrogenase system that is involved in the central energy metabolism. In the apicomplexan parasite， Plasmodium， lipoic acid protein ligase 1 (LplA1) and LplA2 catalyse the ligation of acquired lipoic acid to the dehydrogenase complexes in the mitochondrion. The enzymes LipB and LipA mediate lipoic acid synthesis and ligation to the enzymes in the apicoplast. These enzymes in the lipoic acid metabolism machinery have been shown to play important roles in the biology of Plasmodium parasites， but the relationship between the enzymes is not fully elucidated.
