3.4.23.38	Hemoglobin + H2O	-	
3.4.23.38	Hemoglobin + H2O	enzyme is involved in initial steps of Plasmodium hemoglobin degradation	
3.4.23.38	Hemoglobin + H2O	the enzyme initiates the hemoglobin degradation pathway in Plasmodium	
3.4.23.38	Hemoglobin + H2O	during the infection of erythrocytes by the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, up to 80% of the host cell hemoglobin is degraded to provide amino acids for parasite nutrition. Plasmepsin I and plasmepsin II are believed to be responsible for initiating the catabolic process	
3.4.23.38	additional information	plasmepsin I is synthesized and processed to the mature form soon after the parasite invades the red blood cell