Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

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Overview

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The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are a large and diverse enzyme family with an essential role in the ATP-dependent aminoacylation of cognate tRNAs with their respective amino acids for use in protein synthesis [2]. The P. falciparum genome encodes 36 different aaRSs, which participate in both cytoplasmic and organellar protein synthesis and are emerging targets for antimalarial agents [1,3].

Targets

Targets of relevance to immunopharmacology are highlighted in blue

PfaIRS (Plasmodium falciparum isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase) C Show summary »« Hide summary More detailed page go icon to follow link

Target Id	3168
Nomenclature	Plasmodium falciparum isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase
Common abbreviation	PfaIRS
Previous and unofficial names	Pf3D7_12_v3:1,018,351..1,024,017(+) \| Pfapi-IRS \| PFL1210w \| Plasmodium falciparum isoleucine--tRNA ligase
Genes	api-IRS (Pf3D7)
UniProtKB AC	Q8I5G6 (Pf3D7)
PlasmoDB	PF3D7_1225100 (Pf3D7)

PfcKRS (Plasmodium falciparum lysyl-tRNA synthetase) C Show summary »« Hide summary More detailed page go icon to follow link

Target Id	3059
Nomenclature	Plasmodium falciparum lysyl-tRNA synthetase
Common abbreviation	PfcKRS
Previous and unofficial names	Pf3D7_13_v3:2,005,394..2,008,444(-) \| PfKRS1 \| PfKRS \| PfLysRS \| PF13_0262 \| Plasmodium falciparum lysine--tRNA
Genes	KRS1 (Pf3D7)
UniProtKB AC	Q8IDJ8 (Pf3D7)
PlasmoDB	PF3D7_1350100 (Pf3D7)

PfcFRS (Plasmodium falciparum phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase alpha subunit) C Show summary »« Hide summary More detailed page go icon to follow link

Target Id	2954
Nomenclature	Plasmodium falciparum phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase alpha subunit
Common abbreviation	PfcFRS
Previous and unofficial names	Pf3D7_01_v3:380,254..382,568(+) \| PfcPheRS \| PFA0480w \| Plasmodium falciparum phenylalanine--tRNA ligase alpha subunit
Genes	cPheRS (Pf3D7)
UniProtKB AC	Q8I246 (Pf3D7)
PlasmoDB	PF3D7_0109800 (Pf3D7)

PfcPRS (Plasmodium falciparum prolyl-tRNA synthetase) C Show summary »« Hide summary More detailed page go icon to follow link

Target Id	3056
Nomenclature	Plasmodium falciparum prolyl-tRNA synthetase
Common abbreviation	PfcPRS
Previous and unofficial names	Pf3D7_12_v3:589,729..593,777(-) \| PfProRS \| PFL0670c \| Plasmodium falciparum proline--tRNA ligase
Genes	PRS (Pf3D7)
UniProtKB AC	Q8I5R7 (Pf3D7)
PlasmoDB	PF3D7_1213800 (Pf3D7)

PfTRS (Plasmodium falciparum threonyl-tRNA synthetase) C Show summary »« Hide summary More detailed page go icon to follow link

Target Id	3058
Nomenclature	Plasmodium falciparum threonyl-tRNA synthetase
Common abbreviation	PfTRS
Previous and unofficial names	Pf3D7_11_v3:1,013,901..1,017,911(-) \| PfThrRS \| PF11_0270 \| Plasmodium falciparum threonine--tRNA ligase
Genes	ThrRS (Pf3D7)
UniProtKB AC	Q8IIA4 (Pf3D7)
PlasmoDB	PF3D7_1126000 (Pf3D7)

PfaWRS (Plasmodium falciparum tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase) C Show summary »« Hide summary More detailed page go icon to follow link

Target Id	3166
Nomenclature	Plasmodium falciparum tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase
Common abbreviation	PfaWRS
Previous and unofficial names	Pf3D7_12_v3:2,105,871..2,108,564(-) \| PfaTrpRS \| TrpRSapi \| PFL2485c \| Plasmodium falciparum tryptophan--tRNA ligase
Genes	aTrpRS (Pf3D7)
UniProtKB AC	A0A144A140 (Pf3D7)
PlasmoDB	PF3D7_1251700 (Pf3D7)

References

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1. Bhatt TK, Kapil C, Khan S, Jairajpuri MA, Sharma V, Santoni D, Silvestrini F, Pizzi E, Sharma A. (2009) A genomic glimpse of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. BMC Genomics, 10: 644. [PMID:20042123]

2. Ibba M, Soll D. (2000) Aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis. Annu Rev Biochem, 69: 617-50. [PMID:10966471]

3. Manickam Y, Chaturvedi R, Babbar P, Malhotra N, Jain V, Sharma A. (2018) Drug targeting of one or more aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Drug Discov Today, 23 (6): 1233-1240. [PMID:29408369]

How to cite this family page

Database page citation:

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Accessed on 02/04/2026. IUPHAR/BPS Guide to PHARMACOLOGY, http://www.guidetopharmacology.org/GRAC/FamilyDisplayForward?familyId=1050.

Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY citation:

Alexander SPH, Gibb AJ, Kelly E, Mathie AA, Peach CJ, Veale EL, Cidlowski JA, Davenport AP, Fabbro D, Spedding M, Striessnig J, Armstrong JF, Buneman OP, Faccenda E, Harding SD, Southan C, Davies JA et al. (2025) The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2025/26: Introduction and Other Protein Targets. Br J Pharmacol. 182: S1-S23.