However, key enzymes in glutamine utilisation were either down-regulated (glutamate dehydrogenase down 0.4-fold, p = 0.012) or unchanged (NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase, glutamate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, and branched chain ketoacid dehydrogenase complex [BCKDH] subunits E1β and E2) in isolates from patients with severe malaria, indicating that these parasites are unlikely to exhibit a significant switch to mitochondrial respiration. The gene discussed is PCK1; the disease is malaria.