Pathogens exploit fatty acid synthesis to build and maintain their cell membranes, which are essential for their survival and virulence. For example, Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses fatty acids to construct its unique and highly impermeable cell wall, which protects it from host immune responses and antibiotics. Similarly, Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, relies on fatty acid synthesis during its liver stage to generate phospholipids for its membrane.
