One drug for treating malaria prevents mitosis occurring in the malarial protist. The drug stops the synthesis of new DNA bases in the cell. Suggest how the drug prevents mitosis occurring.

Mitosis is the process of cell division that produces two genetically identical daughter cells. Before mitosis can occur, the cell must go through a stage called interphase. A critical part of interphase is the synthesis (S) phase, where the cell replicates its entire set of DNA. This ensures that each daughter cell will receive a full copy of the genetic material. The drug stops the synthesis of new DNA bases, which are the building blocks of DNA. Without these building blocks, the cell cannot replicate its chromosomes. If DNA replication cannot be completed, the cell cycle arrests and cannot proceed to mitosis. Therefore, the protist cannot divide and multiply.