parasites

Circadian clocks coordinate organisms' activities with daily cycles in their environment. Parasites are subject to daily rhythms in the within-host environment, resulting from clock-control of host activities, including immune responses. Parasites also exhibit rhythms in their activities: the timing of within-host replication by malaria parasites is coordinated to host feeding rhythms. Precisely which host feeding-related rhythm(s) parasites align with and how this is achieved are unknown.

The epigenome of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is associated with regulation of various essential processes in the parasite including control of proliferation during asexual development as well as control of sexual differentiation. The unusual nature of the epigenome has prompted investigations into the potential to target epigenetic modulators with novel chemotypes. Here, we explored the diversity within a library of 95 compounds, active against various epigenetic modifiers in cancerous cells, for activity against multiple stages of P. falciparum development.

The efficient spread of malaria from infected humans to mosquitoes is a major challenge for malaria elimination initiatives. Gametocytes are the only Plasmodium life stage infectious to mosquitoes. Here, we summarize evidence for naturally acquired anti‐gametocyte immunity and the current state of transmission blocking vaccines (TBV). Although gametocytes are intra‐erythrocytic when present in infected humans, developing Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes may express proteins on the surface of red blood cells that elicit immune responses in naturally exposed individuals.