We confirmed the expectations that proteins containing IEDB epitopes are subject to stronger diversifying selection which is evidenced by higher pN/pS ratio. A stage characterized by the highest average pN/pS ratio is that of the sporozoite.
Fluorescence microscopy was used to evaluate the subcellular localization of quinine in parasites containing different pfmdr1 copy numbers to determine if copy number of the gene affects drug localization.
We demonstrate that d-erythrose 4-phosphate (E4P) inhibits PfPdx1 in a dose dependent manner. We propose that the acyclic phospho-sugar E4P, with a C1 aldehyde group similar to acyclic R5P, could interfere with R5P imine bond formations in the PfPdx1 reaction mechanism.
These results suggest that malaria parasite may switch the energy metabolism from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation to adapt to the insect vector where glucose is not readily available for ATP production.
In this article, we present a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of IMC components, which exemplifies the adaptive nature of the IMCs' protein composition.
In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, demonstrate a surprising mechanism for this innate immunity.
This article reviews the role of PKG in Plasmodium falciparum during gametogenesis and blood stage schizont rupture, as well as the role of the Plasmodium berghei orthologue in ookinete differentiation and motility, and liver stage schizont development.
Apicomplexan parasites also contain CDPK families and this review is focused on CDPK1 in Plasmodium spp.
Here, we review the current state of research in this field and provide an outlook of the development of humanized small animal models to study P. falciparum infection that will accelerate fundamental research into human parasite biology and could accelerate drug and vaccine design in the future.
Our results demonstrate how simple evolutionary mechanisms can explain var gene structuring on multiple levels and have important implications for understanding the multifaceted epidemiology of P. falciparum malaria.
