malaria
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceGenetic Markers of Adaptation of Plasmodium falciparum to Transmission by American Vectors Identified in the Genomes of Parasites from Haiti and South AmericaHistorical data suggest that millions of P. falciparum parasite lineages were introduced into the Americas during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, which would suggest a paraphyletic origin of the extant isolates in the Western Hemisphere. Our analyses of whole-genome variants show that the American parasites belong to a well-supported monophyletic clade. We hypothesize...
Observation | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyDispensable Role of Mitochondrial Fission Protein 1 (Fis1) in the Erythrocytic Development of Plasmodium falciparumMalaria is responsible for over 230 million clinical cases and ∼half a million deaths each year. The single mitochondrion of the malaria parasite functions as a metabolic hub throughout the parasite’s developmental cycle (DC) and also as a source of ATP in certain stages. To pass on its essential functions, the parasite’s mitochondrion needs to be properly divided and segregated into all progeny during cell division via a process termed...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyNovel Method for the Separation of Male and Female Gametocytes of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum That Enables Biological and Drug DiscoveryThe protozoan Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe form of human malaria. The development of sexual forms (so-called gametocytes) is crucial for disease transmission. However, knowledge of these forms is severely hampered by the paucity of sex-specific markers and the inability to extract single sex gametocytes in high purity. Moreover, the identification of...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyRedesigned TetR-Aptamer System To Control Gene Expression in Plasmodium falciparumMalaria elimination efforts have been repeatedly hindered by the evolution and spread of multidrug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The absence of a commercially available vaccine emphasizes the need for a better understanding of Plasmodium biology in order to further translational research. This has been partly facilitated by targeted gene...
Letter to the Editor | Host-Microbe BiologyDoesn’t It All Come Down to Function? How To Correlate VAR2CSA Antibodies with Protection
Commentary | Host-Microbe BiologymSphere of Influence: Going Native, or the Risk of Overreliance on Recombinant AntigensMary Lopez-Perez works on immunology and pathogenesis of malaria. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how the paper “Functional antibodies against VAR2CSA in nonpregnant populations from Colombia exposed to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax” by S. Gnidehou, J....
Observation | Host-Microbe BiologyInfluence of Plasmodium falciparum Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 5 (PfCDPK5) on the Late Schizont Stage PhosphoproteomeThe malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. The P. falciparum parasite proliferates inside red blood cells during the blood stage of infection, and egress from the red blood cell is critical for parasite survival....
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyIdentification of an Immunogenic Broadly Inhibitory Surface Epitope of the Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein Ligand DomainVivax malaria is the second leading cause of malaria worldwide and the major cause of non-African malaria. Unfortunately, efforts to develop antimalarial vaccines specifically targeting Plasmodium vivax have been largely neglected, and few candidates have progressed into clinical trials. The Duffy binding protein is considered a leading blood-stage vaccine candidate...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyInternalization of Erythrocyte Acylpeptide Hydrolase Is Required for Asexual Replication of Plasmodium falciparumNearly half a million deaths were attributed to malaria in 2017. Protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium cause disease in humans while replicating asexually within the host’s erythrocytes, with P. falciparum responsible for most of the mortality. Understanding how Plasmodium spp. have adapted to their unique host erythrocyte environment is...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDistinct Antibody Signatures Associated with Different Malaria Transmission Intensities in Zambia and ZimbabweAs malaria approaches elimination in many areas of the world, monitoring the effect of control measures becomes more important but challenging. Low-level infections may go undetected by conventional tests that depend on parasitemia, particularly in immune individuals, who typically show no symptoms of malaria. In contrast, antibodies persist after parasitemia and may provide a more accurate picture of recent exposure. Only a few...