MALARIA PARASITE LIGANDS AND HOST CELL RECEPTORS

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The life cycle of malaria involves receptor-specific interactions that allow invasion of red cells and attachment of infected red cells to endothelium. These specific events are potential targets for vaccines and drug interventions. We have demonstrated that the same motif is involved in invading red cells for P. vivax and P. falciparum as is found as two to five copies on the variant antigen. We are determining if these motifs are involved in adhesion to endothelium and to red cells to form rosettes, a pathogenic marker. We are also determining if different markers are involved in binding to cerebral endothelium in cerebral malaria. We are also producing this motif for determining its crystal structure.