Malarial parasite surface proteins: structure and interactions of key merozoite antigens

疟疾仍然是当今世界上最致命的传染病之一，每年直接造成约200万人死亡，其中许多是5岁以下的儿童。相关寄生虫病影响疟疾流行地区和更广泛地区的牲畜。迫切需要更好地了解这些寄生虫是如何入侵目标红细胞的。了解寄生虫细胞表面关键蛋白质的结构将有助于更深入地了解宿主与寄生虫的相互作用，并为设计干扰寄生虫入侵宿主红细胞的疫苗或药物提供基础。

Malaria remains one the most lethal infectious diseases in the world today, being directly responsible for around 2 million deaths annually, many in children under 5 years of age. Related parasitic diseases affect livestock in malaria-endemic regions and more broadly. There is an urgent need for an improved understanding of how these parasites invade target red blood cells. Knowing the structures of key proteins on the parasite cell surface will provide a deeper understanding of host-parasite interactions, as well as a basis for the design of vaccines or drugs that interfere with parasite invasion of host red blood cells.