Genetic predisposition favors the acquisition of stable artemisinin resistance in malaria parasites.

ABSTRACT: The emergence of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria jeopardizes efforts to control this infectious disease. To identify factors contributing to reduced artemisinin susceptibility, we have employed a classical genetic approach by analyzing artemisinin responses in the F1 progeny of a genetic cross. Our data show that reduced artemisinin susceptibility is a multifactorial trait, with pfmdr1 and two additional loci (on chromosomes 12 and 13) contributing to it. We further show that the different artemisinin susceptibilities of the progeny strains affect their responses to selection with increasing concentrations of artemisinin. Stable, high-level in vitro artemisinin resistance rapidly arose in those parasites that were the least artemisinin susceptible among the F1 progeny,

SUBMITTER: Beez D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3019686 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature