Localization and interactions of Plasmodium falciparum SWIB/MDM2 homologues.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Malaria remains a global health problem and the majority of deaths are caused by Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Due to the rapid emergence of drug-resistant strains, novel avenues of research on the biology of the parasite are needed. The massive proliferation of asexual, intra-erythrocytic parasites every 48 h could kill the human host prior to transmission of slow-developing gametocytes to the mosquito vector. A self-induced P. falciparum programmed cell death mechanism has been hypothesized to maintain this balance between the parasite and its two hosts, but molecular participants of the cell death pathway in P. falciparum have not been characterized. Proteins with SWIB/MDM2 domains play a key role in metazoan programmed cell death and this study provides the first

SUBMITTER: Vieira WA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4721021 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature