Malaria Minute Podcast: New Insights Into Erythrocyte-Binding Plasmodium Protein Revealed

New Insights Into Erythrocyte-Binding Plasmodium Protein Revealed

Description

Scientists publish new insights into Plasmodium falciparum P2, and the IDDO launch an online tool to map the prevalence of substandard and falsified antimalarial drugs around the world.

Transcript

New insights into the binding properties and function of the Plasmodium falciparum protein, P2, which anchors to the surface of an infected red blood cell during malaria infection, have been published. The new research demonstrates that the P2-mediated binding is specific to red blood cells – not white cells – and that a specific region of the protein, the N-terminal, is primarily responsible for the binding. Researchers have also suggested that a red blood cell protein, called Band 3, may be the host receptor responsible for interacting with P2.

The Infectious Disease Data Observatory – the IDDO – has launched an online tool to map the prevalence of substandard and falsified antimalarial drugs around the world. The MQ Scientific Literature Surveyor brings together different publications to provide a comprehensive database on the relative efficacy and security of antimalarial drugs. Filling the gap on drug quality data is necessary to inform future policy.