Signaling pathways and function of Plasmodium falciparum serpentine receptors SR1 and SR10

Parasites of the genus Plasmodium are the causative agents of malaria, a disease that affects millions of people around the world annually. The emergence of parasites resistant to classic antimalarials used to treat the disease highlights the importance of understanding the biology of the parasite and searching for new targets for the development of new antimalarials. The synchronous and coordinated development of the malaria parasite presents a way for the parasite to circumvent the host’s immune system and ensure the progression of the infection, therefore elucidating the signaling pathways and cellular machinery involved in the synchronization of parasites is of utmost importance to search for new targets. Previous studies have shown that melatonin, a hormone produced by the host’s pineal gland, plays an important role in parasite synchronization and triggers a signaling pathway involving different kinases, including PfeIK1, involved in protein translation. However, the melatonin receptor in Plasmodium has not yet been identified. In previous studies, four serpentine receptors were identified in the genome of the P. falciparum parasite, named SR1, SR10, SR12 and SR25.

Project details

Basic Science

Sep 2023 — Aug 2025

Brazil