title: Motile systems in malaria merozoites: how is the red blood cell invaded?
abstract: The ability of the malaria parasite to invade erythrocytes is central to the disease process, but is not thoroughly understood. In particular, little attention has been paid to the motor systems driving invasion. Here, Jennifer Pinder, Ruth Fowler and colleagues review motility in the merozoite. The components of an actomyosin motor are present, including a novel unconventional class XIV myosin, now called Pfmyo-A, which, because of its time of synthesis and location, is likely to generate the force required for invasion. In addition, there is a subpellicular microtubule assemblage in falciparum merozoites, the f-MAST, the integrity of which is necessary for invasion.
authors.affiliation: MRC Muscle and Cell Motility Unit, Randall Institute, KCL, 26-29 Drury Lane, London, UK WC2B 5RL.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinder
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bannister
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dluzewski
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins