Plasmodium parasite proteins and the infected erythrocyte.
Erythrocyte modification by malaria proteins is linked to both disease severity and infection. In this issue of Trends in Parasitology, Templeton and Deitsch, and Horrocks and Muhia discuss recent work identifying a host-targeting (HT) signal on malaria proteins. This signal predicts a secretome of 300-400 effectors for the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, vastly expanding the number of potential vaccine and drug targets. The HT signal seems to be distinct from known cellular transport signals, which suggests that it might be a novel eukaryotic secretion signal.
Haldar
Kasturi
K
Departments of Pathology and Microbiology-Immunology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. k-haldar@northwestern.edu
Hiller
N Luisa
NL
van Ooij
Christiaan
C
Bhattacharjee
Souvik
S
D000818:Animals; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D021381:Protein Transport; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology
D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D015800:Protozoan Proteins