title: Possible roles of amyloids in malaria pathophysiology.
abstract: The main therapeutic and prophylactic tools against malaria have been locked for more than a century in the classical approaches of using drugs targeting metabolic processes of the causing agent, the protistPlasmodiumspp., and of designing vaccines against chosen antigens found on the parasite's surface. Given the extraordinary resources exhibited byPlasmodiumto escape these traditional strategies, which have not been able to free humankind from the scourge of malaria despite much effort invested in them, new concepts have to be explored in order to advance toward eradication of the disease. In this context, amyloid-forming proteins and peptides found in the proteome of the pathogen should perhaps cease being regarded as mere anomalous molecules. Their likely functionality in the pathophysiology ofPlasmodiumcalls for attention being paid to them as a possible Achilles' heel of malaria. Here we will give an overview ofPlasmodium-encoded amyloid-forming polypeptides as potential therapeutic targets and toxic elements, particularly in relation to cerebral malaria and the blood-brain barrier function. We will also discuss the recent finding that the genome of the parasite contains an astonishingly high proportion of prionogenic domains.
authors.affiliation: Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain; Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moles
authors.affiliation: Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain; Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Valle-Delgado
authors.affiliation: Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain; Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Urbán
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology IV, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain; Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology IV, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain; Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Azcárate
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology IV, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain; Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology IV, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain; Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bautista
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Immunology & Neurosciences, University of Barcelona School of Medicine & Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Immunology & Neurosciences, University of Barcelona School of Medicine & Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Selva
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Immunology & Neurosciences, University of Barcelona School of Medicine & Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Immunology & Neurosciences, University of Barcelona School of Medicine & Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Egea
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina & Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ES-08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina & Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ES-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.affiliation: Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain; Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, ES-08028 Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, ES-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fernàndez-Busquets
keywords: amyloids; intrinsically unstructured proteins; malaria; prions