title: Calcium Dependent Protein Kinases (CDPKs): Key to Malaria Eradication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The family of calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) carries a kinase domain fused to a calmodulin-like domain. The presence of protein kinases devoid of clear mammalian eukaryotic protein kinase orthologues makes them potential targets for therapeutic development. Recent studies on CDPKs have inspired an important primary regulator of calcium (intracellular Ca2+ signaling), which is extensively reported to play a critical role in various stages of the apicomplexan life cycle such as microneme secretion of adhesions, cell invasion, gamete maturation, gliding motility and egress of Plasmodium Spp.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding and identifying these essential cytoregulatory components of the parasite is important for drug targets development and therapeutic intervention.
authors.affiliation: Protein Biochemistry and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR), Sector-8, Dwarka, New Delhi. India.
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kadian
authors.affiliation: Protein Biochemistry and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR), Sector-8, Dwarka, New Delhi. India.
authors.forename: Yash
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM. United States.
authors.forename: Prakasha
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kempaiah
authors.affiliation: Special Centre for Nanoscience, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. India.
authors.forename: Nikesh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Protein Biochemistry and Structural Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR), Sector-8, Dwarka, New Delhi. India.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Health Sciences Center, MSC10-5550, Albuquerque, NM87131-0001. United States.
authors.forename: Manmeet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rawat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D011494:Protein Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
keywords: CDPK; Calcium signalling; Malaria; Plasmodium parasites; drug target