Malaria Research and Control

This paper identifies a cell cycle checkpoint in Plasmodium falciparum in response to DNA damage, suggesting checkpoint kinase activity despite lacking clear homologues, and proposes checkpoint inhibitors as potential synergists with artemisinin.

This study identifies that thermal and non-thermal stress activate the Plasmodium falciparum AP2-HS-dependent heat-shock response, with implications for parasite infectivity during fever.

The paper identifies vulnerable sites on the P36-P52 protein complex of Plasmodium sporozoites using structural biology and functional assays, showing that antibodies targeting these sites can neutralize SPZ invasion.

The paper identifies two new mutations in PfFNT conferring resistance to MMV007839 and shows how these mutations destabilize inhibitor binding.

The paper investigates the bimodal piperaquine response in Plasmodium falciparum by analyzing metabolic, transcriptional, and molecular dynamics data to identify the role of plasmepsin II/III copy number and pfcrt mutations.

The paper identifies PfApiAT2 as a proline transporter essential for Plasmodium falciparum oocyst development in mosquitoes, showing that its absence leads to defective sporozoite production and oocyst degeneration.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of antimalarials administered via tarsal contact to block Plasmodium vivax transmission by Anopheles darlingi mosquitoes.

This study identifies divergent resistance mechanisms in Plasmodium HSP90 inhibitors despite shared binding sites, showing that enhanced binding can paradoxically correlate with resistance.

This study shows that criteria for defining motile Plasmodium sporozoites affect inferred movement patterns, with different thresholds altering speed, displacement, and movement state classifications.

This study identifies nanobodies that target Plasmodium adhesins, blocking receptor engagement and inhibiting parasite invasion of red blood cells.

This study shows Plasmodium berghei liver stages mimic damaged endolysosomal membranes to hijack host ER contact sites for lipid uptake, enhancing parasite survival.

The paper investigates post-admixture selection for the Duffy-negative allele FY*BES in the Khwe foragers of the Lower Okavango Basin, suggesting P. vivax presence in the region at least 500-1,000 years ago.

The paper characterizes malaria-specific Tfh and Tr1 cells in a longitudinal cohort, finding overlapping phenotypes and showing their decline after transmission interruption.

This study uses continuous mark-release recapture to estimate movement and survival of African malaria mosquitoes, finding that recapture rates and survival probabilities improve with longer study duration and larger areas.

This study identifies 8-oxoguanine as a DNA modification in Plasmodium falciparum associated with transcriptionally active chromatin and elevated gene expression during its developmental cycle.

This study examines the health impacts of asymptomatic malaria in semi-wild chimpanzees, finding systemic immune changes and physiological stress indicators.

The paper identifies pfcrt copy number amplification as a new antimalarial resistance mechanism in Plasmodium falciparum and develops a TaqMan assay for its detection.

This study assesses the effects of PBO exposure on Anopheles mosquito longevity and behavior, finding altered blood feeding and attraction to host odors.

This study uses transcriptomics to show dihydroartemisinin induces a two-step transcriptional response in malaria parasites, with trophozoites showing the strongest response and a reversal of developmental stages.

This paper introduces a non-contact bioassay to measure mosquito susceptibility to transfluthrin vapour, showing it can distinguish resistant and susceptible strains across labs.

The paper identifies insecticides that affect both mosquito vectors and malaria parasites, demonstrating a scalable method to find compounds that kill mosquitoes and suppress parasite transmission.

This study develops an iPSC-based model with enhanced endothelial identity to study malaria parasite interactions and pathogenesis in vitro.

This study shows that CHIR-124, a human Chk1 inhibitor, is active against Plasmodium falciparum through dual inhibition of PfArk1 and hemozoin formation, suggesting polypharmacology as a strategy for antimalarial drugs.

The paper identifies synergistic antibody interactions against the malaria protein RIPR, showing how combinations of antibodies targeting specific domains inhibit parasite invasion.

This study shows that IMC55 is not required for asexual replication of Plasmodium falciparum in the intra-erythrocytic stage.

This study assesses the prevalence and geographic distribution of pfkelch13 mutations linked to artemisinin resistance in Africa through a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational cohorts.

This study identifies a mutation in PfAQP and duplication of superoxide dismutase genes as mechanisms of resistance to cryptosporin in Plasmodium falciparum.

The paper provides genomic resources for malaria vector surveillance in Southeast Asia, revealing population structure and resistance regions in Anopheles dirus.

This study characterizes the structure and function of antibodies targeting the conserved β-epitope region of PfCSP, showing how they achieve strain-transcending recognition and enhance Fc-mediated immune responses.