Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Malaria, a life-threatening disease caused by protozoan parasite Plasmodium and transmitted by mosquitoes, remains a significant threat to health worldwide, especially in the face of emerging drug resistance. Despite extensive effort having been devoted to examining the asexual phase of the parasite, the sexual change biology is understudied. Lipid-binding proteins, like phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs), play significant roles in cell signal transduction and development in several organisms. In P. falciparum , Pf PEBP is highly expressed in gametocytes and may be in involved parasite sexual reproduction. Our results showed that Pf PEBP is expressed in sexual and asexual stages but is not essential for parasite growth, gametocyte development and gamete formation. However, anti- Pf PEBP antibodies were found in malaria-endemic region individuals, suggesting it is immunogenic. Previous studies also indicate that Pf PEBP can bind to the mosquito midgut, which indicates its possible role in transmission. Although Pf PEBP is not seemingly essential for parasite development in the human host, its role in later stages of parasite development is a worthwhile area of research. To understand how it contributes to the parasite lifecycle could open new avenues for malaria transmission-blocking interventions.
Institutions: Iowa State University, Delhi Technological University
Language: English
Topic: Malaria Research and Control
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
Funder: Iowa State University
OpenAlex ID: W7147126338