Malaria parasite protein identified as potential new target for drug treatment
Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 14:10
in Biology & Nature
Scientists have discovered how a protein within the malaria parasite is essential to its survival as it develops inside a mosquito. They believe their findings identify this protein as a potential new target for drug treatments to prevent malaria being passed to humans. The researchers found that when this protein – a transporter responsible for controlling the level of calcium inside cells – is absent during the parasite’s sexual reproduction stages inside a mosquito, the parasite dies before developing fully.