A unique protein essential for the survival and transmission of the malaria pathogen has been identified by an international team of scientists, as reported on the website of the UK’s University of Nottingham. The study’s findings were also shared in the journal Nature Communications.
The experts focused their investigation on the molecule Aurora-related kinase 1 (ARK1). This malaria plasmodium divides and grows in an atypical manner compared to human cells. The research team succeeded in discovering that ARK1 is responsible for orchestrating the molecular machinery that segregates genetic material to generate new parasites.
The researchers experimentally deactivated ARK1 under laboratory conditions, yielding a remarkable outcome. Following this procedure, the parasite was unable to execute complete division mechanisms, which resulted in failures in its replication process. Parasites lacking ARK1 could not complete their development either within the host organism or within the mosquito, thereby preventing the disease from being transmitted.
This discovery is particularly significant because the malaria plasmodium’s protein complex notably differs from its counterpart in human cells. This distinction means that treatments can be developed to target the parasite’s ARK1 specifically, eliminating malaria without harming the patient.
The scientists have also presented the parasite’s unconventional molecular structure, which can serve as a foundation for future drug development efforts aimed at breaking the malaria transmission cycle.
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