Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Protocol for Plasmodium falciparum Infections in Mosquitoes and Infection Phenotype Determination
14:10

Protocol for Plasmodium falciparum Infections in Mosquitoes and Infection Phenotype Determination

Published on: July 4, 2007

Virulence and transmission success of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum

R E Hayward1, B Tiwari, K P Piper

  • 1Wellcome Trust Centre for the Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS United Kingdom.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|April 14, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Plasmodium falciparum expresses variant surface antigens (PfEMP1) during all life stages. Immunity to PfEMP1 regulates the balance between asexual parasite stages causing disease and sexual stages responsible for transmission.

Area of Science:

  • Parasitology
  • Immunology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Plasmodium falciparum virulence is linked to P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) variants.
  • PfEMP1 proteins are encoded by the var gene family.
  • Understanding PfEMP1 expression is crucial for controlling malaria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate PfEMP1 expression in the transmission stages of Plasmodium falciparum.
  • To explore the relationship between virulence, asexual parasite stages, and sexual transmission stages.
  • To determine the role of immunity to PfEMP1 in regulating parasite populations.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of PfEMP1 variant expression in different Plasmodium falciparum life stages.
  • Correlation studies between parasite stage, virulence, and transmission potential.
  • Immunological assessments related to PfEMP1 recognition.

Main Results:

  • PfEMP1 variants are expressed not only in asexual stages but also in the sexual transmission stages of P. falciparum.
  • Parasite virulence is influenced by the optimization of sexual transmission stage production from asexual stages.
  • Immunity against PfEMP1 plays a role in managing the trade-off between disease-inducing asexual stages and transmissible sexual stages.

Conclusions:

  • PfEMP1 expression is a conserved mechanism across Plasmodium falciparum life stages.
  • Immunity to PfEMP1 is a key factor in regulating the parasite's life cycle and transmission dynamics.
  • Targeting PfEMP1 offers a potential strategy for malaria control by disrupting parasite transmission.

More Related Videos

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum10:22

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum

Published on: December 4, 2015

Standard Membrane Feeding Assay for the Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Anopheles Mosquito Vectors05:28

Standard Membrane Feeding Assay for the Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Anopheles Mosquito Vectors

Published on: May 12, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
Infection01:20

Infection

When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Transmission of Pathogens01:24

Transmission of Pathogens

Pathogens spread from their reservoirs to susceptible hosts through three main routes: contact transmission, vehicle transmission, and vector transmission. Each route involves distinct mechanisms of transfer.Contact TransmissionThis category includes direct contact, indirect contact, and droplet transmission:Direct contact involves immediate physical interaction between individuals—such as a handshake—which can spread pathogens like Streptococcus pyogenes, the bacterium responsible for...
Plague01:24

Plague

Plague is a highly virulent zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic coccobacillus. This pathogen primarily circulates among rodent populations and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected fleas. Additional transmission routes include direct contact with infected animal tissue or inhalation of respiratory droplets from individuals with pneumonic plague. These multiple transmission pathways highlight the bacterium’s potential for rapid...
Malaria01:29

Malaria

Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...