DNA replication in the malaria parasite

Malaria is increasing as a global problem. Many of the drugs that were effective earlier in this century are now becoming obsolete as the parasite develops resistance to them and, despite earlier hopes, an affordable and effective vaccine remains elusive. It is hoped that a deeper understanding of the parasite's cell and molecular biology will give us a resource for the future and help us to achieve effective control. One aspect of parasite metabolism that has been the subject of recent studies is DNA replication: its timing during parasite development, the enzymes involved and the genes encoding them. In this review John White and Brian Kilbey report on the present status of these studies.