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Saturday, 24 December 2005 11:07

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A new clue to how malaria infects cells

Research that was carried out by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in India and a unit of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in France have analysed in close detail the structure of a key protein that helps the malaria parasite infect human cells.

They found the protein has a unique atomic structure which, in theory, new drugs could target directly.

The latest research focuses on one particular protein on the surface of Plasmodium which plays a particularly key role.

The researchers obtained crystals of a part of this protein - called the Duffy-Binding Like (DBL) domain - which directly interacts with a protein on red blood cells.

Using a technique called X-ray crystallography they were able to create an atom-by-atom map of the protein, which are too small to be seen by microscopes.

Researcher Dr Amit Sharma said: "Until now we have not had a close-up view of the precise surface where the two proteins interact.

"That surface is absolutely crucial in permitting the parasite to enter the cell.

"If we can determine its features in atomic detail, we may be able to find weak points that could make good targets for drugs”.

Dr Hassan Belrhali, who also worked on the study, said the analysis had shown that DBL has a unique architecture.

"This means that there should be a way to inhibit its activity without affecting healthy blood cells”.

The researchers stressed their work was carried out on form of Plasmodium that does not normally infect humans.

But they said DBL is similar in different forms of the organism.

The researchers are also investigating molecules important at an earlier phase of malaria infections, when parasites invade the liver.

Dr Pascal Ringwald, a drugs resistance specialist with the World Health Organization, told the BBC News website the study was an important piece of work.

But he said: "We probably cannot tell at this stage whether it will give us a new target for drugs and vaccines”.

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