Analysis of drug resistance marker genes of after implementation of artemisinin-based combination therapy in Pune district, India.

The global emergence and spread of malaria parasites resistant to antimalarial drugs is a major problem in malaria control and elimination. In this study, samples from Pune district were characterized to determine prevalence of molecular markers of resistance to chloroquine ( codons C72S, M74I, N75E, K76T and -1 N86Y, Y184F), pyrimethamine ( C50R, N51I, C59R, S108N), sulfadoxine (, S436A, A437G, K540E, A581G), and artemisinin (, C580Y, R539T). The K76T mutation was found in 78% samples as CVMNT, SVMNT and CVIET haplotype.

Comparative study of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1-DBLα domain variants with respect to antigenic variations and docking interaction analysis with glycosaminoglycans.

The variant surface antigen PfEMP1 (Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1) encoded by the polymorphic multi-copy var gene family plays an important role in parasite biology and the host-parasite interactions. Sequestration and antigenic variation is an essential component in the survival and pathogenesis of Plasmodium falciparum and contributes to chronic infection. The DBLα domain of PfEMP1 is a potential target for immuno-epidemiological studies and has been visualized as a vaccine candidate against severe malaria.

Prediction of B cell and T cell epitopes of DBLalpha domain in Plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine candidate var gene.

P. falciparum encodes PfEMP-1 which is important in pathogenicity and virulence. We have analyzed the structure of the Duffy binding like (DBLalpha) domain of var genes and predicted the antigenic sites and T and B cell epitopes which present a highly variable picture with major implications in immune interactions and vaccine design.