Genome-wide identification of molecular mimicry candidates in parasites (Publications)
strategies employed by parasites for immune evasion and host manipulation, one of the most fascinating is molecular mimicry. With genome sequences available for host and parasite, mimicry of linear amino [...] versions of the parasite proteins to get an estimate of statistical significance. This simple but computation-intensive approach yielded interesting candidates from human-pathogenic parasites. From Plasmodium [...] identification of molecular mimicry candidate proteins or epitopes. The...
Comparative genomics of metabolic networks of free-living and parasitic eukaryotes (Publications)
lost in adaptation to parasitism. Here we compare the predicted core metabolic graphs of obligate endoparasites and non-parasites (free living organisms and facultative parasites) in order to analyze how [...] the parasites' metabolic networks shrunk in the course of evolution. RESULTS: Core metabolic graphs comprising biochemical reactions present in the presumed ancestor of parasites and non-parasites were [...] non-parasites. The parasites' networks contained a higher percentage of...
Residual antimalarials in malaria patients from Tanzania - implications on drug efficacy assessment and spread of parasite resistance (Publications)
BACKGROUND: Repeated antimalarial treatment for febrile episodes and self-treatment are common in malaria-endemic areas. The intake of antimalarials prior to participating in an in vivo study may alte
Identification and characterization of a conserved, stage-specific gene product of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> recognized by parasite growth... (Publications)
Inclusion of certain anti-D13 MAbs into in vitro cultures of blood stage parasites resulted in considerable reduction in parasite growth. The N'-terminal domain encompassing 158 amino acids is 94 and 95% [...] falciparum, designated D13, that is stage-specifically expressed in asexual blood stages of the parasite. The predicted open reading frame (ORF) D13 contains 863 amino acids with a calculated molecular [...] composed of pentapeptide motives. Northern blot analysis with lysates of...
Amino acid dimorphism and parasite immune evasion: cellular immune responses to a promiscuous epitope of<em> Plasmodium falciparum</em> merozoite... (Publications)
number of dimorphic amino acid positions. This type of diversity is presumed to be associated with parasite immune evasion and represents one major obstacle to malaria subunit vaccine development. To understand [...] of the TCR by MHC/variant peptide ligand complexes thus seems to be the characteristic feature of parasite immune evasion associated with antigen dimorphism.
