Heidelberg researcher discovers key proteins against malaria!

Heidelberg researcher discovers key proteins against malaria!

Research against Malaria has achieved a new turning point! Dr. Franziska Hentzschel from the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg has discovered a revolutionary approach to combating the dangerous malaria pathogen Plasmodium. These new knowledge has been published in the renowned journal "Nature Microbiology", and they could make a decisive difference in the fight against the disease that affects millions of people every year.

Malaria is caused by the plasmodium parasites, which is transferred to humans by the anopheles mosquito. In order to go through the full cycle, the parasite needs both the landlord human and the mosquito. Philosophy of research was to decrypt the cell biological mechanisms that have been used in the mosquito.

The discovered ARP2/3 complex

An exciting discovery in Hentzschels work is a group of proteins that are essential for the sexual increase of the plasmodium in the mosquito. These form an association known as the "ARP2/3 complex". Surprisingly, this complex was not previously suspected in the parasite genetic material. Hentzschel and her team were able to demonstrate that Plasmodium actually has this complex, which fulfills a new function: the correct distribution of the genome in the male gender cells.

The meaning of this discovery is enormous. Without the ARP2/3 complex, the parasite men develop insufficiently. You can fertilize females, but the descendants die after a few days and cannot be transferred to new hosts. The future -oriented research aims to examine the formation and activation of this complex as well as its molecular mechanisms

European research council supports research

These important research is funded by a starting grant of the European Research Council (ERC) of 1.5 million euros for a period of five years. The aim is to make possible starting points to interrupt the reproduction of the malaria pathogen. This is particularly necessary because several hundred thousand people worldwide continue to die from malaria every year and always occur new resistance that continuously requires the development of medication.

In addition to these findings, it is known that the sexual stages or gametocytes from Plasmodium are the only ones that are suitable for transmission to mosquitoes. An important discovery in research is that the ARP2/3 complex plays an essential role in the DNA segregation during male gametogenesis. New studies show that the impairment of the actin polymerization of sub-haploid male gamets can be formed and the transmission can be completely blocked through development delays in the oocysten stage. This evolutionary research offers promising approaches for transmission blocking interventions.

a global problem

Malaria is not just a regional problem; It threatens millions worldwide. The disease is caused by different types of plasmodium, including P. Falciparum and P. Vivax, and it encounters humans, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Hundreds of million people are infected every year, which underlines the urgency of current research.

In the course of the developments, there is also a vaccination, which is not sufficiently effective. All the more important is continuous research in this field to develop new medication and treatment methods that meet the steadily growing challenges of resistance.

Finally, it can be said that Dr. Hentzschel's research could give important impulses for malaria control, which further deepens our understanding of the parasite and may show new ways to combat this life -threatening disease.