Malaria Parasite, Plasmodium transfers from Gorillas to Humans: Study

A recent study published by the Researchers of Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Montpellier revealed the evolution theory which led the deadliest Malarial Parasite called Plasmodium falciparum transfer from gorillas to humans. The researchers have been able to reconstruct a 50,000-year-old gene sequence which was an acquired trait of the ancestors of Plasmodium falciparum responsible for infecting the red blood cells in humans. The research was published on October 15 in PLOS Biology. 

RH5 DNA sequence help in switching hosts

The gene called rh5 helps the malarial parasite to cause infection in both gorillas and humans. The gene transfer happens at a molecular level. Moreover, the researchers have also discovered a specific DNA mutation which functions to restrict P. falciparum to humans. The research is a landmark in the study of understanding the behaviour of pathogens and how they are able to infect multiple species. 

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The RH5-Basigin interaction

P. falciparum is one of the seven species which causes malaria in humans. It was originated in n African great apes. It is proved that P. falciparum only infects humans and it changed its host from gorillas to humans by the process of zoonosis, 50,000 years ago. The research revealed that a DNA sequence was transferred from a gorilla parasite, Plasmodium adleri, to the ancestor of P. falciparum. This sequence consists of rh5 gene, which produces RH5 protein. This protein sequence is capable of binding to Basigin, a protein receptor present in red blood cells in humans. The research read, “ The RH5-Basigin interaction is critical for the P. falciparum parasite to infect humans. As such, RH5 is a promising malaria vaccine target – if this interaction can be disrupted, the parasite would no longer be able to invade human red blood cells and cause malaria.”

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The new sequence in P. falciparum is restricted to human species 

The scientists also ‘resurrected’ the ancestral RH5 DNA creating synthetic copies to observe the interaction of the RH5 protein. Researchers based on previous studies expected that RH5 protein will only have the trait to bind to gorillas' protein receptor, but to their surprise, it consists of dual property due to which it can bind to human Basigin and gorilla Basgin. The present P.falciparum gene has six differences as compared to its ancestors due to continuous mutations. One of the most prominent mutations is that the current sequence in P. falciparum has completely lost its ability to bind to gorilla Basigin, restricting it to the human genome. 

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