The fatal chink in malaria parasite’s armour

Mosquito. Credit: Tom - Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have exposed a fatal flaw in the deadly parasite that causes malaria - one of the world's biggest killers. The researchers discovered a vulnerability in the parasite's metabolism, where the breakdown of certain nutrients causes the cell to struggle to keep fat molecules where they should be. The flaw could be harnessed for treatment. Malaria is an often fatal disease caused by the spread of a parasite transmitted from mosquitos to humans. The parasite travels from the mosquito into the body's red blood cells where it hides from the immune system, making it difficult to naturally eradicate. By overloading the infected cell with calcium and depleting the amount of cholesterol, fat-moving proteins are activated, sending an "eat me" signal from the parasite to the body's immune system.