Antonio Barragan

TL;DR: Genetic mapping revealed two closely adjacent quantitative trait loci on parasite chromosome VIIa that control the extreme virulence of the type I lineage and identified the candidate virulence gene ROP18, a highly polymorphic serine-threonine kinase that was secreted into the host cell during parasite invasion.

TL;DR: The identification by single-cell reverse transcriptase PCR and cDNA cloning of the adhesive ligand P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) is reported on, suggesting PfEMP1 is suggested to be the rosetting ligand and heparan sulfate, or a heparin-Sepharose–like molecule, the receptor both for Pf EMP1 binding and naturally formed ery throatcyte rosettes.

TL;DR: The potential to up-regulate migratory capacity in T. gondii likely plays an important role in establishing new infections and in dissemination upon reactivation of chronic infections.

TL;DR: Findings show that Toxoplasma is able to subvert the regulation of host cell motility and likely exploits the host’s natural pathways of cellular migration for parasite dissemination.

TL;DR: The exceptional binding activity of the PfEMP1 head structure and its relatively conserved nature argues that it holds an important role in erythrocyte sequestration and therefore in the virulence of the malaria parasite.