New parasite genomes for malaria

More than linkurl:six years;http://www.the-scientist.com/article/display/13395/ after researchers sequenced the genome of the most virulent human malaria parasite, researchers now report the sequences of two more species, according to a pair of studies published in Nature this week. By comparing the genetics of Plasmodium falciparum to that of the newly sequenced species, P. knowlesi, and linkurl:P. vivax;, the two teams have begun to identify the different mechanisms by which each species maximizes its chances of evading the host immune system. "The genome sequence is important for laying the foundation for future studies," said linkurl:Elizabeth Winzeler,;http://www.scripps.edu/cb/winzeler/ a systems biologist at the Scripps Research Institute, who wrote an accompanying commentary to the studies. "The genome sequences [of P. vivax and P.knowlesi will now allow work in this area to go on that can advance biology relatively quickly." The majority of the 515 million annual cases of malaria are caused mainly by...