Genome Evolution in Malaria Parasites: I. Core Genome Components

Malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases that affect millions of people globally. It is caused by protozoan parasites in the genus Plasmodium. Existing antimalarials have lost efficacy thanks to the emergence of resistant parasite populations and the incidence of the disease is on the rise. It is believed that the completion of the genome sequence of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and its sibling species will lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying parasite biology and complex parasite-host interactions. In this study we focus on the investigation of genome evolution and genome plasticity in six malaria parasite species with various mammalian hosts, ranging from humans to rodents. We identify core genome components that are commonly present in these species. These components play important roles in fundamental functions as well as in parasite-specific activities.