Evolution of Host Specificity by Malaria Parasites through Altered Mechanisms Controlling Genome Maintenance
Michelle C. Siao, Janus Borner, Susan L. Perkins, Kirk Deitsch, Laura A. Kirkman
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the most prevalent and deadly infectious diseases of the developing world, causing approximately 228 million clinical cases and nearly half a million deaths annually. The disease is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium , and of the five species capable of infecting humans, infections with P. falciparum are the most severe. In addition to the parasites that infect people, there are hundreds of additional species that infect birds, reptiles, and other mammals, each exquisitely evolved to meet the specific challenges inherent to survival within their respective hosts. By comparing the unique strategies that each species has evolved, key insights into host-parasite interactions can be gained, including discoveries regarding the pathogenesis of human disease. Here, we describe the surprising observation that closely related parasites with different hosts have evolved remarkably different methods for repairing their genomes. This observation has important implications for the ability of parasites to maintain chronic infections and for the development of host immunity.