Comparative transcriptome analysis of different stages of Plasmodium falciparum to explore vaccine and drug candidates

Abstract

Malaria is a life-threatening disease causes huge burden on human health. Every year > 200 million cases of malaria are reported globally. Researchers have carried out research on transcriptome of different stages of Plasmodium species to understand complex pathology of pathogens and to discover therapeutics. Researchers are targeting different stages of Plasmodium falciparum separately. Hence, to target all stages of Plasmodium simultaneously comparative transcriptome analysis of different stages was carried out and 44 commonly expressed proteins from different stages of Plasmodium were identified. These proteins were analyzed for their drug target and vaccine potential in different analysis. Conservation of these proteins in human infecting Plasmodium species was also studied. Current approach is also justified because few of these proteins were found to be known vaccine and drug target candidates in different infectious diseases. These proteins can be taken as drug targets and/or vaccine candidates in further experimentation against malaria.