Advertisement

If you have an ACS member number, please enter it here so we can link this account to your membership. (optional)

ACS values your privacy. By submitting your information, you are gaining access to C&EN and subscribing to our weekly newsletter. We use the information you provide to make your reading experience better, and we will never sell your data to third party members.

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCES TO C&EN

Environment

Malaria parasite protein is driven by sodium ions

October 2, 2006 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 84, Issue 40

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has been discovered to alter the sodium ion concentration of cells it infects as a means to help it steal nutrients, according to a study led by Kiaran Kirk and Stefan Bröer of Australian National University, Canberra (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature05149). It had been known that P. falciparum increases Na+ concentration inside red blood cells of its host, but the reason for the increase was a biochemical mystery. The researchers determined that the parasite has a Na+-dependent transporter protein at its surface that uses Na+ to fuel the uptake of the inorganic phosphate (H2PO4-) it needs for cell metabolism and nucleic acid production in order to proliferate. The parasite thus "engineers" a high Na+ concentration in its host cell while keeping its own Na+ concentration low, thereby creating a concentration gradient to drive the phosphate uptake transporter.

Article:

This article has been sent to the following recipient:

0 /1 FREE ARTICLES LEFT THIS MONTH Remaining
Chemistry matters. Join us to get the news you need.