Population Structure and Recent Evolution of Plasmodium falciparum

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 97; no. 13; pp. 6994 - 7001
• Main Authors: Rich, Stephen M., Ayala, Francisco J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20.06.2000; National Acad Sciences; National Academy of Sciences; The National Academy of Sciences
• Series: Colloquium Paper
• Subjects: Alleles; Amino Acid Sequence; Amino acids; Animals; Base Sequence; Biological Evolution; Chromosomes; CSP gene; Evolution; Genes, Protozoan; Genetic mutation; Genetic variation; Genetics, Population; Humans; Malaria; Molecular Sequence Data; Msp-1 gene; Msp-2 gene; MSP1 gene; MSP2 gene; Nucleotide sequences; Nucleotides; Parasites; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - genetics; Population structure; Vector-borne diseases

Plasmodium falciparum is the agent of malignant malaria, one of mankind's most severe maladies. The parasite exhibits antigenic polymorphisms that have been postulated to be ancient. We have proposed that the extant world populations of P. falciparum have derived from one single parasite, a cen...