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Removing Resistance
18 January 2014

Removing Resistance

Across the globe, doctors and scientists are fighting to make malaria a disease of the past. One of their main weapons is an antimalarial drug called artemisinin. In recent years, the malaria parasite’s resistance to the drug has been growing in Southeast Asia, threatening efforts to eradicate the disease. Now, the key gene associated with artemisinin resistance has been identified. The gene codes for a protein called K13, represented here as multicoloured spirals. Normally, K13 forms in the shape of a propeller and the ‘propeller blades’ are thought to be involved in the interaction with other proteins. Mutations – at the sites shown as orange spheres – alter their formation and have been found to be a major cause of drug resistance. This discovery is a significant step towards preventing the problem of malaria drug resistance that threatens health worldwide.

Written by Hayley Simon

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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