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Pfcrt Is More Than The Plasmodium Falciparum Chloroquine Resistance Gene: A Functional And Evolutionary Perspective, Roland A. Cooper, Carmony L. Hartwig, Michael T. Ferdig
Pfcrt Is More Than The Plasmodium Falciparum Chloroquine Resistance Gene: A Functional And Evolutionary Perspective, Roland A. Cooper, Carmony L. Hartwig, Michael T. Ferdig
Roland A. Cooper
Genetic, physiological and pharmacological studies are gradually revealing the molecular basis of chloroquine resistance (CQR) in the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Recent highlights include the discovery of a key gene associated with resistance, pfcrt (Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter; PfCRT), encoding a novel transporter, and the characterization of global selective sweeps of haplotypes containing a K76T amino acid change within this protein. Little is known about the cellular mechanism by which resistant parasites escape the effects of chloroquine (CQ), one of the most promising drugs ever deployed, due in part to an unresolved mechanism of action. The worldwide spread of …