A method and composition using a dual specificity protein tyrosine phosphatase as an antimalarial drug target

摘要

Phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTP) encoded by PF13_0027 is a desirable drug target for the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This PTP is critical for intraerythrocytic parasite development and invasion of erythrocytes by malaria merozoites. Mutation of the PF13_0027 gene or blocking expression of PTP function to create a PTP-null parasite severely attenuates the malaria parasite's ability to survive, making the PTP-null parasite suitable as an attenuated blood-stage parasite vaccine.