Compositions and methods for inhibiting malaria protease falcipain-2

摘要

The invention provides peptides derived from ankyrin and erythrocyte protein 4.1 that selectively inhibit falcipain-2-mediated cleavage of human erythrocyte protein 4.1, erythrocyte membrane ankyrin, and hemoglobin. Antibodies that bind to the falcipain-2 inhibitor peptides also are provided. Methods for selecting agents which inhibit falcipain-2 mediated parasite exit from host cells and methods of treatment which involve the peptides, nucleic acids encoding the peptides, and antibodies also are provided.