Functional dissection of autophagy-related proteins ATG5 and ATG18 in Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract

Malaria is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. It is caused by the protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium and is transmitted by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. Five species of Plasmodium infect humans: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi. Malaria is usually classified as asymptomatic, uncomplicated or severe. Fever, chills and muscle aches are the first typical symptoms of malaria. In the most severe cases, the disease can lead to coma or death, especially after infection with P. falciparum (Phillips et al., 2017).