Mechanisms of malaria parasite egress from red blood cells

The clinical symptoms of malaria arise from cycles of parasite replication in the blood. This requires egress (exit) of mature parasites from their host erythrocyte, during which the parasites break down their enclosing vacuole and erythrocyte host membranes. The abundant parasite surface protein MSP1 plays a key role in egress. This project focuses on the cascade of events leading to membrane permeabilisation and rupture. The student will generate conditional mutants of MSP1 using genetic manipulation and optical microscopy of malaria parasites, then use cryo electron microscopy and tomography to examine the molecular and cellular mechanisms of membrane disruption.