Genomes of chimpanzee parasite species reveal evolution of human malaria

(University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine) An international team used an amplification technique to sequence the genomes of two divergent Plasmodium malaria species from miniscule volumes of chimpanzee blood to find clues about the evolution and pathogenicity of Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite that affects people. Understanding the origins of emerging diseases -- and more established disease agents -- is critical to gauge future human infection risks and find new treat...