Devaki Lasiwa

Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. References 1 & (2009) Actin, a central player in cell shape and movement. Science 326, 1208–1212. 2 (2016) Actin and actin-binding proteins. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 8, a018226. 3 & (2003) Cellular motility driven by assembly and disassembly of actin filaments. Cell 112, 453–465. 4, , , & (2004) Regulating filopodial dynamics through actin-depolymerizing factor/cofilin. Anat Sci Int 79, 173–183.

Abstract Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites, Plasmodium spp., that belong to the phylum Apicomplexa. The life cycle of these parasites depends on two different hosts; the definitive host, or vector, is a mosquito, and the intermediate host is a vertebrate, such as human. Malaria parasites use a unique form of substrate-dependent motility for host cell invasion and egress, which is dependent on an actomyosin motor complex called the glideosome.

Abstract Actin is an intrinsically dynamic protein, the function and state of which are modulated by actin-binding proteins. Actin depolymerizing factors (ADF)/cofilins are ubiquitous actin-binding proteins that accelerate actin turnover. Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, which belong to the phylum Apicomplexa. The parasites require two hosts to complete their life cycle: the definitive host, or the vector, which is an Anopheles spp.