Horrocks P, Bowman S, Kyes S, Waters A P, Craig A
Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England.
Bull World Health Organ. 2000;78(12):1424-37. Epub 2003 Nov 17.
The sequencing of the genome of Plasmodium falciparum promises to revolutionize the way in which malaria research will be carried out. Beyond simple gene discovery, the genome sequence will facilitate the comprehensive determination of the parasite's gene expression during its developmental phases, pathology, and in response to environmental variables, such as drug treatment and host genetic background. This article reviews the current status of the P. falciparum genome sequencing project and the unique insights it has generated. We also summarize the application of bioinformatics and analytical tools that have been developed for functional genomics. The aim of these activities is the rational, information-based identification of new therapeutic strategies and targets, based on a thorough insight into the biology of Plasmodium spp.
恶性疟原虫基因组测序有望彻底改变疟疾研究的开展方式。除了简单的基因发现之外，基因组序列将有助于全面确定该寄生虫在其发育阶段、病理过程以及对环境变量（如药物治疗和宿主遗传背景）作出反应时的基因表达情况。本文综述了恶性疟原虫基因组测序项目的现状及其所产生的独特见解。我们还总结了为功能基因组学开发的生物信息学和分析工具的应用情况。这些活动的目的是在深入了解疟原虫生物学特性的基础上，基于信息进行合理的新治疗策略和靶点的鉴定。
