Motile systems in malaria merozoites: How is the red blood cell invaded?

The ability of the malaria parasite to invade erythrocytes is central to th e disease process, but is not thoroughly understood. In particular, little attention has been paid to the motor systems driving invasion. Here, Jennif er Pinder, Ruth Fowler and colleagues review motility in the merozoite. The components of an actomyosin motor are present, including a novel unconvent ional class XIV myosin, now called Pfmyo-A, which, because of its time of s ynthesis and location, is likely to generate the force required for invasio n. In addition, there is a sub-pellicular microtubule assemblage in falcipa rum merozoites, the f-MAST, the integrity of which is necessary for invasio n.