Research Projects

Malaria disease is caused by parasites and transmitted to people through the infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Globally, the estimated data of WHO (World Health Organization) of the year 2020 reveals, 241 million malaria cases and estimated 627 000 malaria deaths all over the world in last year. As per WHO report, India is reported to have a maximum reduction in the new cases of malaria among South-East Asia Region. Clinical manifestations of malaria depend on the propagation of parasites in red blood cells, those are invaded by parasites and after multiplication, the parasites rupture rbcs and infect other rbcs or organs.[1] Among, all the parasitic diseases, malaria causes the maximum deaths globally. tRNA splicing endonuclease is known for the conversion of the pre-tRNA into mature tRNA for which the removal of the 5’ leader sequence, 3’ trailer sequence and the intron is needed. In the case of the Archaeal system splicing endonuclease is responsible for the tRNA intron splicing. tRNA splicing endonuclease enzyme has been characterized in many the organism like Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, the role of tRNA splicing endonuclease has never been characterize in P. falciparum but its importance in other eukaryotes predicts it as an important part of Plasmodium life cycle too especially the part of Plasmodium related to its parasitic behaviour. Based on conservation of tRNA splicing endonuclease across other species and knowledge of the importance of its functional role in other eukaryotes, this proposal aiming for identification and functional characterization of putative tRNA splicing endonuclease in P. falciparum and elucidate its enzymatic activity. In addition, we will also identify small de novo peptide or inhibitors against tRNA splicing endonuclease through Bacterial two hybrid system and will study the importance of their interaction and its effect in Plasmodium falciparum life-cycle. By validating the tRNA splicing endonuclease inhibitors this proposal is expected to generate such small peptide through de novo analysis which will mimic the tRNA splicing endonuclease inhibitors (found from Bacterial two hybrid system) and can be used as potential drug target against Malaria.