{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"How Comparative Genomics Can Help Find the Best Treatments for Malaria","description":"'Comparative genomics' helps identify genes that can serve as targets for future drugs and vaccines. Transcript Not all parasites are alike. Genetic mutations mean that malaria parasites evolve differently in different regions \u2013 and even within the same region. One species thought to be particularly genetically diverse is Plasmodium vivax. It\u2019s the second most common species of malaria, found in South East Asia, South America, and some parts of Africa. In Ethiopia, 20% of malaria cases are thought to be caused by P. vivax. In a new paper, scientists made a \u2018reference genome\u2019 from a sample of P. vivax in Ethiopia. They collected blood from an infected patient, extracted the DNA, and \u2018read\u2019 its fragments to form the parasite genome. This allows scientists to compare P. vivax samples across regions \u2013 and understand their similarities and differences. Importantly, this study of \u2018comparative genomics\u2019 ie comparing genomes will help identify the genes that stay the same \u2013 the conserved genes \u2013 and those which are different - the unique genes -which could serve as targets for future drugs and vaccines. Source Assembled genome of an Ethiopian Plasmodium vivax isolate generated using GridION long-read technology About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community. ","author_name":"Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute","author_url":"https:\/\/malaria.jhsph.edu\/","html":"