Scientists studied malaria-infected blood cells and observed transcription patterns of the pathogen.

Transcriptional profiles of the malaria pathogen Plasmodium falciparum were isolated from human blood samples. Transcription profiles from these plasmodia were compared to typical transcriptional profiles in yeast. Systems analysis of the expression data in these cells show that expression profiles cluster into three groups (colors). This computational analysis and comparison with previously described yeast expression profiles revealed three distinct P. falciparum physiological states characterized by glycolytic growth (green), a starvation response (purple), or an environmental stress response (brown). This improved understanding of the physiological diversity of the parasite may help to explain the range of outcomes after infection and lead to novel therapeutic approaches.