Scientists at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) School of Biological Sciences (SBS) have been able uncover hitherto unknown gene expression patterns in malaria. The development is hailed as a breakthrough as it could lead to the development of more potent drugs or a vaccine for the dreaded disease.

The Singapore research has yielded critical information about how the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum -- the most deadly form of malaria -- responds to existing compounds with curative potential.

The genome or the complete DNA content of the Plasmodium falciparum has about 5,300 genes. Up till now, scientists have a good understanding of the gene functions for only about half of the more than 5,000 genes. Now Asst Prof Zbynek Bozdech's team has successfully uncovered the gene functions for almost the entire genome, with more than 90 percent of the gene functions from the previously unknown half now better understood.

"Drawing on our findings, pharmaceutical companies could explore ways to design a drug that targets the weakest link," said Asst Prof Bozdech of his research which was supported with S$900,000 in grants from Singapore's Ministry of Education and the National Medical Research Council. "We have predicted all the genes that could be used for a vaccine as well," he said.

Researchers at Germany's renowned institute for tropical diseases, the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, have validated the research findings, which are expected to provide exciting new insights into parasite biology.