The projects focuses on a search for new malaria vaccine candidates targeting the Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic stage. Selection of new antigens was performed using a genome-wide approach complemented with high-throughput peptide synthesis. We first identified potential protein antigens present in the asexual malaria blood stages through bioinformatics and published transcriptome and proteome analysis. Amongst the proteins identified, we selected those that contain predicted coiled-coil regions, which are generally short and structurally stable as isolated fragments. To test the feasibility of this approach, 39 segments, 30-40 amino acids long with the highest coiled-coil score, present either in the same protein or in different ones were selected. All selected antigens were recognized at various degrees (5-60%) by a panel of sera from donors living in endemic areas. This systematic approach to vaccine candidate selection is extended to all predicted P. falciparum proteins that are expressed during the erythrocytic stage and that contain coiled-coil domains. In a series of pre-clinical vaccine evaluation steps the most appropriate candidates will be select for vaccine development.
