Invasion of the human host by plasmodium parasites involves complex interactions with key roles played by both human and plasmodium proteins. Here, using signal processing method, Resonant Recognition Model (RRM), we analyzed a group of proteins playing key roles in these invasion mechanisms. The RRM is a physico-mathematical approach analyzing protein interactions based on resonant frequency match between free electron energy distributions of interacting proteins. By identifying resonant frequencies common to several proteins involved in plasmodium infection, the main features of invasion process can be summarized. The findings of this study confirmed results from literature: interaction of band 3 protein from Red Blood Cell with both Erythrocyte Binding Antigen (EBA) and Signal Peptide Protease (SPP), following different mechanisms, common function for orthologues of Circumsporozoite protein, EBA, SPP and PfEMP. Two main characteristic frequencies were identified as relevant for parasite invasion: frequency at f=0.0020 is putatively associated to recognition of host cell membranes, whereas frequency at f=0.3400 may reflect intracellular interactions of merozoites as well as hypnozoites. The results obtained here provide a valuable insight into protein-protein interactions during plasmodium infection which could be used further to design new synthetic peptides as vaccine candidates or medications for curbing malaria.
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