Quick notes on the genome of Plasmodium falciparum.
The genome of P. falciparum has been sequenced by an international consortium
Sequencing was carried out by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute; the Institute for Genomic Research/Naval Medical Research Institute (USA); and Stanford University (USA). The £11.5 million project was funded by the Wellcome Trust; the Burroughs Wellcome Fund; the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and the US Department of Defense.
The genome consists of 23 million base pairs of DNA, split over 14 chromosomes (the human genome has 3 billion base pairs).
Within the genome, 5279 genes have been identified.
The freely available genome information is already helping researchers develop new antimalarial drugs.
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