Comparative analysis of the rodent malaria genome Plasmodium chabaudi AS. Plasmodium chabaudi strain:AS

Rodent malaria parasites (RMPs) are important model organisms for genetic manipulation and cerebral malaria (Plasmodium berghei), studying immunology and chronic infections (P. chabaudi) and comparisons of lethal versus non-lethal infections (P. yoelii). To utilise rodent malaria models to their full potential we greatly improved the genome assemblies of P. berghei ANKA and P. chabaudi AS and generated the genome sequences of P. yoelii YM and P. yoelii 17X. The RMP reference genomes and RNA-seq data will serve as excellent community resources to better interrogate Plasmodium gene function and biology, and the improved multigene family characterisation will enhance efforts to better understand the role of exported and variant proteins have in virulence and immune evasion.