Antibodies to malaria peptide mimics inhibit Plasmodium falciparum invasion of erythrocytes.

This peptide is derived from a random 20-mer peptide library. It mimics a conformational epitope on P.falciparum AMA-1 protein, recognized by the inhibitory rat mAb 4G2dc1. The library was constructed with random 20-mer peptides fused to the N-terminus of protein III of phage M13. Peptide specific Abs affinity purified from malaria exposed-donors sera are able to stain the merozoite apical organelle in immunofluorescence studies of infected RBCs, and to inhibit merozoite invasion of RBCs significantly (43% inhibition, compared to non-immune IgG).