Topic: malaria

Josh Levendis examines how N6-methyladenosine RNA modification controls gene expression in Plasmodium falciparum. Nanopore direct RNA sequencing and GLORI-seq reveal enrichment near transcript ends. Inducible mislocalisation of methyltransferase depletes this modification and produces readthrough and chimeric transcripts, implicating methylation in correct polyadenylation and transcription termination. Stage-dependent modification of exons and retained introns may also regulate early termination during sexual development. Alex Harris investigates why protection from RTS,S malaria vaccination

Adrian Hill discusses the scientific challenges behind developing the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, its path from research to use, and efforts to make vaccination accessible in Africa. The conversation explores the complexity of the malaria parasite and the practical demands of vaccine production and delivery. The publisher credits Marushka Soobben and Chris Smith as presenters and provides the episode audio and interview transcript.

This eLife episode explores trade-offs between body size and sperm production in gorillas, fever-driven changes in malaria-infected cells, the neuroscience of gambling machines, whether infants are predisposed to dance, and high-altitude adaptations in bird eggs.