Conservation of a novel vacuolar transporter in Plasmodium species and its central role in chloroquine resistance of P. falciparum

Chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum has recently been shown to result from mutations in the novel vacuolar transporter, PfCRT. Field studies have demonstrated the importance of these mutations in clinical resistance. Although a pfcrt ortholog has been identified in Plasmodium vivax, there is no association between in vivo chloroquine resistance and codon mutations in the P. vivax gene. This is consistent with lines of evidence that suggest alternative mechanisms of chloroquine resistance among various malaria parasite species.