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Malaria

Malaria Parasites' Wildly Spinning Iron Crystals Propelled by Rocket Fuel

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

University of Utah Health scientists have finally uncovered the mystery behind the deadly Plasmodium falciparum parasite's tiny, microscopically fast-spinning iron crystals. These crystals, made up of an iron-based compound called heme, have long been an important target for antimalarial drugs, but their motion has been a blind spot for parasitology for decades. Now, the researchers have discovered that the crystals' motion is propelled by the same chemical reaction that powers spacefaring rockets - the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. This finding could reveal new targets for malaria treatments and provide new insights for creating nanoscale robots.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Plasmodium falciparum parasite contains tiny crystals made of heme that spin wildly, which has been a mystery for decades.
  • The crystals' motion is propelled by the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen, the same reaction that powers rockets.
  • The crystals' spin may help the parasite survive by "burning off" toxic peroxide or helping store toxic iron compounds.
  • The researchers suspect that this phenomenon may be more widespread in biology and could inspire improved designs for microscopic robots.
  • The findings could lead to new malaria medicines and improve drug delivery applications.
  • The discovery of the crystals' motion could also provide insights into creating nanoscale robots.
  • The hydrogen peroxide decomposition reaction is a form of propulsion common in aerospace engineering, but previously unknown in biology.
  • The researchers found that purified crystals spin when exposed to hydrogen peroxide, and the crystals decelerate when the amount of peroxide is reduced.
  • The spinning motion may help the parasite deal with excess toxic peroxide and heme by keeping crystals from clumping together.
  • The results could inspire improved designs for microscopic robots and potentially lead to better antimalarial drugs.
  • The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant numbers R35GM133764, R21AI185746, R35GM14749, and T32AI055434), the Utah Center for Iron & Heme Disorders, the Price College of Engineering, and the 3i Initiative.

Statistics:

  • The Plasmodium falciparum parasite contains tiny crystals that spin at a rate too fast to be tracked by traditional scientific techniques.
  • The crystals are made of an iron-based compound called heme, and their motion is propelled by the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen.
  • The researchers found that purified crystals spin when exposed to hydrogen peroxide, with an estimated rate of X revolutions per second.
  • The crystals decelerate to about half their normal speed when the amount of peroxide is reduced.
  • The research was supported by $X million in funding from the National Institutes of Health.
  • The Utah Center for Iron & Heme Disorders provided additional funding for the research.

Sources:

  • PNAS: "Chemical propulsion of hemozoin crystal motion in malaria parasites"
  • National Institutes of Health (grant numbers R35GM133764, R21AI185746, R35GM14749, and T32AI055434)
  • Utah Center for Iron & Heme Disorders (grant number U54DK110858)
  • Price College of Engineering at the University of Utah
  • 3i Initiative at University of Utah Health

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