Structural insights into global mutations in the ligand-binding domain of VAR2CSA and its implications on placental malaria vaccine

Placental malaria is a public health burden particularly in Africa as it causes severe symptoms and results in stillbirths or maternal deaths. Plasmodium falciparum protein VAR2CSA drives placental malaria (PM) in pregnant women by adhering to chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) on the placenta. VAR2CSA is a primary vaccine candidate for PM with two vaccines based on it already under clinical trials. The first cryo-EM three-dimensional structure of Pf...