(B.K.L.S.) vasion by P. falciparum, we have determined the crystalErythrocyte Invasion Pathway of the Malaria Parasite Plasm

Structural Basis for the EBA-life cycle (for review see Miller et al. [2002]). domains are unique to Plasmodium and thus constitute All of the pathological and clinical manifestations of a good drug target (Aravind et al., 2003). the disease are caused by the asexual erythrocytic RII is highly conserved among more than 30 labora-stage. Thus, the invasion of erythrocytes by merozoites tory and field isolates (Liang and Sim, 1997) and has marks a critical step that is a logical target for the de- been established as a vaccine candidate (Jones et al., 2001; Sim et al., 2001). Toward the understanding of receptor-ligand interactions critical for erythrocyte in-*Correspondence