Host actin remodeling and protection from malaria by hemoglobinopathies

Many intracellular pathogens remodel the actin of their host cells, and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is no exception to this rule. The surprising finding is that several hemoglobinopathies that protect carriers from severe malaria may do so by interfering with host actin reorganization. Here we discuss our current understanding of actin remodeling in P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes, how hemoglobinopathies interfere with this process, and how impaired host actin remodeling affects the virulence of P. falciparum.