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Scavenger receptor CD163 detoxes #hemoglobin (Hb) via haptoglobin–Hb (Hp-Hb) uptake, but can also bind free Hb directly. Richard Zhou & @parasitematt.bsky.social solve the CD163-Hb structure to reveal that CD163 arms allow receptor promiscuity when Hp is absent @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4eOLuIv

Our latest study of the scavenger receptor CD163, led by Richard Zhou. This follows our previous study of how CD163 uses its remarkable molecular architecture to bind haptoglobin-haemoglobin. We now show how its flexible arms allow haemoglobin binding, revealing how ligand promiscuity works.

Congratulations to the new Doctor of Philosophy @courbongautier.bsky.social on a spectacular PhD defense following a groundbreaking PhD! Thanks to external examiner Damian Ekiert from JHU and the rest of the examining committee. Next stop, Oxford University for a postdoctoral fellowship. 🇫🇷🇨🇦🇬🇧

The PfPCRCR complex is essential for invasion of human erythrocytes by the deadliest malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum . Antibodies against each subunit of PfPCRCR prevent erythrocyte invasion and the PfRH5 component is currently the most advanced blood-stage malaria vaccine. Central within PfPCRCR is PfRIPR. This complex molecule contains a core and a flexible tail and allows PfPCRCR to bridge the parasite and erythrocyte during invasion. In this study, we generated a small panel of human monoclonal antibodies against PfRIPR. We structurally characterised four PfRIPR tail-binding antibodies in complex with PfRIPR fragments. We show that growth-inhibitory antibody RP.012 induces a kink in the PfRIPR tail while non-inhibitory antibodies do not. Furthermore, we show that these four antibodies modulate each other, either through antagonism or by acting synergistically. These studies have implications for the design of PfRIPR-based vaccine immunogens and indicate that the tail of PfRIPR undergoes essential conformational changes during erythrocyte invasion. ### Competing Interest Statement J.T., A.C., and L.T.W. are coinventors on a provisional patent filed on the human mAbs described in this study (63/777,850). The other authors have no competing interests. Wellcome Trust, https://ror.org/029chgv08, 220797/Z/20/Z Medical Research Council, MR/Z505687/1 Gates Foundation, INV-078815

The HartLab is looking for a research assistant to support the exploration of red blood cell invasion by Plasmodium and Babesia parasites and the establishment of their distinct intracellular niches. For more information on this 4-year position follow the link below: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQH098/r...