Saglin is a protein produced by the salivary glands of

mosquitoes Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning "gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "litt ...

. It is thought that this protein allows the

malarial Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or deat ...

sporozoite to bind to the salivary glands, allowing invasion.Okulate ''et al.'' 2007 ''Identification and molecular characterization of a novel protein Saglin as a target of monoclonal antibodies affecting salivary gland infectivity of Plasmodium sporozoites'' It is currently under investigation as a potential drug target to help control transmission of the disease by controlling transmission in the

vector Vector most often refers to: *Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction *Vector (epidemiology), an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematic ...

.The Saglin Project http://bioquest.org/oakwood2008/2008/08/this-is-the-saglin-project/

References

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