Identification of a growth-inhibitory epitope in PfRipr5, a malaria vaccine candidate against Plasmodium falciparum

The identified 20-amino-acid region represents a cysteine-associated epitope recognized by the growth-inhibitory monoclonal antibody 29B11. This study defines a growth-inhibitory epitope within PfRipr5 whose recognition is associated with cysteine integrity. These findings provide a tractable molecular entry point for dissecting PfRipr function and support epitope-focused strategies for rational design of subunit vaccines against blood-stage malaria.