3d7

3D7 is a laboratory clone of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and is widely used as a reference strain in malaria research. It is one of the principal lines associated with the sequencing of the P. falciparum genome and has served as a standard for genomic, functional, and comparative studies.

The 3D7 genome is commonly described as about 23.3 megabases in length, organized into 14 chromosomes, and containing roughly 5,300 to 5,400 protein-coding genes. The genome is notably AT-rich and contains gene families such as the var genes, which contribute to antigenic variation and immune evasion. The 3D7 sequence serves as the reference against which other strains are compared, enabling researchers to identify structural variation, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and gene content differences across malaria parasites.

In research, 3D7 is used for functional genomics, drug target discovery, and vaccine development. It has supported developments in transfection technologies and genome editing, including CRISPR-Cas9 approaches, allowing researchers to investigate gene function and parasite biology. Public databases such as PlasmoDB and various malaria genomics resources catalog 3D7 sequence data, annotations, and related experimental results, facilitating comparative studies with other strains like Dd2 and 7G8.

Culturing 3D7 involves in vitro growth in human erythrocytes under defined culture conditions, with routine procedures for maintaining parasite life cycles and performing genetic manipulation. As the reference genome and clone for Plasmodium falciparum, 3D7 remains a foundational resource in the study of malaria biology and the ongoing search for interventions.