The finding that subsets of PIR proteins of another rodent malaria parasite, P. berghei, have been detected exclusively at particular life cycle stages [23], and that BIR proteins are associated with both the erythrocytic membrane and membrane microdomains, or lipid rafts [18] would support this view, although no functions have yet been elucidated in these cases. This evidence concerns the gene KCNJ11 and malaria.