KRT88P and malaria: Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the malaria protection offered by HbC, including: abnormal intraerythrocytic development of the parasite leading to lower Plasmodium falciparum replication rates in subsets of CC erythrocytes [5]; abnormal P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP-1) display, leading to reduced cytoadherence and possibly reduced parasite sequestration [6], and accelerated acquisition of immunity against malaria [7].