ACKR1 and malaria: On the other hand, DARC erythroid expression influences infection in a variety of other species of Plasmodium. For example, it is required for infection by Plasmodium knowlesi, a malaria parasite that infects macaques, and SNPs upstream of the DARC gene homologue in baboons influence DARC expression and correlate with infection rates of a malaria-like parasite [45, 46].