Population genetic and biophysical evidences reveal that purifying selection shapes the genetic landscape of Plasmodium falciparum RH ligands in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, India.

Together, the study indicates that the genetic architecture of Pfrhs is principally shaped by purifying selection. The most abundant and ubiquitous PfRH5 variant harbouring 203Y, exhibits a greater affinity for BSG compared to PfRH53D7 possessing 203C allele. The study underscores the importance of selecting the functional allele that best represents circulating strains in natural parasite populations as vaccine targets.