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Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. To evaluate the efficacy of a possible vaccine antigen against P. falciparum infection, a fusion protein, derived from P. falciparum Glutamate-rich protein (GLURP) genetically coupled to P. falciparum Merozoite surface protein 3 (MSP3) was produced in Lactococcus lactis as a secreted recombinant GLURP–MSP3 fusion protein. The hybrid protein was purified to homogeneity by ion exchange and hydrophobic-interaction chromatography and its composition was verified by MALDI MS, SDS/PAGE and Western blotting with antibodies against antigenic components of GLURP and MSP3. Mice immunized with the hybrid protein produced higher levels of both GLURP- and MSP3-specific antibodies than mice immunized with either GLURP, MSP3 or a mix of both. The protective potential of the hybrid protein was also demonstrated by …