Proposed model of a functional role for PfGARP in malaria infection. PfGARP recognizes a site within the N-terminal 60-kDa ectoplasmic domain of human RBC band 3. This site is likely to be in close proximity to the region of band 3 that mediates RBC adhesion in malaria.⁶⁷  Interestingly, several known features of malaria pathogenesis have been mapped to the same N-terminal domain of band 3. This cartoon was assembled from the recently published structure of human RBC band 3.⁷⁷