Required to generate and maintain the structure of the tubular endoplasmic reticulum network and the digestive (food) vacuole (PubMed:27484902, PubMed:32432369). Induces high curvature in membranes and causes membrane tubule formation (PubMed:27484902). May form oligomers. Expressed during the asexual blood stage (at protein level) (PubMed:32432369). Expressed in sporozoites (at protein level) (PubMed:32432369). Not expressed in host liver 48 hours post-infection (at protein level) (PubMed:32432369). The N-terminus is important for protein stability. The C-terminus is dispensable for the formation of membrane tubules. The short lumenal loops between transmembrane domains 1 and 2 and between transmembrane domains 3 and 4 may impart a wedge-like configuration, thus deforming membranes. During the asexual blood stage, parasites have a slower growth, a delayed ring-to-trophozoite transition and display abnormal endoplasmic reticulum architecture and an enlarged digestive vacuole (PubMed:32432369). In infected mice, the number of male and female gametes is reduced, resulting in a severe decrease in the number of midgut oocytes and salivary gland sporozoites in the mosquito (PubMed:32432369). Sporozoites have a slight reduction in motility and the invasion of host hepatocytes is slightly delayed (PubMed:32432369). In C57BL/6 mice, parasitemia is reduced and the parasite fails to induce experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) (PubMed:32432369). Belongs to the DP1 family.