A set of glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored membrane proteins of Plasmodium falciparum is refractory to genetic deletion
- Author(s)
- Sanders, PR; Kats, LM; Drew, DR; O'Donnell, RA; O'Neill, M; Maier, AG; Coppel, RL; Crabb, BS;
- Details
- Publication Year 2006-07,Volume 74,Issue #7,Page 4330-4338
- Journal Title
- INFECTION AND IMMUNITY
- Publication Type
- Journal Article
- Abstract
- Targeted gene disruption has proved to be a powerful approach for studying the function of important ligands involved in erythrocyte invasion by the extracellular merozoite form of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Merozoite invasion proceeds via a number of seemingly independent alternate pathways, such that entry can proceed with parasites lacking particular ligand-receptor interactions. To date, most focus in this regard has been on single-pass (type 1) membrane proteins that reside in the secretory organelles. Another class of merozoite proteins likely to include ligands for erythrocyte receptors are the glycosylphosphatidyl inositol (GPI)-anchored membrane proteins that coat the parasite surface and/or reside in the apical organelles. Several of these are prominent vaccine candidates, although their functions remain unknown. Here, we systematically attempted to disrupt the genes encoding seven of the known GPI-anchored merozoite proteins of P. falciparum by using a double-crossover gene-targeting approach. Surprisingly, and in apparent contrast to other merozoite antigen classes, most of the genes (six of seven) encoding GPI-anchored merozoite proteins are refractory to genetic deletion, with the exception being the gene encoding merozoite surface protein 5 (MSP-5). No distinguishable growth rate or invasion pathway phenotype was detected for the msp-5 knockout line, although its presence as a surface-localized protein was confirmed.
- Publisher
- AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY
- Keywords
- MEROZOITE SURFACE PROTEIN; HOST-CELL INVASION; ERYTHROCYTE INVASION; MALARIA PARASITES; TRANSGENE EXPRESSION; BINDING; ANTIGEN; IDENTIFICATION; RECEPTOR; DOMAIN
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00054-06
- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
- Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Creation Date: 2006-07-01 12:00:00