Characterization of a Plasmodium falciparium mutant that has deleted the majority of the gametocyte-specific Pf11-1 locus.
We identified a gametocyte-specific protein of Plasmodium falciparum called Pf11-1 and provide experimental evidence that this molecule is involved in the emergence of gametes of the infected erythrocyte (gametogenesis). A mutant parasite clone, which has deleted over 90% of the Pf11-1 gene locus, was an important control to establish the gametocyte-specific expression of the Pf11-1. Molecular analysis of the Pf11-1 deletion indicates that it is presumably due to a chromosome breakage with subsequent 'healing' by the addition of telomeric heptanucleotides. Moreover, similar DNA rearrangements are observed in most of the laboratory isolates during asexual propagation in vitro.
Unité de Parasitologie Expérimentale, CNRS URA 361, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
A
A
Scherf
C
C
Petersen
R
R
Carter
P
P
Alano
R
R
Nelson
M
M
Aikawa
D
D
Mattei
L P
LP
da Silva
J
J
Leech
D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012098:Reproduction
D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C073165:antigen 11.1, Plasmodium falciparum