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.
Scherf
A
A
Unité de Parasitologie Expérimentale, CNRS URA 361, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Petersen
C
C
Carter
R
R
Alano
P
P
Nelson
R
R
Aikawa
M
M
Mattei
D
D
da Silva
L P
LP
Leech
J
J
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