title: Localisation of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: The enzyme hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has been located in parasites and parasite-infected erythrocytes by antibody probing. The probe was a polyclonal rabbit antiserum made against the parasite enzyme made in Escherichia coli. The enzyme is associated with membrane-bound compartments in merozoites and asexual blood parasites. In particular, indirect immunofluorescence studies reveal the enzyme localized in vesicle-like structures within the cytoplasm of the infected erythrocyte. This is the first time a P. falciparum protein of defined metabolic function has been tracked to a site outside the parasite cytosol. Studies on the targeting of the enzyme using a cell-free system suggests that the protein reaches its destination via a route different from the normal secretory pathway.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahabuddin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Günther
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lingelbach
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aikawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Ridley
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Scaife
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004247:DNA; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000201:enzymology; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D007041:Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase