title: A stage specific gene expressed at the onset of gametocytogenesis in Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: The gene encoding the gametocyte specific cytoplasmic protein Pfg27/25 of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has been cloned. The gene encodes a highly hydrophilic non-repetitive protein which does not share obvious homologies with other polypeptides. The stage specificity of Pfg27/25 is controlled at the stage of the production of stable mRNA, which is detectable only in the sexual stages of the parasite, and contains long additional sequences outside the Pfg27/25 coding region. As the activation of Pfg27/25 gene expression occurs at an early stage of gametocytogenesis, the study of its regulation might provide information on the molecular events occurring after the parasite commitment to sexual differentiation and at the beginning of gametocyte formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, University of Edinburgh, U.K.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Premawansa
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C069962:Pfg25-27 protein, Plasmodium falciparum