title: Analysis of the sequences flanking the translational start sites of Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: The 5' and 3' regions adjacent to the initiation codon in 22 Plasmodium falciparum sequences were examined. A 5' consensus sequence (AAAA/ATG) was found. Although P. falciparum non-translated DNA is A-rich, A occurred significantly more frequently in the 4 positions preceding the initiation ATG than in adjacent non-translated DNA, suggesting that this consensus sequence has functional significance in the initiation of translation. This region has similarities with the equivalent sequences in yeast and Drosophila but differs markedly from that in vertebrates. No significant bias in nucleotide frequencies was found 3' to the initiation codon.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saul
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Battistutta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003062:Codon; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D016054:DNA, Protozoan