Heteroduplex stabilities in highly repetitive DNA. An hypothesis for the polymorphism of Plasmodium parasite antigenic response.
Codon repeats encountered in DNA sequences may formally lead to several double-stranded structures of similar stabilities. This is observed in the highly repetitive sequences of some Plasmodium antigens (S-antigen, CS proteins). It is postulated that gene recombination may occur via various heteroduplex molecules thus leading to antigenic polymorphism of Plasmodium parasites.
D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes; D004247:DNA