title: Cloning and characterisation of a gene from Plasmodium vivax and P. knowlesi: homology with valine-tRNA synthetase.
abstract: We have previously described a lambdagt11 clone detected by immune screening with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) A12. This mAb is capable of completely blocking Plasmodium vivax transmission in the mosquito vector. An epitope recognised by A12 was mapped to six amino acids (aa) within the translated sequence of this clone. Here, we describe the complete sequence of the gene within which we mapped this epitope. Surprisingly, the translated sequence of the full-length open reading frame shows homology with that of valine-tRNA synthetases (Val-tRS) from other organisms. DNA cross-hybridisation with several of these species was observed by Southern blot. In addition, the corresponding gene has been obtained from the closely related simian malaria parasite, P. knowlesi. The two aa sequences show 66% identity and yet are very divergent from other Val-tRS sequences, apart from conserved blocks related to functional activity. Multiple sequence alignments reflect this dichotomy, as do predicted differences in antigenicity.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Immunoparasitologie, CNRS URA1960, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Snewin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Khouri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tekaia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delarue
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Mendis
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: David
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016790:Plasmodium knowlesi / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014637:Valine-tRNA Ligase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D014637:Valine-tRNA Ligase