title: Plasmodium falciparum: detection of a novel asparagine-rich protein on the surface of sporozoite.
abstract: We had previously cloned and characterized a gene for a novel asparagine-rich protein from P. falciparum (PfARP), a target of natural human immune response. The antibodies to PfARP were localized to the surface of parasitized red blood cells and reacted with intracellular components in all erythrocytic asexual and sexual stages of the parasite. We here describe reactivity of antibodies against this novel PfARP on the surface of mosquito stage sporozoite of P. falciparum by indirect immunofluorescence assay and immunoelectron microscopy, the latter revealing a highly periodic punctate pattern of distribution of PfARP on the surface of sporozoite. These results suggest a possibility that PfARP might represent yet another sporozoite surface protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aikawa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001216:Asparagine / Q000032:analysis*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D007114:Immunization; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D001216:Asparagine