title: The aspartic proteinase from the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei as a potential model for plasmepsins from the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: The gene encoding an aspartic proteinase precursor (proplasmepsin) from the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei has been cloned. Recombinant P. berghei plasmepsin hydrolysed a synthetic peptide substrate and this cleavage was prevented by the general aspartic proteinase inhibitor, isovaleryl pepstatin and by Ro40-4388, a lead compound for the inhibition of plasmepsins from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Southern blotting detected only one proplasmepsin gene in P. berghei. Two plasmepsins have previously been reported in P. falciparum. Here, we describe two further proplasmepsin genes from this species. The suitability of P. berghei as a model for the in vivo evaluation of plasmepsin inhibitors is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, P.O. Box 911, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klinder
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rupp
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bur
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Ridley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berry
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000201:enzymology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C089643:plasmepsin