title: Genotyping of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: A molecular assay has been developed for the specific detection and genetic characterisation of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes in the blood of malaria infected individuals. The assay is based on the reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification of the messenger RNA of gene pfg377, a sexual-stage specific transcript abundantly produced in maturing gametocytes. The gene contains four regions of repetitive sequences, of which region 3 was shown to be the most polymorphic in laboratory clones and field isolates of the parasite. Analysis of samples of malaria infected blood by RT-PCR specific for region 3 has enabled identification of multiple gametocyte-producing clones within single infections. The assay is able to detect gametocytes below the threshold of microscopic detection, and is highly specific for its gametocyte targets also in the presence of a vast excess of asexual forms.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Parassitologia, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menegon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Severini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sannella
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Paglia
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sangaré
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdel-Wahab
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdel-Muhsin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Babiker
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Walliker
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alano
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins