title: Primary structure and sexual stage-specific expression of a LAMMER protein kinase of Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: We have isolated a LAMMER-like gene from Plasmodium falciparum by vectorette technique. The gene consists of 3316 bp encoding a protein 881 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of approximately 106.7 kDa. The encoded protein, termed PfLAMMER, is composed of two distinct domains. The N-terminal domain is not related to any previously described protein kinases and has several interesting features including multiple consensus phosphorylation sites for a range of protein kinases, a number of RS/SR dipeptides, a large proportion of charged amino acids, two putative nuclear localisation signals and 14 copies of a tetramer DKYD repeats. The C-terminal domain is characteristic of a kinase in the LAMMER family with the highest homology to the Arabidopsis thaliana AFC3 kinase. Genomic restriction analysis showed that PfLAMMER is encoded by a single copy gene in the parasite genome. A single transcript of approximately 3800 nucleotides is expressed specifically in the sexual stage, indicating that PfLAMMER may be important in regulating the processes of sexual differentiation of the parasite.
authors: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK. lij@icrf.icnet.uk
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Li
authors: G A
authors: GA
authors: Targett
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Baker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011494:Protein Kinases; C433212:psk1 protein, Plasmodium falciparum; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases