PTRAMP; a conserved Plasmodium thrombospondin-related apical merozoite protein.
A gene encoding a 352 amino acid protein with a putative signal sequence, transmembrane domain and thrombospondin structural homology repeat was identified in the genome of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum and the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei. The protein localises in the apical organelles of P. falciparum and P. berghei merozoites within intraerythrocytic schizonts and has, therefore, been termed the Plasmodium thrombospondin-related apical merozoite protein (PTRAMP). PTRAMP co-localises with the Apical Merozoite Antigen-1 (AMA-1) in developing micronemes and subsequently relocates onto the merozoite surface. Although the gene appears to be specific to the Plasmodium genus, orthologues are present in the genomes of all malaria parasite species examined suggesting a conserved function in host-cell invasion. PTRAMP, therefore, has all the features to merit further evaluation as a malaria vaccine candidate.
Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, Ashworth Laboratories, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK. Joanne.Thompson@ed.ac.uk
Joanne
J
Thompson
Rachel E
RE
Cooke
Sally
S
Moore
Laura F
LF
Anderson
Chris J
CJ
Janse
Andrew P
AP
Waters
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017385:Sequence Homology; D019699:Thrombospondins / Q000235:genetics
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C487867:PTRAMP protein, Plasmodium; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D019699:Thrombospondins; C090077:apical membrane antigen I, Plasmodium