title: Cloning and characterization of Plasmodium falciparum cysteine protease, falcipain-2B.
abstract: The gene for malaria parasite cysteine protease falcipain-2B has been isolated from the Plasmodium falciparum genomic DNA. Falcipain-2B gene is located adjacent to the falcipain-2A gene on chromosome 11, and the two enzymes show extensive sequence identity at the amino acid level. Using reverse transcribed polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the transcript of falcipain-2B was detected at the trophozoite stage of P. falciparum in human erythrocytes. Recombinant falcipain-2B protein expressed in bacteria exhibits protease activity as established by the cleavage of fluorescent peptide substrate as well as in-gel gelatin zymography. Importantly, the recombinant falcipain-2B cleaved host ankyrin but not protein 4.1 as assessed by the erythrocyte inside-out-vesicle assay in vitro. Notwithstanding its predicted hemoglobinase function, the P. falciparum falcipain-2B may contribute and orchestrate selective proteolytic events during the exit of malaria parasite from human red blood cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60561, USA.
authors.forename: Jong-Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanada
authors.forename: Pil-Soo
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Xuerong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Manjit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hanspal
authors.forename: Athar H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chishti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; C099607:falcipain