title: Members of the low-molecular-mass rhoptry protein complex of Plasmodium falciparum bind to the surface of normal erythrocytes.
abstract: The destruction of erythrocytes is one of the most frequently observed causes of severe malarial anemia. Recently, we showed that tagging normal erythrocytes and cells of erythroid precursors with rhoptry-derived proteins can trigger their destruction. In the present study, we used rhoptry-associated protein (RAP)-1 and RAP-3 gene-disruption mutant Plasmodium falciparum parasites and showed that 2 members of a rhoptry protein complex, RAP-1 and RAP-2, bind to the surface of normal erythrocytes. Surface iodination experiments showed that RAP-1 but not RAP-3 mutant parasites lose their capacity to tag erythrocytes. This work opens new doors into the investigation of the molecular mechanism of anemia in patients with malaria.
authors.affiliation: Unite de Biologie des Interactions Hote-Parasite Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Unite de Recherche Associee 2581, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sterkers
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheidig
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: da Rocha
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lepolard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gysin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scherf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D017125:Genes, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D017354:Point Mutation; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065352:rhoptry associated protein, Plasmodium