title: Overproduction, purification and crystallization of a chondroitin sulfate A-binding DBL domain from a Plasmodium falciparum var2csa-encoded PfEMP1 protein.
abstract: The PfEMP1 proteins of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum are inserted into the membrane of infected red blood cells, where they mediate adhesion to a variety of human receptors. The DBL domains of the var2csa-encoded PfEMP1 protein play a critical role in malaria of pregnancy, tethering infected cells to the surface of the placenta through interactions with the glycosaminoglycan carbohydrate chondroitin sulfate A (CSA). A CSA-binding DBL domain has been overproduced in a bacterial expression system, purified and crystallized. Native data sets extending to 1.9 A resolution have been collected and phasing is under way.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, England. mkh20@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Matthew K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D003460:Crystallization; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C512601:VAR2CSA protein, Plasmodium falciparum; C085731:erythrocyte membrane protein 1, Plasmodium falciparum; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates