Comparative genomics of the neglected human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax.
The human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax is responsible for 25-40% of the approximately 515 million annual cases of malaria worldwide. Although seldom fatal, the parasite elicits severe and incapacitating clinical symptoms and often causes relapses months after a primary infection has cleared. Despite its importance as a major human pathogen, P. vivax is little studied because it cannot be propagated continuously in the laboratory except in non-human primates. We sequenced the genome of P. vivax to shed light on its distinctive biological features, and as a means to drive development of new drugs and vaccines. Here we describe the synteny and isochore structure of P. vivax chromosomes, and show that the parasite resembles other malaria parasites in gene content and metabolic potential, but possesses novel gene families and potential alternative invasion pathways not recognized previously. Completion of the P. vivax genome provides the scientific community with a valuable resource that can be used to advance investigation into this neglected species.
The Institute for Genomic Research/J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Research Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA. jane.carlton@nyumc.org
Jane M
JM
Carlton
John H
JH
Adams
Joana C
JC
Silva
Shelby L
SL
Bidwell
Hernan
H
Lorenzi
Elisabet
E
Caler
Jonathan
J
Crabtree
Samuel V
SV
Angiuoli
Emilio F
EF
Merino
Paolo
P
Amedeo
Qin
Q
Cheng
Richard M R
RM
Coulson
Brendan S
BS
Crabb
Hernando A
HA
Del Portillo
Kobby
K
Essien
Tamara V
TV
Feldblyum
Carmen
C
Fernandez-Becerra
Paul R
PR
Gilson
Amy H
AH
Gueye
Xiang
X
Guo
Simon
S
Kang'a
Taco W A
TW
Kooij
Michael
M
Korsinczky
Esmeralda V-S
EV
Meyer
Vish
V
Nene
Ian
I
Paulsen
Owen
O
White
Stuart A
SA
Ralph
Qinghu
Q
Ren
Tobias J
TJ
Sargeant
Steven L
SL
Salzberg
Christian J
CJ
Stoeckert
Steven A
SA
Sullivan
Marcio M
MM
Yamamoto
Stephen L
SL
Hoffman
Jennifer R
JR
Wortman
Malcolm J
MJ
Gardner
Mary R
MR
Galinski
John W
JW
Barnwell
Claire M
CM
Fraser-Liggett
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D053626:Atovaquone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D018503:Genome, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D023281:Genomics; D000882:Haplorhini / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D032085:Isochores / Q000235:genetics; D008024:Ligands; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D005810:Multigene Family; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D026801:Synteny / Q000235:genetics
D037621:Artemisinins; D032085:Isochores; D008024:Ligands; C031327:artemisinin; D053626:Atovaquone