title: Protein export in malaria parasites: do multiple export motifs add up to multiple export pathways?
abstract: Intracellular malaria parasites export numerous proteins into their host cell, a process essential for parasite survival and virulence. Many of these proteins are defined by a short amino acid sequence motif termed PEXEL or VTS that mediates their export, suggesting a collective trafficking route. The existence of several PEXEL-negative exported proteins (PNEPs) indicates that alternative export pathways might also exist. We review recent data on the sequences mediating export of PNEPs and compare this process to PEXEL export taking into account novel findings on the function of this motif. Based on this we propose that, despite the lack of a PEXEL in PNEPs, both groups of proteins might converge in a single export pathway on their way into the host cell.
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Molecular Parasitology, 20359 Hamburg, Germany. spielmann@bni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Spielmann
authors.forename: Tim-Wolf
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Gilberger
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D049790:Nuclear Export Signals / Q000502:physiology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D049790:Nuclear Export Signals