title: Localization of apical sushi protein in Plasmodium falciparum merozoites.
abstract: Plasmodium falciparum belongs to the Apicomplexan group of parasites and is characterised by presence of specialized secretory organelles at the apical end. These apical organelles, referred to as microneme and rhoptries, contain proteins that play important roles during host cell invasion by mediating specific functions such as initial attachment, apical reorientation and junction formation. Recently, a protein referred to as P. falciparum apical sushi protein (PfASP), which is expressed at late schizont stage, was localized to micronemes of P. falciparum merozoites. In the present study, we have used indirect immunofluorescence assays and immunoelectron microscopy to demonstrate that PfASP is localized in the neck of rhoptries and not in micronemes as previously described.
authors.affiliation: Malaria Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India.
authors.forename: Anand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: Shailja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Shikha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhawan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmood Alam
authors.forename: Asif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohmmed
authors.forename: Chetan E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Chitnis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016782:Apicomplexa; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D052940:Merozoites / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000737:chemistry*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins