title: Molecular cloning of Plasmodium vivax calcium-dependent protein kinase 4.
abstract: A family of calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) is a unique enzyme which plays crucial roles in intracellular calcium signaling in plants, algae, and protozoa. CDPKs of malaria parasites are known to be key regulators for stage-specific cellular responses to calcium, a widespread secondary messenger that controls the progression of the parasite. In our study, we identified a gene encoding Plasmodium vivax CDPK4 (PvCDPK4) and characterized its molecular property and cellular localization. PvCDPK4 was a typical CDPK which had well-conserved N-terminal kinase domain and C-terminal calmodulin-like structure with 4 EF hand motifs for calcium-binding. The recombinant protein of EF hand domain of PvCDPK4 was expressed in E. coli and a 34 kDa product was obtained. Immunofluorescence assay by confocal laser microscopy revealed that the protein was expressed at the mature schizont of P. vivax. The expression of PvCDPK4-EF in schizont suggests that it may participate in the proliferation or egress process in the life cycle of this parasite.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Health, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul 122-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Mi
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jung-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Ung
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Hyeong-Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jetsumon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sattabongkot
authors.forename: Byoung-Kuk
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Dae-Won
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Yeon-Joo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shin-Hyeong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Ho-Sa
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho-Gun
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Rhie
authors.forename: Tong-Soo
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D011494:Protein Kinases; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases