title: Clues to evolution of the SERA multigene family in 18 Plasmodium species.
abstract: SERA gene sequences were newly determined from 11 primate Plasmodium species including two human parasites, P. ovale and P. malariae, and the evolutionary history of SERA genes was analyzed together with 7 known species. All have one each of Group I to III cysteine-type SERA genes and varying number of Group IV serine-type SERA genes in tandem cluster. Notably, Group IV SERA genes were ascertained in all mammalian parasite lineages; and in two primate parasite lineages gene events such as duplication, truncation, fragmentation and gene loss occurred at high frequency in a manner that mimics the birth-and-death evolution model. Transcription profile of individual SERA genes varied greatly among rodent and monkey parasites. Results support the lineage-specific evolution of the Plasmodium SERA gene family. These findings provide further impetus for studies that could clarify/provide proof-of-concept that duplications of SERA genes were associated with the parasites' expansion of host range and the evolutionary conundrums of multigene families in Plasmodium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Protozoology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arisue
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Nirianne M Q
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Palacpac
authors.forename: Mozhi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horii
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020440:Gene Duplication / Q000235:genetics; D017125:Genes, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D000882:Haplorhini / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D010271:Parasites / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000235:genetics*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology; D013045:Species Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; C057495:serine repeat antigen, Plasmodium