title: Structural characterization of the erythrocyte binding domain of the reticulocyte binding protein homologue family of Plasmodium yoelii.
abstract: Invasion of the host cell by the malaria parasite is a key step for parasite survival and the only stage of its life cycle where the parasite is extracellular, and it is therefore a target for an antimalaria intervention strategy. Multiple members of the reticulocyte binding protein homologues (RH) family are found in all plasmodia and have been shown to bind to host red blood cells directly. In the study described here, we delineated the erythrocyte binding domain (EBD) of one member of the RH family, termed Py235, from Plasmodium yoelii. Moreover, we have obtained the low-resolution structure of the EBD using small-angle X-ray scattering. Comparison of the EDB structure to other characterized Plasmodium receptor binding domains suggests that there may be an overall structural conservation. These findings may help in developing new approaches to target receptor ligand interactions mediated by parasite proteins.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore.ggrueber@ntu.edu.sg
authors.forename: Ardina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grüber
authors.forename: Karthigayan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gunalan
authors.forename: Jeya Kumar
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ramalingam
authors.forename: Malathy S S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Manimekalai
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grüber
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Preiser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010967:Plasmodium yoelii / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C066001:Duffy antigen binding protein, Plasmodium; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface