title: Malaria var gene expression: keeping up with the neighbors.
abstract: Plasmodium falciparum PfEMP1 is a malaria virulence protein whose expression is epigenetically regulated. The parasite's ability to express exclusively only one of the sixty var genes that encode PfEMP1 is essential for disease pathogenesis. Two recent papers identify key molecular players in determining whether a var gene is active or silenced (Volz et al., 2012; Zhang et al., 2011).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. kami.kim@einstein.yu.edu
authors.forename: Kami
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C085731:erythrocyte membrane protein 1, Plasmodium falciparum; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase