title: Transcript and protein expression profile of PF11_0394, a Plasmodium falciparum protein expressed in salivary gland sporozoites.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a significant problem around the world today, thus there is still a need for new control methods to be developed. Because the sporozoite displays dual infectivity for both the mosquito salivary glands and vertebrate host tissue, it is a good target for vaccine development.
  
  
  METHODS
  The P. falciparum gene, PF11_0394, was chosen as a candidate for study due to its potential role in the invasion of host tissues. This gene, which was selected using a data mining approach from PlasmoDB, is expressed both at the transcriptional and protein levels in sporozoites and likely encodes a putative surface protein. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-trafficking studies, a transcript and protein expression profile of PF11_0394 was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PF11_0394 protein has orthologs in other Plasmodium species and Apicomplexans, but none outside of the group Apicomplexa. PF11_0394 transcript was found to be present during both the sporozoite and erythrocytic stages of the parasite life cycle, but no transcript was detected during axenic exoerythrocytic stages. Despite the presence of transcript throughout several life cycle stages, the PF11_0394 protein was only detected in salivary gland sporozoites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PF11_0394 appears to be a protein uniquely detected in salivary gland sporozoites. Even though a specific function of PF11_0394 has not been determined in P. falciparum biology, it could be another candidate for a new vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Maggie S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Schlarman
authors.forename: Renee N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kariuki
authors.forename: Alexis N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: LaCrue
authors.forename: Ruguang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Brenda T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Beerntsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000469:parasitology; D034101:Sporozoites / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D020543:Proteome; D015800:Protozoan Proteins