title: Structurally conserved erythrocyte-binding domain in Plasmodium provides a versatile scaffold for alternate receptor engagement.
abstract: Understanding how malaria parasites gain entry into human red blood cells is essential for developing strategies to stop blood stage infection. Plasmodium vivax preferentially invades reticulocytes, which are immature red blood cells. The organism has two erythrocyte-binding protein families: namely, the Duffy-binding protein (PvDBP) and the reticulocyte-binding protein (PvRBP) families. Several members of the PvRBP family bind reticulocytes, specifically suggesting a role in mediating host cell selectivity of P. vivax. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first high-resolution crystal structure of an erythrocyte-binding domain from PvRBP2a, solved at 2.12 Å resolution. The monomeric molecule consists of 10 α-helices and one short β-hairpin, and, although the structural fold is similar to that of PfRh5--the essential invasion ligand in Plasmodium falciparum--its surface properties are distinct and provide a possible mechanism for recognition of alternate receptors. Sequence alignments of the crystallized fragment of PvRBP2a with other PvRBPs highlight the conserved placement of disulfide bonds. PvRBP2a binds mature red blood cells through recognition of an erythrocyte receptor that is neuraminidase- and chymotrypsin-resistant but trypsin-sensitive. By examining the patterns of sequence diversity within field isolates, we have identified and mapped polymorphic residues to the PvRBP2a structure. Using mutagenesis, we have also defined the critical residues required for erythrocyte binding. Characterization of the structural features that govern functional erythrocyte binding for the PvRBP family provides a framework for generating new tools that block P. vivax blood stage infection.
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gruszczyk
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
authors.forename: Nicholas T Y
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arnott
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia;
authors.forename: Wen-Qiang
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand;
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nguitragool
authors.affiliation: Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand;
authors.forename: Wanlapa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roobsoong
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Yee-Foong
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia;
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
authors.forename: Katherine R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia;
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia;
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahlo
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia;
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia;
authors.forename: Alyssa E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.affiliation: The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; tham@wehi.EDU.AU.
authors.forename: Wai-Hong
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7950-8699
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Tham
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005787:Gene Frequency; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053838:Scattering, Small Angle; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins
keywords: SAXS; X-ray crystallography; malaria; parasite invasion; reticulocyte binding protein