title: Characterization of the Plasmodium Interspersed Repeats (PIR) proteins of Plasmodium chabaudi indicates functional diversity.
abstract: Plasmodium multigene families play a central role in the pathogenesis of malaria. The Plasmodium interspersed repeat (pir) genes comprise the largest multigene family in many Plasmodium spp. However their function(s) remains unknown. Using the rodent model of malaria, Plasmodium chabaudi, we show that individual CIR proteins have differential localizations within infected red cell (iRBC), suggesting different functional roles in a blood-stage infection. Some CIRs appear to be located on the surface of iRBC and merozoites and are therefore well placed to interact with host molecules. In line with this hypothesis, we show for the first time that a subset of recombinant CIRs bind mouse RBCs suggesting a role for CIR in rosette formation and/or invasion. Together, our results unravel differences in subcellular localization and ability to bind mouse erythrocytes between the members of the cir family, which strongly suggest different functional roles in a blood-stage infection.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Xue Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Yam
authors.affiliation: Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, London, UK.
authors.forename: Thibaut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brugat
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siau
authors.affiliation: Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawton
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.|Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Abdirahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Jing Shun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Twang
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Langhorne
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551, Singapore.
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Preiser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D020071:Interspersed Repetitive Sequences; D008288:Malaria / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D005810:Multigene Family; D016788:Plasmodium chabaudi / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins