Small variant STEVOR antigen is uniquely located within Maurer's clefts in Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells.

ABSTRACT: Malaria parasite antigens encoded by multigene families are important factors in virulence and in disease pathology. In Plasmodium falciparum, the virulence factor PfEMP-1 is encoded by the var multigene family and is exposed at the infected erythrocyte surface. PfEMP-1 is clonally variant, allowing the parasite to evade host immunity. The recently identified P. falciparum stevor multigene family and its products also have the potential to be involved in similar important aspects of host-parasite interactions. Here, we show tightly regulated stage-specific transcription of stevor occurring over just a few hours of the asexual parasite life cycle. Only a subset of stevor genes are transcribed in parasite populations maintained in cultures and in single micromanipulated parasites. Antibodies

SUBMITTER: Kaviratne M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC138759 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature