Identification of Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) as the rosetting ligand of the malaria parasite P. falciparum.

ABSTRACT: Severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria is characterized by excessive sequestration of infected and uninfected erythrocytes in the microvasculature of the affected organ. Rosetting, the adhesion of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes to uninfected erythrocytes is a virulent parasite phenotype associated with the occurrence of severe malaria. Here we report on the identification by single-cell reverse transcriptase PCR and cDNA cloning of the adhesive ligand P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). Rosetting PfEMP1 contains clusters of glycosaminoglycan-binding motifs. A recombinant fusion protein (Duffy binding-like 1-glutathione S transferase; Duffy binding-like-1-GST) was found to adhere directly to normal erythrocytes, disrupt naturally formed rosettes, block rosette reformat

SUBMITTER: Chen Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2199182 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature