A diversity-covering approach to immunization with Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 induces broader allelic recognition and growth inhibition responses in rabbits.

ABSTRACT: Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1), a candidate malaria vaccine, is polymorphic. This polymorphism is believed to be generated predominantly under immune selection pressure and, as a result, may compromise attempts at vaccination. Alignment of 355 PfAMA1 sequences shows that around 10% of the 622 amino acid residues can vary between alleles and that linkages between polymorphic residues occur. Using this analysis, we have designed three diversity-covering (DiCo) PfAMA1 sequences that take account of these linkages and, when taken together, on average incorporate 97% of amino acid variability observed. For each of the three DiCo sequences, a synthetic gene was constructed and used to transform the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris, allowing recombinant expression. A

SUBMITTER: Remarque EJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2423090 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature