Nucleotide sequence polymorphism at the apical membrane antigen-1 locus reveals population history of Plasmodium vivax in Thailand.

ABSTRACT: Apical membrane antigen-1 is a candidate for inclusion in a vaccine for the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax. We collected 231 complete sequences of the gene encoding this antigen (pvama-1) from three regions of Thailand, the most extensive collection to date of sequences at this locus. The domain II loop (previously mentioned as a potential vaccine component) was almost completely conserved, with a single amino acid variant (I313R) observed in a single sequence. The 3' portion of the gene (domain II through the stop codon) showed significantly lower nucleotide diversity than the 5' portion (start codon through domain I); and a given domain I sequence might be found in a haplotype with more than one domain II sequence. These results imply a hotspot of recombination between domains I

SUBMITTER: Putaporntip C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2790030 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature