Whole genome sequencing of field isolates reveals a common duplication of the Duffy binding protein gene in Malagasy Plasmodium vivax strains.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Plasmodium vivax is the most prevalent human malaria parasite, causing serious public health problems in malaria-endemic countries. Until recently the Duffy-negative blood group phenotype was considered to confer resistance to vivax malaria for most African ethnicities. We and others have reported that P. vivax strains in African countries from Madagascar to Mauritania display capacity to cause clinical vivax malaria in Duffy-negative people. New insights must now explain Duffy-independent P. vivax invasion of human erythrocytes.

Methods/principal findings

Through recent whole genome sequencing we obtained ≥ 70× coverage of the P. vivax genome from five field-isolates, resulting in ≥ 93% of the Sal I reference sequenced at coverage greater than 20×. Combined with

SUBMITTER: Menard D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3836732 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature