Evolution of the merozoite surface protein 7 (msp7) family in Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum: A comparative approach.

ABSTRACT: Malaria parasites (genus Plasmodium) are a diverse group found in many species of vertebrate hosts. These parasites invade red blood cells in a complex process comprising several proteins, many encoded by multigene families, one of which is merozoite surface protein 7 (msp7). In the case of Plasmodium vivax, the most geographically widespread human-infecting species, differences in the number of paralogs within multigene families have been previously explained, at least in part, as potential adaptations to the human host. To explore this in msp7, we studied its orthologs in closely related nonhuman primate parasites; investigating both paralog evolutionary history and genetic polymorphism. The emerging patterns were then compared with the human parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We found that

SUBMITTER: Castillo AI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5919258 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature