Dissecting the Gene Expression, Localization, Membrane Topology, and Function of the Plasmodium falciparum STEVOR Protein Family.

ABSTRACT: During its intraerythrocytic development, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum exposes variant surface antigens (VSAs) on infected erythrocytes to establish and maintain an infection. One family of small VSAs is the polymorphic STEVOR proteins, which are marked for export to the host cell surface through their PEXEL signal peptide. Interestingly, some STEVORs have also been reported to localize to the parasite plasma membrane and apical organelles, pointing toward a putative function in host cell egress or invasion. Using deep RNA sequencing analysis, we characterized P. falciparumstevor gene expression across the intraerythrocytic development cycle, including free merozoites, in detail and used the resulting stevor expression profiles for hierarchical clu

SUBMITTER: Wichers JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6667621 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature