The large diverse gene family var encodes proteins involved in cytoadherence and antigenic variation of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes Journal Article
| Authors: | Su, X. Z.; Heatwole, V. M.; Wertheimer, S. P.; Guinet, F.; Herrfeldt, J. A.; Peterson, D. S.; Ravetch, J. A.; Wellems, T. E. |
| Article Title: | The large diverse gene family var encodes proteins involved in cytoadherence and antigenic variation of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes |
| Abstract: | The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum evades host immunity by varying the antigenic and adhesive character of infected erythrocytes. We describe a large and extremely diverse family of P. falciparum genes (var) that encode 200-350 kDa proteins having the expected properties of antigenically variant adhesion molecules. Predicted amino acid sequences of var genes show a variable extracellular segment with domains having receptor-binding features, a transmembrane sequence, and a terminal segment that is a probable submembrane anchor. There are 50-150 var genes on multiple parasite chromosomes, and some are in clustered arrangements. var probes detect two classes of transcripts in steady-state RNA: 7-9 kb var transcripts, and an unusual family of 1.8 - 2.4 kb transcripts that may be involved in expression or re-arrangements of var genes. © 1995. |
| Keywords: | human cell; animal; gene expression; steady state; gene rearrangement; amino acid sequence; molecular sequence data; sequence homology, amino acid; rna, messenger; sequence alignment; membrane protein; base sequence; cell adhesion molecules; plasmodium falciparum; receptor binding; erythrocytes; gene structure; multigene family; sequence analysis, dna; polymorphism, restriction fragment length; restriction mapping; rna, protozoan; antigenicity; host parasite interaction; antigenic variation; human; priority journal; article; support, non-u.s. gov't; support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.; erythrocyte adhesiveness; antigens, protozoan; genes, structural, protozoan |
| Journal Title: | Cell |
| Volume: | 82 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| ISSN: | 0092-8674 |
| Publisher: | Cell Press |
| Date Published: | 1995-07-14 |
| Start Page: | 89 |
| End Page: | 100 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1016/0092-8674(95)90055-1 |
| PUBMED: | 7606788 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Jeffrey V. Ravetch's middle initial is incorrect on the original publication -- Source: Scopus |
