A distinct member of the aspartic proteinase gene family from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

FEBS Letters

Humphreys, Michelle J³  Ridley, Robert G²  Certa, Uli²  Horrocks, Paul¹  Granger, Rachel³  Bur, Daniel²  Matharu, Philip³  Moon, Richard P²  Kay, John³  Berry, Colin³ 

[1] Molecular Parasitology Group, Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK;Hoffmann-La Roche, Pharmaceuticals Division, Pharma Research Pre-Clinical, Basel, Switzerland;Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, P.O. Box 911, Cardiff CF1 3US, UK

关键词: Malaria;    Aspartic proteinase;    Plasmodium;    RT-PCR;    reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction;   

DOI  :  10.1016/S0014-5793(99)00276-8

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

A gene (hap) transcribed during the intra-erythrocytic life cycle stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum was cloned and sequenced. It was found to encode a protein belonging to the aspartic proteinase family but which carried replacements of catalytically crucial residues in the hallmark sequences contributing to the active site of this type of proteinase. Consideration is given as to whether this protein is the first known parasite equivalent of the pregnancy-associated glycoproteins that have been documented in ungulate mammals. Alternatively, it may be operative as a new type of proteinase with a distinct catalytic mechanism. In this event, since no counterpart is known to exist in humans, it affords an attractive potential target against which to develop new anti-malarial drugs.

【 授权许可】

Unknown