Correct promoter control is needed for trafficking of the ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen to the host cytosol in transfected malaria parasites

Abstract

Following invasion of human erythrocytes, the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, exports proteins beyond the confines of its own plasma membrane to modify the properties of the host red cell membrane. These modifications are critical to the pathogenesis of malaria. Analysis of the P. falciparum genome sequence has identified a large number of molecules with putative atypical signal sequences. The signals remain poorly characterized; however, a number of molecules with these motifs localize to the host erythrocyte. To examine the role of these atypical signal sequences in the export of parasite proteins, we have generated transfected parasites expressing a chimeric protein comprising th..