Affiliation:
1. The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3050, Australia
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The low-molecular-mass rhoptry complex of
Plasmodium falciparum
consists of three proteins, rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP1), RAP2, and RAP3. The genes encoding RAP1 and RAP2 are known; however, the
RAP3
gene has not been identified. In this study we identify the
RAP3
gene from the
P. falciparum
genome database and show that this protein is part of the low-molecular-mass rhoptry complex. Disruption of
RAP3
demonstrated that it is not essential for merozoite invasion, probably because RAP2 can complement the loss of RAP3. RAP3 has homology with RAP2, and the genes are encoded on chromosome 5 in a head-to-tail fashion. Analysis of the genome databases has identified homologous genes in all
Plasmodium
spp., suggesting that this protein plays a role in merozoite invasion. The region surrounding the
RAP3
homologue in the
Plasmodium yoelii
genome is syntenic with the same region in
P. falciparum
; however, there is a single gene. Phylogenetic comparison of the RAP2/3 protein family from
Plasmodium
spp. suggests that the RAP2/3 duplication occurred after divergence of these parasite species.
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Immunology,Microbiology,Parasitology
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