Characterization of the Duffy-Binding-Like Domain of Plasmodium falciparum Blood-Stage Antigen 332. (19th September 2011)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nilsson, Sandra; Moll, Kirsten; Angeletti, Davide; Albrecht, Letusa; Kursula, Inari; Jiang, Ning; Sun, Xiaodong; Berzins, Klavs; Wahlgren, Mats; Chen, Qijun
• Other Names: Valecha Neena Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Malaria research and treatment. Volume 2011(2011)
• Publication Date: 2011-09-19
• Subjects: Malaria -- Periodicals; Malaria -- Research -- Periodicals; Malaria -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Malaria -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 616.9362005
• DOI: 10.4061/2011/671439
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-8075

Abstract

Abstract : Studies on Pf332, a major Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage antigen, have largely been hampered by the cross-reactive nature of antibodies generated against the molecule due to its high content of repeats, which are present in other malaria antigens. We previously reported the identification of a conserved domain in Pf332 with a high degree of similarity to the Duffy-binding-like (DBL) domains of the erythrocyte-binding-like (EBL) family. We here describe that antibodies towards Pf332-DBL are induced after repeated exposure to P. falciparum and that they are acquired early in life in areas of intense malaria transmission. Furthermore, a homology model of Pf332-DBL was found to be similar to the structure of the EBL-DBLs. Despite their similarities, antibodies towards Pf332-DBL did not display any cross-reactivity with EBL-proteins as demonstrated by immunofluorescence microscopy, Western blotting, and peptide microarray. Thus the DBL domain is an attractive region to use in further studies on the giant Pf332 molecule.