Molecular characterization of malaria proteins involved in invasion of the host cell.

Abstract

A hypothetical malarial protein, PFB0670c, was predicted to be involved in merozoite invasion, which plays an important role in parasitic survival inside the host. In this study, nine time points of parasite samples were collected throughout the 44 hour intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC) to determine the protein expression of PFB0670c. Localization studies of PFB0670c by indirect immunofluorescence assay were performed for the whole IDC too. In addition, co-localization of PFB0670c with other malarial protein markers was also carried out. It was discovered that PFB0670c, a 36kDa protein, was expressed continuously in the whole IDC. It might be transported to its respective location via the secretory pathway and is located neither in the microneme nor rhoptry site. Further research still needs to be done to confirm the exact location of PFB0670c in the late schizont stage and its predicted function in merozoite invasion.