Abstract
Merozoite surface protein 8 (MSP8) has shown promise as a vaccine candidate in the Plasmodium yoelii rodent malaria model and has a proposed role in merozoite invasion of erythrocytes. However, the temporal expression and localisation of MSP8 are unusual for a merozoite antigen. Moreover, in Plasmodium falciparum the MSP8 gene could be disrupted with no apparent effect on in vitro growth. To address the in vivo function of full-length MSP8, we truncated MSP8 in the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei. PbΔMSP8 disruptant parasites displayed a normal blood-stage growth rate but no increase in reticulocyte preference, a phenomenon observed in P. yoelii MSP8 vaccinated mice. Expression levels of erythrocyte surface antigens were similar in P. berghei wild-type and PbΔMSP8-infected erythrocytes, suggesting that a parasitophorous vacuole function for MSP8 does not involve global trafficking of such antigens. These data demonstrate that a full-length membrane-associated form of PbMSP8 is not essential for blood-stage growth.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 69-72 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology |
Volume | 159 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 May 2008 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Gene knockout
- Malaria
- Merozoite surface proteins
- MSP8
- Plasmodium berghei