scholarly journals Role of the Plasmodium falciparum mature-parasite-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (MESA/PfEMP-2) in malarial infection of erythrocytes

Blood ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 86 (8) ◽  
pp. 3196-3204 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Magowan ◽  
RL Coppel ◽  
AO Lau ◽  
MM Moronne ◽  
G Tchernia ◽  
...  

Abstract During intraerythrocytic growth of Plasmodium falciparum, several parasite proteins are transported from the parasite to the erythrocyte membrane, where they bind to membrane skeletal proteins. Mature-parasite-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (MESA) has previously been shown to associate with host erythrocyte membrane skeletal protein 4.1. Using a spontaneous mutant of P falciparum that has lost the ability to synthesize MESA and 4.1-deficient erythrocytes, we examined growth of MESA(+) and MESA(-) parasites in normal and 4.1-deficient erythrocytes. Viability of MESA(+) parasites was reduced in 4.1-deficient erythrocytes as compared with that for normal erythrocytes, but MESA(-) parasites grew equally well in 4.1-deficient and normal erythrocytes. Cytoadherence of MESA(+)- and MESA (-)-parasitized normal and 4.1-deficient erythrocytes to C32 melanoma cells was similar, indicating that neither protein 4.1 nor MESA plays a major role in cytoadherence of infected erythrocytes. Localization of MESA in normal and 4.1-deficient erythrocytes was examined by confocal microscopy. MESA was diffusely distributed in the cytosol of 4.1-deficient erythrocytes but was membrane-associated in normal erythrocytes. These findings suggest that MESA binding to protein 4.1 plays a major role in intraerythrocytic parasite viability.

Blood ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 86 (8) ◽  
pp. 3196-3204
Author(s):  
C Magowan ◽  
RL Coppel ◽  
AO Lau ◽  
MM Moronne ◽  
G Tchernia ◽  
...  

During intraerythrocytic growth of Plasmodium falciparum, several parasite proteins are transported from the parasite to the erythrocyte membrane, where they bind to membrane skeletal proteins. Mature-parasite-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (MESA) has previously been shown to associate with host erythrocyte membrane skeletal protein 4.1. Using a spontaneous mutant of P falciparum that has lost the ability to synthesize MESA and 4.1-deficient erythrocytes, we examined growth of MESA(+) and MESA(-) parasites in normal and 4.1-deficient erythrocytes. Viability of MESA(+) parasites was reduced in 4.1-deficient erythrocytes as compared with that for normal erythrocytes, but MESA(-) parasites grew equally well in 4.1-deficient and normal erythrocytes. Cytoadherence of MESA(+)- and MESA (-)-parasitized normal and 4.1-deficient erythrocytes to C32 melanoma cells was similar, indicating that neither protein 4.1 nor MESA plays a major role in cytoadherence of infected erythrocytes. Localization of MESA in normal and 4.1-deficient erythrocytes was examined by confocal microscopy. MESA was diffusely distributed in the cytosol of 4.1-deficient erythrocytes but was membrane-associated in normal erythrocytes. These findings suggest that MESA binding to protein 4.1 plays a major role in intraerythrocytic parasite viability.


Blood ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 102 (5) ◽  
pp. 1911-1914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karena L. Waller ◽  
Wataru Nunomura ◽  
Xiuli An ◽  
Brian M. Cooke ◽  
Narla Mohandas ◽  
...  

Abstract The Plasmodium falciparum mature parasite-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (MESA) is exported from the parasite to the infected red blood cell (IRBC) membrane skeleton, where it binds to protein 4.1 (4.1R) via a 19-residue MESA sequence. Using purified RBC 4.1R and recombinant 4.1R fragments, we show MESA binds the 30-kDa region of RBC 4.1R, specifically to a 51-residue region encoded by exon 10 of the 4.1R gene. The 3D structure of this region reveals that the MESA binding site overlaps the region of 4.1R involved in the p55, glycophorin C, and 4.1R ternary complex. Further binding studies using p55, 4.1R, and MESA showed competition between p55 and MESA for 4.1R, implying that MESA bound at the IRBC membrane skeleton may modulate normal 4.1R and p55 interactions in vivo. Definition of minimal binding domains involved in critical protein interactions in IRBCs may aid the development of novel therapies for falciparum malaria.


1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 3584-3587
Author(s):  
R Cappai ◽  
M R van Schravendijk ◽  
R F Anders ◽  
M G Peterson ◽  
L M Thomas ◽  
...  

We show here that the Plasmodium falciparum isolate FCR3 does not express the ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (RESA). This is because the 5' end of the RESA gene has been inverted and partly deleted and a telomere has been added to it. We propose a model to explain these events.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 1036-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinhong Pei ◽  
Xinhua Guo ◽  
Ross Coppel ◽  
Souvik Bhattacharjee ◽  
Kasturi Haldar ◽  
...  

AbstractThe malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum releases the ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (RESA) inside the red cell on entry. The protein migrates to the host cell membrane, where it binds to spectrin, but neither the nature of the interaction nor its functional consequences have previously been defined. Here, we identify the binding motifs involved in the interaction and describe a possible function. We have found that spectrin binds to a 108–amino acid fragment (residues 663-770) of RESA, and that this RESA fragment binds to repeat 16 of the β-chain, close to the labile dimer-dimer self-association site. We further show that the RESA fragment stabilizes the spectrin tetramer against dissociation into its constituent dimers, both in situ and in solution. This is accompanied by enhanced resistance of the cell to both mechanical and thermal degradation. Resealed erythrocytes containing RESA663-770 display resistance to invasion by merozoites of P falciparum. We infer that the evolutionary advantage of RESA to the parasite lies in its ability to prevent invasion of cells that are already host to a developing parasite, as well as possibly to guard the cell against thermal damage at the elevated body temperatures prevailing in febrile crises.


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