CLONING OF A PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM GENE-RELATED TO THE HUMAN 60-KDA HEAT-SHOCK PROTEIN

We have identified a gene encoding the 60 kDa heat shock protein (hsp6 0) from a Plasmodium falciparum blood stage cDNA library. The deduced protein sequence encodes for a polypeptide of 577 amino acids with a c alculated molecular weight of 62158 Da. The primary structure of P. fa lciparum hsp60 contains a putative mitochondrial targeting peptide at its amino-terminus and a GGM motif at its carboxyl-terminus. The overa ll structure exhibits strong conservation (similar to 50%) to the hsp6 0 from human and other eukaryotes, but only low homology (<30%) to a r ecently reported P. falciparum chaperonin 60 gene. The P. falciparum h sp60 gene is located on chromosome 10. During heat shock, the level of hsp60 transcript in blood stage parasites increases significantly and its accumulation correlates with the duration of the induction.