A MAP KINASE HOMOLOG FROM THE HUMAN MALARIA PARASITE, PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM

Pfmap-1, a gene encoding a novel protein kinase, has been identified i n the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, using the polymera se chain reaction with degenerate oligodeoxyribonucleotides designed t o hybridise to conserved regions of cdc2-related kinases. Computer com parison with other protein kinases strongly suggests that the protein encoded by this gene is closely related to mitogen-activated protein ( MAP) kinases, which play important roles in eukaryotic adaptative resp onse and signal transduction. In addition to the conserved MAP kinase catalytic domain, Pfmap-1 contains a highly charged C-terminal extensi on that includes two sets of repeated amino acid motifs. Pfmap-1 is lo cated on chromosome 14 of P. falciparum, and its mRNA has a size of 3. 7 kb.