SEQUENCE AND EXPRESSION OF A 90-KILODALTON HEAT-SHOCK PROTEIN FAMILY MEMBER OF THEILERIA-PARVA

A Theileria parva specific full-length cDNA clone, T7, which encodes a protein with more than 60% homology to heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) of other organisms, has been identified. T7 appears to be a single cop y gene. The gene is expressed as a protein of 87 kDa in both the sporo zoite and schizont stages of T. parva. The protein was not found in th e piroplasm stage, although the corresponding transcript was detected, suggesting post-transcriptional regulation of the gene. In the schizo nt stage the T7 protein is upregulated upon heat shock and localized i n the cytoplasm.