A GENE CODING FOR A HIGH-MOLECULAR-MASS RHOPTRY PROTEIN OF PLASMODIUM-YOELII

We describe the deduced amino acid sequence for a gene encoding a high molecular mass rhoptry protein of Plasmodium yoelii. The sequence was obtained from an EcoRI genomic clone that overlaps a short DraI fragm ent isolated previously. The open reading frame consists of 2294 codon s and putative hydrophobic signal and membrane anchor sequences were i dentified. Similarity with sequence from a clone coding for part of a Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte-binding protein was noted. Based on the sequence and location of the protein [1] and the biological properties of antibodies that react with it [2], we propose that this may be an erythrocyte-binding protein.