Sl. Martinez et al., IDENTIFICATION OF PERIPHERAL MEMBRANE-PROTEINS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TUBO-VESICULAR NETWORK OF PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM-INFECTED ERYTHROCYTES, Molecular and biochemical parasitology, 91(2), 1998, pp. 273-280
During intracellular development of the malarial parasite numerous mem
branous vesicles appear in the infected erythrocyte cytoplasm between
the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) and the erythrocyte plasma
membrane. In this study we describe the characterization of a monoclo
nal antibody which recognizes two major parasite-encoded proteins of 5
0 and 41 kDa. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy demonst
rated that the monoclonal antibody reacts with cytoplasmic vesicles of
Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocyte referred to as Maurer's cl
efts. The antigens recognized by the monoclonal antibody were expresse
d very early during the erythrocytic life cycle of the parasite, and r
emained tightly associated within membrane vesicles even after merozoi
tes are released from infected erythrocytes. The antigens were partial
ly soluble in non-ionic detergents, and were released from the membran
e by alkali treatment, indicating that the proteins recognized by the
monoclonal antibody are peripheral membrane proteins. It is proposed t
hat the 50 and 41 kDa antigens might be part of an underlying membrane
skeletal network that provides structural support to vesicles and tub
ules present in the infected erythrocyte cytoplasm. (C) 1998 Elsevier
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