Surprisingly little polymorphism in the merozoite-surface-protein-2 (MSP-2) gene of Indian Plasmodium falciparum

The polymorphism in the merozoite-surface-protein-2 (MSP-2) gene of six Ind ian Plasmodium falciparum isolates was studied by PCR amplification, clonin g and sequencing. One of the isolates showed a deletion of 63 bp and all sh owed point mutations, although some of these mutations were silent. Ail the isolates also exhibited 5' and 3' conserved regions, with the two 32-mer a mino-acid repeats characteristic of the FC27 family, and none belonged to t he IC-1/3D7 family. Although the MSP-2 genes of these isolates represent ne w allelic sequences, they belong to the FC27 family and show remarkably lit tle variation.