Cloning and characterization of iron-containing superoxide dismutase from the human malaria species Plasmodium ovale, P-malariae and P-vivax

The iron-containing superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) gene from three human mala ria species, namely Plasmodium ovale, P, malariae and P. vivax, was amplifi ed by polymerase chain reaction, cloned and then sequenced. Comparisons of their deduced amino acid sequences with that of the FeSOD from P. falciparu m revealed a very low polymorphism at the FeSOD locus in human malaria spec ies, One P. ovale and the P. vivax FeSOD genes presented the same nucleotid e sequence as that of the P. falciparum strain HB3 whereas the second P. ov ale and the P, malariae genes exhibited two punctual mutations. These mutat ions did not affect the function and structure of the enzyme. The FeSOD pol ymorphism was so low that no phylogenetic relationship among human malaria species could be proposed, but this conservative structure strengthened the potentiality of this enzyme as a possible target for antimalarial drugs.