Plasmodium falciparum: Detection of a novel asparagine-rich protein on thesurface of sporozoite

Zhang, K., Fujioka, H., Aikawa, M., and Kumar, N. 1999. Plasamodium falcipa rum: Detection of a novel asparagine-rich protein on the surface of sporozo ite. Experimental Parasitology 93, 1-6. We had previously cloned and charac terized a gene for a novel asparagine-rich protein from P. falciparum (PfAR P). a target of natural human immune response. The antibodies to PfARP were localized to the surface of parasitized red blood cells and reacted with i ntracellular components in all erythrocytic asexual and sexual stages of th e parasite. We here describe reactivity of antibodies against this novel Pf ARP on the surface of mosquito stage sporozoite of P. falciparum by indirec t immunofluorescence assay and immunoelectron microscopy, the latter reveal ing a highly periodic punctate pattern of distribution of PfARP on the surf ace of sporozoite. These results suggest a possibility that PfARP might rep resent yet another sporozoite surface protein. (C) 1999 Academic Press.