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Background  Malaria caused by protozoan parasites of the genus  Plasmodium spp . is a major health burden in tropical countries. The development of new control tools, including vaccines and drugs, is urgently needed. The availability of genome sequences from several malaria parasite species provides a basis on which to identify new potential intervention targets. Database mining for orthologs to the  Plasmodium falciparum  trophozoite protein R45, a vaccine candidate, led us identify a new gene family.    Results  Orthologs to the  P. falciparum  trophozoite protein R45 were detected exclusively in protozoan parasites of the phylum  Apicomplexa , including several  Plasmodium spp .,  Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum . All family members are hybrid genes with a conserved C-terminal protein kinase domain of a novel type, recently called FIKK kinase, associated with a non conserved N-terminal region without any known functional signature. While a single copy gene was detected in most species, considerable gene expansion was observed in  P. falciparum  and its closest phylogenic relative  P. reichenowi , with 20 and six copies, respectively, each with a distinct N-terminal domain. Based on full length protein sequence, pairs of orthologs were observed in closely related species, such as  P. berghei  and  P.y. yoelii ,  P. vivax  and  P. knowlesi , or  P. reichenowi  and  P. falciparum . All 20  P. falciparum  paralogs possess a canonical  Plasmodium  export element downstream of a signal / anchor sequence required for exportation outside the parasitophorous vacuole. This is consistent with the reported association of the trophozoite protein R45, the only paralog characterised to date, with the infected red blood cell membrane. Interestingly, most genes are located in the subtelomeric region of chromosomes, in association with other multigene families contributing to the remodelling of the infected red blood cell membrane, in particular the ring erythrocyte surface antigen multigene family.    Conclusion  This Apicomplexan-specific gene family was called R45-FIKK kinase. The family hallmark is a kinase domain with unusual characteristics, raising the possibility of designing drug or vaccine strategies targeting this domain. The characteristics of the  P. falciparum  family suggest a role in remodelling the infected cell and as such possibly contribute to the particular virulence of this species.

A new Apicomplexa-specific protein kinase family : multiple members in Plasmodium falciparum, all with an export signature