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Trafficking of STEVOR to the Maurer's clefts in Plasmodium falciparum ‐infected erythrocytes
Author(s) -
Przyborski Jude M,
Miller Susanne K,
Pfahler Judith M,
Henrich Philipp P,
Rohrbach Petra,
Crabb Brendan S,
Lanzer Michael
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600720
Subject(s) - biology , plasmodium falciparum , virology , plasmodium (life cycle) , malaria , protozoa , apicomplexa , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , immunology , parasite hosting , world wide web , computer science
The human malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum exports proteins to destinations within its host erythrocyte, including cytosol, surface and membranous profiles of parasite origin termed Maurer's clefts. Although several of these exported proteins are determinants of pathology and virulence, the mechanisms and trafficking signals underpinning protein export are largely uncharacterized—particularly for exported transmembrane proteins. Here, we have investigated the signals mediating trafficking of STEVOR, a family of transmembrane proteins located at the Maurer's clefts and believed to play a role in antigenic variation. Our data show that, apart from a signal sequence, a minimum of two addition signals are required. This includes a host cell targeting signal for export to the host erythrocyte and a transmembrane domain for final sorting to Maurer's clefts. Biochemical studies indicate that STEVOR traverses the secretory pathway as an integral membrane protein. Our data suggest general principles for transport of transmembrane proteins to the Maurer's clefts and provide new insights into protein sorting and trafficking processes in P. falciparum .