PTEF localizes to multiple cellular compartments. a, Direct live imaging on parasites transfected with GFP genes fused with HS (1), NLS (2), NTD (3), CTD (4), full-length PTEF (5) and GFP alone (6). HS-GFP displayed exclusive localization to the parasitophorous vacuole (PV)/parasite plasma membrane (PPM), whereas the NLS-GFP construct faithfully imported GFP into the nucleus. Interestingly, the NLS signal was overridden when present in the whole NTD, resulting in diffuse localization of the NTD-GFP to the PV/PPM as well asto the erythrocyte cytoplasm and membrane. By contrast, CTD-GFP was only found to localize in the parasite cytoplasm. Again, the full-length PTEF-GFP displayed a diffuse pattern in the entire parasite and host erythrocytes, with a small fraction of IEs showing intense localization to the PV/PPM.

Chan S, Frasch A, Mandava CS, Ch'ng JH, Quintana MDP, Vesterlund M, Ghorbal M, Joannin N, Franzén O, Lopez-Rubio JJ, Barbieri S, Lanzavecchia A, Sanyal S, Wahlgren M. Regulation of PfEMP1-VAR2CSA translation by a Plasmodium translation-enhancing factor. Nat Microbiol. 2017 May 8;2:17068.