Localization of PfVAP1 in complemented D10 parasites. Ty1-tagged D10Pfvap1 parasites were labelled with anti-Ty1 monoclonal antibody to determine the localization of the protein. In early trophozoites PfVAP1 is associated with the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) as determined by double labelling with PfEXP1. It is then trafficked via the Maurer’s clefts (PfSBP1) to the infected erythrocyte membrane. In the Maurer’s clefts, PfVAP1 co-localizes with PfEMP1 (third row) and appears to localize in distinct regions, separate from PfEMP1 at the erythrocyte membrane (fourth row). Scale bars = 5 μm. We generated D10 parasites complemented with Ty1-tagged PfVAP1 to investigate the subcellular localization and temporal expression profile. PfVAP1 is synthesized by ring stage parasites (from 8–11 h post-invasion) onwards. In D10Pfvap1 early trophozoites PfVAP1 is present in the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) where it partially co-localizes with PfExp1. PfVAP1 was observed in the PV until trophozoite stages and then the protein associates with the Maurer’s clefts (24–36 h) as shown by labelling with PfSBP1 antibodies. PfEMP1 and PfVAP1 transiently co-localize in the Maurer’s clefts suggesting that they interact in this particular compartment or that they are co-trafficked.
Nacer A, Claes A, Roberts A, Scheidig-Benatar C, Sakamoto H, Ghorbal M, Lopez-Rubio JJ, Mattei D. Discovery of a novel and conserved Plasmodium falciparum exported protein that is important for adhesion of PfEMP1 at the surface of infected erythrocytes. Cell Microbiol. 2015 Aug;17(8):1205-16. PMID: 25703704;
Other associated proteins
PFID | Formal Annotation |
---|---|
PF3D7_0501300 | skeleton-binding protein 1 |
PF3D7_1121600 | parasitophorous vacuole membrane antigen QF 116 exported protein 1 circumsporozoite-related antigen |
PfEMP1 | PfEMP1 |