Localization of Pf12 shows punctate apical staining with anti-Pf12D2 antibody and more diffuse staining with anti-Pf12long antibody. Localization of Pf12 on mature schizonts. Confocal microscopy images of purified late-schizont infected RBCs are shown. Top panel shows labeling with affinity purified anti-Pf12D2 (against C-terminal domain), and anti-RON4 antibodies. Bottom panel shows labeling with affinity purified anti-Pf12long (against full length), and anti-RON4 antibodies. Simultaneous labeling of PfRON4, a rhoptry neck protein, consistently shows adjacent localization to Pf12 with a significant degree of co-localization. These data indicate that in the late schizont stages, Pf12 is found in an apical organelle.

Tonkin ML, Arredondo SA, Loveless BC, Serpa JJ, Makepeace KA, Sundar N, Petrotchenko EV, Miller LH, Grigg ME, Boulanger MJ. Structural and biochemical characterization of Plasmodium falciparum 12 (Pf12) reveals a unique inter-domain organization and the potential for an antiparallel arrangement with Pf41. J Biol Chem. 2013 288(18):12805-17