ArticleBMC genomics2013
Variant surface antigens of malaria parasites: functional and evolutionary insights from comparative gene family classification and analysis.
Article in BMC genomics, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 52 papers.
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52 citing papers in PubMed, 84 citations in OpenAlex.
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- Comprehensive computational insights into Plasmodium retrocopies reveals potential roles in virulence-associated functions.Genetica · 2026Article
- De novo assembly of plasmodium interspersed repeat (pir) genes from Plasmodium vivax RNAseq data suggests geographic conservation of sub-family transcription.BMC genomics · 2025Article
- Comparative genomics of Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis N67 and N67C: genome-wide polymorphisms, differential gene expression, and drug resistance.BMC genomics · 2024Article
- Identification of gametocyte-associated pir genes in the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS.BMC research notes · 2023Article
- The origins, isolation, and biological characterization of rodent malaria parasites.Parasitology international · 2022Review
- Epigenetics of malaria parasite nutrient uptake, but why?Trends in parasitology · 2022Review
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- Why Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum are so different? A tale of two clades and their species diversities.Malaria journal · 2022Review
- Infections at the maternal-fetal interface: an overview of pathogenesis and defence.Nature reviews. Microbiology · 2022Review
- The role of cholesterol in invasion and growth of malaria parasites.Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2022Review
- Genomic approaches for monitoring transmission dynamics of malaria: A case for malaria molecular surveillance in Sub-Saharan Africa.Frontiers in epidemiology · 2022Review
- Population genomics in neglected malaria parasites.Frontiers in microbiology · 2022Review
- Analysis of pir gene expression across the Plasmodium life cycle.Malaria journal · 2021Article
- Population genomics and evidence of clonal replacement of Plasmodium falciparum in the Peruvian Amazon.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- Zoonotic Malaria: Non-Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
- Genome sequence, transcriptome, and annotation of rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis N67.BMC genomics · 2021Article
- Genomic and transcriptomic evidence for descent from Plasmodium and loss of blood schizogony in Hepatocystis parasites from naturally infected red colobus monkeys.PLoS pathogens · 2020Article
- Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPlasmodium parasites, the causative agents of malaria, express many variant antigens on cell surfaces. Variant surface antigens (VSAs) are typically organized into large subtelomeric gene families that play critical roles in virulence and immune evasion. Many important aspects of VSA function and evolution remain obscure, impeding our understanding of virulence mechanisms and vaccine development. To gain further insights into VSA function and evolution, we comparatively classified and examined known VSA gene families across seven Plasmodium species.
resultsWe identified a set of ultra-conserved orthologs within the largest Plasmodium gene family pir, which should be considered as high-priority targets for experimental functional characterization and vaccine development. Furthermore, we predict a lipid-binding domain in erythrocyte surface-expressed PYST-A proteins, suggesting a role of this second largest rodent parasite gene family in host cholesterol salvage. Additionally, it was found that PfMC-2TM proteins carry a novel and putative functional domain named MC-TYR, which is conserved in other P. falciparum gene families and rodent parasites. Finally, we present new conclusive evidence that the major Plasmodium VSAs PfEMP1, SICAvar, and SURFIN are evolutionarily linked through a modular and structurally conserved intracellular domain.
conclusionOur comparative analysis of Plasmodium VSA gene families revealed important functional and evolutionary insights, which can now serve as starting points for further experimental studies.
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