Biomaterial Database

Natural selection on apical membrane antigen-1 of Plasmodium falciparum. 1999

F Verra, and A L Hughes

Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16801-5301, USA. fmv1@psu.edu

The Apical Membrane Antigen-1 (AMA-1) is a protein localized in the apical organelles of the merozoite, one of the stages in the life cycle of malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) that infects the vertebrate host. This antigen, which is encoded by a single polymorphic locus, plays a role in evading immune detection and mediating invasion into target host cells. We found evidence of positive Darwinian selection on immunogenic regions of P. falciparum AMA-1 favoring genetic diversity in the T-cell epitopes and in regions likely to interact with host antibodies. These results support the hypothesis that polymorphism at the AMA-1 locus in maintained by balancing selection arising from host immune recognition.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008565	Membrane Proteins	Proteins which are found in membranes including cellular and intracellular membranes. They consist of two types, peripheral and integral proteins. They include most membrane-associated enzymes, antigenic proteins, transport proteins, and drug, hormone, and lectin receptors.	Cell Membrane Protein,Cell Membrane Proteins,Cell Surface Protein,Cell Surface Proteins,Integral Membrane Proteins,Membrane-Associated Protein,Surface Protein,Surface Proteins,Integral Membrane Protein,Membrane Protein,Membrane-Associated Proteins,Membrane Associated Protein,Membrane Associated Proteins,Membrane Protein, Cell,Membrane Protein, Integral,Membrane Proteins, Integral,Protein, Cell Membrane,Protein, Cell Surface,Protein, Integral Membrane,Protein, Membrane,Protein, Membrane-Associated,Protein, Surface,Proteins, Cell Membrane,Proteins, Cell Surface,Proteins, Integral Membrane,Proteins, Membrane,Proteins, Membrane-Associated,Proteins, Surface,Surface Protein, Cell
D010963	Plasmodium falciparum	A species of protozoa that is the causal agent of falciparum malaria (MALARIA, FALCIPARUM). It is most prevalent in the tropics and subtropics.	Plasmodium falciparums,falciparums, Plasmodium
D000483	Alleles	Variant forms of the same gene, occupying the same locus on homologous CHROMOSOMES, and governing the variants in production of the same gene product.	Allelomorphs,Allele,Allelomorph
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000953	Antigens, Protozoan	Any part or derivative of any protozoan that elicits immunity; malaria (Plasmodium) and trypanosome antigens are presently the most frequently encountered.	Protozoan Antigens
D012641	Selection, Genetic	Differential and non-random reproduction of different genotypes, operating to alter the gene frequencies within a population.	Natural Selection,Genetic Selection,Selection, Natural
D015800	Protozoan Proteins	Proteins found in any species of protozoan.	Proteins, Protozoan