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A novel Pfs38 protein complex on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage merozoites

Overview of attention for article published in Malaria Journal, February 2017
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Title
A novel Pfs38 protein complex on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage merozoites
Published in
Malaria Journal, February 2017
DOI 10.1186/s12936-017-1716-0
Pubmed ID
Authors

Gourab Paul, Arunaditya Deshmukh, Inderjeet Kaur, Sumit Rathore, Surbhi Dabral, Ashutosh Panda, Susheel Kumar Singh, Asif Mohmmed, Michael Theisen, Pawan Malhotra

Abstract

The Plasmodium genome encodes for a number of 6-Cys proteins that contain a module of six cysteine residues forming three intramolecular disulphide bonds. These proteins have been well characterized at transmission as well as hepatic stages of the parasite life cycle. In the present study, a large complex of 6-Cys proteins: Pfs41, Pfs38 and Pfs12 and three other merozoite surface proteins: Glutamate-rich protein (GLURP), SERA5 and MSP-1 were identified on the Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface. Recombinant 6-cys proteins i.e. Pfs38, Pfs12, Pfs41 as well as PfMSP-165 were expressed and purified using Escherichia coli expression system and antibodies were raised against each of these proteins. These antibodies were used to immunoprecipitate the native proteins and their associated partners from parasite lysate. ELISA, Far western, surface plasmon resonance and glycerol density gradient fractionation were carried out to confirm the respective interactions. Furthermore, erythrocyte binding assay with 6-cys proteins were undertaken to find out their possible role in host-parasite infection and seropositivity was assessed using Indian and Liberian sera. Immunoprecipitation of parasite-derived polypeptides, followed by LC-MS/MS analysis, identified a large Pfs38 complex comprising of 6-cys proteins: Pfs41, Pfs38, Pfs12 and other merozoite surface proteins: GLURP, SERA5 and MSP-1. The existence of such a complex was further corroborated by several protein-protein interaction tools, co-localization and co-sedimentation analysis. Pfs38 protein of Pfs38 complex binds to host red blood cells (RBCs) directly via glycophorin A as a receptor. Seroprevalence analysis showed that of the six antigens, prevalence varied from 40 to 99%, being generally highest for MSP-165 and GLURP proteins. Together the data show the presence of a large Pfs38 protein-associated complex on the parasite surface which is involved in RBC binding. These results highlight the complex molecular interactions among the P. falciparum merozoite surface proteins and advocate the development of a multi-sub-unit malaria vaccine based on some of these protein complexes on merozoite surface.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 54 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 54 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 15 28%
Researcher 6 11%
Student > Master 5 9%
Student > Doctoral Student 4 7%
Student > Postgraduate 3 6%
Other 8 15%
Unknown 13 24%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 24 44%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 5 9%
Immunology and Microbiology 4 7%
Medicine and Dentistry 2 4%
Computer Science 1 2%
Other 3 6%
Unknown 15 28%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 16 February 2017.
All research outputs
#15,443,875
of 22,953,506 outputs
Outputs from Malaria Journal
#4,492
of 5,585 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#195,828
of 307,002 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Malaria Journal
#104
of 127 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,953,506 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 22nd percentile – i.e., 22% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 5,585 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.8. This one is in the 12th percentile – i.e., 12% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 307,002 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 27th percentile – i.e., 27% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 127 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 2nd percentile – i.e., 2% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.