Circumsporozoite protein gene from Plasmodium brasilianum. Animal reservoirs for human malaria parasites?

A A Lal,V F De La Cruz,W E Collins,G H Campbell,P M Procell,T F Mccutchan

doi:10.1016/s0021-9258(18)60590-3

Abstract

We describe here the sequence of the circumsporozoite protein gene of the monkey malaria parasite Plasmodium brasilianum and show that the immunodominant repeat domain is the same as that of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium malariae. The immunodominant epitope on the surface of sporozoites of a third species of human malaria parasite has, therefore, been identified. This genetic based data and the biological similarities between P. brasilianum and P. malariae support their putative zoonotic/anthroponotic relationship. We also show that an ape malaria parasite, Plasmodium reichenowi, and the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, have a similar relationship. The implications of these observations are discussed with respect to vaccine development.

Highlights

From the $Malaria Division, Laboratoryof Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergyand Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland20892 and the TMalaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centerfor Infectious lianum is established in monkeys in the wild and clearly has evolved in sucha fashion that thecourse of a blood infection of thisparasitein amonkey isdifferent from that of P. malariae
We describe here the sequence of the circumsporozoite protein gene of the monkey malaria parasite Plasmodium brasilianum and show that the immunodominant repeat domain is the same as that of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium malariae
We show that an ape malaria parasite, Plasmodium reichenowi, and the human malaria parasite,Plasmodium falciparumh, ave a similar relationthe other human and simian malaria paraAslistoe,sS. odeman et al [14] showed morphologic similarities in the exoerythrocytic bodies of the two parasites

Summary

Introduction

Vations indicated that parasites causing human malaria often have similar forms in nonhuman primates [12, 13].P . We describe here the sequence of the circumsporozoite protein gene of the monkey malaria parasite Plasmodium brasilianum and show that the immunodominant repeat domain is the same as that of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium malariae. The immunodominant epitope on the surface of sporozoites of a third species of human malaria parasite has, been identified.

Results

Conclusion