Localisation of a candidate anion transporter to the surface of the malaria parasite

Abstract

PfSulP, encoded by the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, is a member of the sulphate permease family of anion transporter proteins. By transfecting the parasite with an epitope-tagged version of PfSulP, and detecting via western blot and indirect immunofluorescent assay microscopy, we show that PfSulP is localised to the surface of the intraerythrocytic parasite, where it is postulated to play a role in the flux of anions across the parasite plasma membrane.