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PfAlbas constitute a new eukaryotic DNA/RNA-binding protein family in malaria parasites

Arnaud Chêne1, Shruthi S Vembar, Loïc Rivière

  • 1Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, URA 2581, F-75015 Paris, France.

Nucleic Acids Research
|December 15, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Researchers discovered novel proteins, PfAlbas, in Plasmodium falciparum that bind to both DNA and RNA. These proteins are crucial for regulating virulence gene expression and are developmentally regulated within the parasite.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Parasitology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Subtelomeric chromatin in Plasmodium falciparum regulates virulence gene expression.
  • Proteins binding to chromosome ends in this region are not well-characterized.
  • Antigenic variation is a key virulence mechanism in P. falciparum.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize novel proteins involved in subtelomeric chromatin regulation in P. falciparum.
  • To investigate the DNA and RNA binding properties of these novel proteins.
  • To determine the subcellular localization and developmental regulation of these proteins.

Main Methods:

  • Identification of PfAlba protein family through homology to archaeal Alba.
  • Co-immunoprecipitation to isolate protein complexes associated with TARE6 repeats.
  • Electromobility shift assays (EMSAs) to assess DNA and single-stranded RNA binding.
  • Immunofluorescence microscopy to determine protein localization during different parasite life stages.

Main Results:

  • Three PfAlba paralogs were identified and shown to bind TARE6 repeats.
  • PfAlbas exhibit dual DNA/RNA binding capabilities, a novel finding in eukaryotes.
  • PfAlba proteins show developmentally regulated localization, from nuclear periphery to cytoplasm.

Conclusions:

  • PfAlbas are novel DNA/RNA-binding proteins involved in subtelomeric chromatin regulation in P. falciparum.
  • The dual binding and regulated localization suggest a role in epigenetic control of virulence and antigenic variation.
  • PfAlbas may link subtelomeric non-coding RNA to the regulation of antigenic variation.

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