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Updated: Aug 10, 2025

A Multi-detection Assay for Malaria Transmitting Mosquitoes
Published on: February 28, 2015
Antigenic diversity in malaria parasites is maintained on extrachromosomal DNA
Emily R Ebel1,2,3, Bernard Y Kim1, Marina McDew-White4,5
1Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
Abstract:
Sequence variation among antigenic var genes enables Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites to evade host immunity. Using long sequence reads from haploid clones from a mutation accumulation experiment, we detect var diversity inconsistent with simple chromosomal inheritance. We discover putatively circular DNA that is strongly enriched for var genes, which exist in multiple alleles per locus separated by recombination and indel events. Extrachromosomal DNA likely contributes to rapid antigenic diversification in P. falciparum.
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