Stage-specific protein synthesis by asexual blood stage parasites of Plasmodium falciparum

Highly synchronised cultures of cloned Plasmodium falciparum (clone T9-94) were metabolically radiolabelled with [35S]methionine during eight consecutive non-overlapping intervals, while parasites developed from young rings to mature schizonts. Analysis of equal amounts of trichloroacetic acid precipitable radioactivity from each interval by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis fluorography allowed the stage specificity of protein synthesis to be investigated. More than forty polypeptides with molecular weights of 20 000 to 200 000 can be distinguished. While some proteins are synthesised throughout erythrocytic schizogony many are shown to be stage-specific. Among these are a range of high molecular weight proteins synthesised only during nuclear division. Detailed morphological information permits correlations to be made between synthesis of particular polypeptides and parasite structure.