Last Updated: 25/11/2025
Evaluation of factors that influence the expression of multigene families var, rif and surf of P. falciparum, the human malaria parasite
Objectives
The main goal of this project is to elucidate the role of certain transcription factors possibly associated with the expression of var genes and perhaps rif and to evaluate factors (epigenetic, ncRNAs) that influence the transcription and the possible feedback SURF protein expressed and knocked-down to your cognate transcript.
The parasite most dangerous form of human malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, has several multigene families whose expressed proteins are partly responsible for the virulence of this kind or have an unknown paper. These families include the var genes, and genes rif of surf small family genes, among others. All families have in common that the corresponding proteins are expressed in a selective and controlled manner, and in the case of genes var only one gene is active while the rest of the family is muted (allelic exclusion). The rif genes apparently one or a few alleles appear active at every stage of blood cycle while other genes are silenced. Already the ten surf genes, only one seems to be transcribed constitutively. In recent experiments by knockdown of SURFIN expressed protein, it was shown that the decrease of the expressed protein led to a significant increase in its transcript. Knowledge about the mode of expression of these virulence factors contribute indirectly not only to combat P. falciparum, but also P. vivax, the most abundant species in Brazil that has similar multigene families (except var genes).
Article - DNA-Loaded Cationic Liposomes Efficiently Function as a Vaccine against Malarial ProteinsArticle - Independent regulation of Plasmodium falciparum rif gene promotersArticle - The pseudogene SURFIN 4.1 is vital for merozoite formation in blood stage P. falciparumArticle - Production of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins for vaccines and directed binding of immunoliposomes to specific cell types
Dec 2015 — Nov 2017
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