PfEMP1 (Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein) has been identified as the rosetting ligand of the malaria parasite P. falciparum [1,2]. Rosetting is the adhesion of infected erythrocytes with uninfected erythrocytes in the vasculature ...
PfEMP1 (Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein) has been identified as the rosetting ligand of the malaria parasite P. falciparum [1,2]. Rosetting is the adhesion of infected erythrocytes with uninfected erythrocytes in the vasculature of the infected organ, and is associated with severe malaria. PfEMP1 interacts with Complement Receptor One on uninfected erythrocytes to form rosettes [2]. The extreme variation within these proteins and the grouping of var genes implies that var gene recombination preferentially occurs within var gene groups. These groups reflect a functional diversification that has evolved to cope with the varying conditions of transmission and host immune response met by the parasite [3]. A recombination hotspot was uncovered between Duffy-binding-like (DBL) subdomains [4]. Solution of the crystal structure of the N-terminal and first DBL region of PfEMP1 from the VarO variant of the PfEMP1 protein is found to be directly implicated in rosetting as the heparin-binding site [5].
