Molecular cloning and functional characterization arginine transporter (PkAT1) in Plasmodium knowlesi

초록

Molecular cloning and functional characterization arginine transporter (PkAT1) in Plasmodium knowlesi Seok Ho Cha1* ** Presenting Author : Seok Ho Cha1* *Corresponding Author 1 Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Korea Abstract : Plasmodium is the most important cause of malaria. Malaria is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes, infecting 200 to 300 million people and causing millions of deaths every year. In humans, falciparum malaria and three-day malaria are most commonly known, but it has recently been discovered that monkey malaria can also infect humans. Plasmodium are obligate intracellular parasites that obtain essential nutrients from their hosts through transporter proteins on their plasma membrane. The purpose of this study is the cloning and functional characterization of a cationic amino acid, arginine, transporter (PkAT1) of a monkey malaria, Plasmodium knowlesi. From the NCBI protein database, the apicomplexan amino acid transporter ApiAT8 (protein No. XP_002257758.1) was selected. The selected gene was commercially synthesized. The PkAT1 cDNA consists of 1731 base pairs, encoding a 537-amino acid residue protein. Hydropathy analysis showed 12 putative transmembrane-spanning domains. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, radiolabeled arginine uptake observed in an expression time- and incubation time-dependent, and sodium-independent manner. The PkAT1 showed no exchange mode of arginine by efflux experiments. From the results, this transporter is facilitated uniporter that acts as a nutrient uptake system. keyword : Plasmodium Knowlesi, Arginine, Transport protei