Comparative genomics of the neglected human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax

Abstract

The human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax is responsible for 25-40% of the ~515 million annual cases of malaria worldwide. Although seldom fatal, the parasite elicits severe and incapacitating clinical symptoms and often relapses months after a primary infection has cleared. Despite its importance as a major human pathogen, P. vivax is little studied because it cannot be propagated in the laboratory except in non-human primates. We determined the genome sequence of P. vivax in order to shed light on its distinctive biologic features, and as a means to drive development of new drugs and vaccines. Here we describe the synteny and isochore structure of P. vivax chromosomes, and show that the parasite resembles other malaria parasites in gene content and metabolic potential, but possesses novel gene families and potential alternate invasion pathways not recognized previously. Completion of the P. vivax genome provides the scientific community with a valuable resource that can be used to advance scientific investigation into this neglected species.

Malaria parasite carbonic anhydrase: inhibition of aromatic/heterocyclic sulfonamides and its therapeutic potential

“…The genome sequences of human host (size = 2 900 megabase (Mb), having about 31 000 protein-encoding genes) and Anopheles vector for malaria parasites (size = 278 Mb, comprising about 14 000 genes) are well established, whereas the genomics of three human Plasmodium species, including P. falciparum, P. vivax, and P. knowlesi, are now completed and understood in detail [5,6,11]. The parasite's genomes are highly polymorphisms, comparing to the human genome.…”

“…There are now 5 Plasmodium species that infect humans, including P. falciparum, Plasmodium Vivax(P. vivax), Plasmodium falciparum(P. falciparum), Plasmodium ovale(P. ovale), and a new comer Plasmodium knowlesi(P. knowlesi) [3,5] . Whereas P. vivax is responsible for 25%-40% of the estimated cases of malaria worldwide, with seldom fatal and often relapses after a primary infection has cleared [6] . P. malariae is found worldwide with relatively low frequency, while the least common parasites are P. ovale and P. knowlesi [5] .…”

“…In general, drug screening procedures have rarely been applied to this disease, and there is a paucity of information on a number of metabolic pathways that can be exploited for chemotherapy [10] . A better understanding of biochemical differences between the parasite and human, based on the first draft of P. falciparum and other human malaria parasite genome sequences, may provide new targets for intervention in the disease [5,6,11] .…”

A glimpse into the clinical proteome of human malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax

“…The genomes of both parasites have been sequenced; however, genome data from clinical isolates of both parasites are limited [6,7]. Analyses of transcriptome in clinical samples of Pf as well as Pv have been carried out [8][9][10][11].…”

Cross-reactive anti-PfCLAG9 antibodies in the sera of asymptomatic parasite carriers of Plasmodium vivax

“…Molecular basis of the cross reactivity -In order to understand the molecular basis for the observed CLAG9 cross reactivity we investigated possible sequence iden- tities and similarities between PfCLAG9 synthetic peptides A, B and C and the P. vivax CLAG orthologs encoded on chromosomes 7, PvCLAG7 (Moreno-Perez et al 2011) and 8, PvCLAG8 (Carlton et al 2008). The other hypothetical genes deposited, such as PvCLAG14, showed no significant similarities for comparison.…”