CHROMOSOME 2 SEQUENCE OF THE HUMAN MALARIA PARASITE PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM AND PROTEINS OF SAID CHROMOSOME USEFUL IN ANTI-MALARIAL VACCINES AND DIAGNOSTIC REAGENTS

摘要

Chromosome 2 of Plasmodium falciparum was sequenced and shown to contain 945,000 base pairs and encode 209 predicted genes. Compared to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome, chromosome 2 has a lower gene density, introns are more frequent, and proteins are markedly enriched in non-globular domains. A new family of surface proteins, rifins, was identified. Rifins are believed to play a role in antigenic variation. The genome sequence provides a foundation for development of methods to control malaria, a disease that kills millions of people annually.