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Polymorphism at the apical membrane antigen 1 locus reflects the world population history of Plasmodium vivax.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:In malaria parasites (genus Plasmodium), ama-1 is a highly polymorphic locus encoding the Apical Membrane Protein-1, and there is evidence that the polymorphism at this locus is selectively maintained. We tested the hypothesis that polymorphism at the ama-1 locus reflects population history in Plasmodium vivax, which is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia and is widely geographically distributed. In particular, we tested for a signature of the introduction of P. vivax into the New World at the time of the European conquest and African slave trade and subsequent population expansion. RESULTS:One hundred and five ama-1 sequences were generated and analyzed from samples from six different Brazilian states and compared with database sequences from the Old World. Old World populations of P. vivax showed substantial evidence of population substructure, with high sequence divergence among localities at both synonymous and nonsynonymous sites, while Brazilian isolates showed reduced diversity and little population substructure. CONCLUSION:These results show that genetic diversity in P. vivax AMA-1 reflects population history, with population substructure characterizing long-established Old World populations, whereas Brazilian populations show evidence of loss of diversity and recent population expansion. NOTE: Nucleotide sequence data reported is this paper are available in the GenBanktrade mark database under the accession numbers EF031154 - EF031216 and EF057446 - EF057487.

SUBMITTER: Grynberg P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2394524 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Polymorphism at the apical membrane antigen 1 locus reflects the world population history of Plasmodium vivax.

Grynberg Priscila P Fontes Cor Jesus F CJ Hughes Austin L AL Braga Erika M EM

BMC evolutionary biology 20080429

<h4>Background</h4>In malaria parasites (genus Plasmodium), ama-1 is a highly polymorphic locus encoding the Apical Membrane Protein-1, and there is evidence that the polymorphism at this locus is selectively maintained. We tested the hypothesis that polymorphism at the ama-1 locus reflects population history in Plasmodium vivax, which is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia and is widely geographically distributed. In particular, we tested for a signature of the introduction of P. viva ...[more]

PMID: 18445274

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Project description:Plasmodium vivax apical membrane antigen-1 (PvAMA-1) is a leading candidate antigen for blood stage malaria vaccine. However, antigenic variation is a major obstacle in the development of an effective vaccine based on this antigen. In this study, the genetic structure and the effect of natural selection of PvAMA-1 among Korean P. vivax isolates were analysed.Blood samples were collected from 66 Korean patients with vivax malaria. The entire PvAMA-1 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into a TA cloning vector. The PvAMA-1 sequence of each isolate was sequenced and the polymorphic characteristics and effect of natural selection were analysed using the DNASTAR, MEGA4, and DnaSP programs.Thirty haplotypes of PvAMA-1, which were further classified into seven different clusters, were identified in the 66 Korean P. vivax isolates. Domain II was highly conserved among the sequences, but substantial nucleotide diversity was observed in domains I and III. The difference between the rates of non-synonymous and synonymous mutations suggested that the gene has evolved under natural selection. No strong evidence indicating balancing or positive selection on PvAMA-1 was identified. Recombination may also play a role in the resulting genetic diversity of PvAMA-1.This study is the first comprehensive analysis of nucleotide diversity across the entire PvAMA-1 gene using a single population sample from Korea. Korean PvAMA-1 had limited genetic diversity compared to PvAMA-1 in global isolates. The overall pattern of genetic polymorphism of Korean PvAMA-1 differed from other global isolates and novel amino acid changes were also identified in Korean PvAMA-1. Evidences for natural selection and recombination event were observed, which is likely to play an important role in generating genetic diversity across the PvAMA-1. These results provide useful information for the understanding the population structure of P. vivax circulating in Korea and have important implications for the design of a vaccine incorporating PvAMA-1.

Project description:BackgroundPlasmodium is an obligate intracellular parasite. Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is the most prominent and well characterized malarial surface antigen that is essential for parasite-host cell invasion, i.e., for sporozoite to invade and replicate within hepatocytes in the liver stage and merozoite to penetrate and replicate within erythrocytes in the blood stage. AMA1 has long served as a potent antimalarial drug target and is a pivotal vaccine candidate. A good understanding of the structure and molecular function of this Plasmodium protein, particularly its involvement in host-cell adhesion and invasion, is of great interest and hence it offers an attractive target for the development of novel therapeutics. The present study aims to heterologous express recombinant Plasmodium AMA1 ectodomain of P. vivax (rPvAMA1) for the selection of binding peptides.MethodsThe rPvAMA1 protein was heterologous expressed using a tag-free Profinity eXactTM system and codon optimized BL21-Codon Plus (DE3)-RIL Escherichia coli strain and further refolded by dialysis for renaturation. Binding peptides toward refolded rPvAMA1 were panned using a Ph.D.-12 random phage display library.ResultsThe rPvAMA1 was successfully expressed and refolded with three phage-displayed dodecapeptides designated as PdV1 (DLTFTVNPLSKA), PdV2 (WHWSWWNPNQLT), and PdV3 (TSVSYINNRHNL) with affinity towards rPvAMA1 identified. All of them exhibited positive binding signal to rPvAMA1 in both direct phage assays, i.e., phage ELISA binding assay and Western blot binding assay.DiscussionPhage display technology enables the mapping of protein-protein interactions based on a simple principle that a library of phage particles displaying peptides is used and the phage clones that bind to the target protein are selected and identified. The binding sites of each selected peptides toward PvAMA1 (Protein Data Bank, PDB ID: 1W8K) were in silico predicted using CABS-dock web server. In this case, the binding peptides provide a valuable starting point for the development of peptidomimetic as antimalarial antagonists directed at PvAMA1.

Project description:ObjectiveThe apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) is considered as a promising candidate for development of a malaria vaccine against Plasmodium parasites. The correct conformation of this protein appears to be necessary for the stimulation of parasite-inhibitory responses, and these responses, in turn, seem to be antibody-mediated. Therefore, in the present investigation, we expressed the Plasmodium vivax AMA-1 (PvAMA-1) ectodomain in Escherichia coli (E. coli), purified it using standard procedures and characterized it to determine its biological activities for it to be used as a potential target for developing a protective and safe vivax malaria vaccine.Materials and methodsIn this experimental investigation, the ectodomain of PvAMA-1 antigen (GenBank accession no. JX624741) was expressed in the E. coli M15pQE30 expression system and purified with immobilized-metal affinity chromatography. The correct conformation of the recombinant protein was evaluated by Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) test. In addition, the immunogenic properties of PvAMA-1 were evaluated in BALB/c mice with the purified protein emulsified in Freund's adjuvant.ResultsIn the present study, the PvAMA-1 ectodomain was expressed at a high-level (65 mg/L) using a bacterial system. Reduced and non-reduced sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) as well as Western blot analysis confirmed the appropriate conformation and folding of PvAMA-1. The evaluation of immunogenic properties of PvAMA-1 showed that both T helper-1 and 2 cells (Th1 and Th2) responses were present in mice after three immunizations and persisted up to one year after the first immunization. Moreover, the antibodies raised against the recombinant PvAMA-1 in injected mice could recognize the native protein localized on P. vivax parasites.ConclusionWe demonstrate that our recombinant protein had proper conformation and folding. Also, there were common epitopes in the recombinant forms corresponding to native proteins. These results; therefore, indicate that the expressed PvAMA-1 has the potential to be used as a vivax malaria vaccine.

Project description:Mexico advanced to the pre-elimination phase in 2009 due to a significant reduction in malaria cases, and since 2000, Plasmodium vivax is the only species transmitted. During the last two decades, malaria transmission has been mostly local and isolated to a few regions. It is important to gain further insights into the impact of control measures on the parasite population structure. Hence, the aim of the current study was to determine detailed changes in P. vivax genetic diversity and population structure based on analysing the gene that encodes the apical membrane antigen 1 (pvama1). This analysis covered from control to pre-elimination (1993-2011) in a hypo-endemic region in southern Mexico.The 213 pvama1 I-II sequences presently analysed were grouped into six periods of three years each. They showed low genetic diversity, with 15 haplotypes resolved. Among the DNA sequences, there was a gradual decrease in genetic diversity, the number of mixed genotype infections and the intensity of positive selection, in agreement with the parallel decline in malaria cases. At the same time, linkage disequilibrium (R2) increased. The three-dimensional haplotype network revealed that pvama1 I-II haplotypes were separated by 1-11 mutational steps, and between one another by 0-3 unsampled haplotypes. In the temporal network, seven haplotypes were detected in at least two of the six-time layers, and only four distinct haplotypes were evidenced in the pre-elimination phase. Structure analysis indicated that three subpopulations fluctuated over time. Only 8.5% of the samples had mixed ancestry. In the pre-elimination phase, subpopulation P1 was drastically reduced, and the admixture was absent.The results suggest that P. vivax in southern Mexico evolved based on local adaptation into three "pseudoclonal" subpopulations that diversified at the regional level and persisted over time, although with varying frequency. Control measures and climate events influenced the number of malaria cases and the genetic structure. The sharp decrease in parasite diversity and other related genetic parameters during the pre-elimination phase suggests that malaria elimination is possible in the near future. These results are useful for epidemiological surveillance.

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Polymorphism at the apical membrane antigen 1 locus reflects the world population history of Plasmodium vivax.

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Polymorphism at the apical membrane antigen 1 locus reflects the world population history of Plasmodium vivax.

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