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Crystallization and preliminary structural characterization of the two actin isoforms of the malaria parasite.

ABSTRACT: Malaria is a devastating disease caused by apicomplexan parasites of the genus Plasmodium that use a divergent actin-powered molecular motor for motility and invasion. Plasmodium actin differs from canonical actins in sequence, structure and function. Here, the purification, crystallization and secondary-structure analysis of the two Plasmodium actin isoforms are presented. The recombinant parasite actins were folded and could be purified to homogeneity. Plasmodium actins I and II were crystallized in complex with the gelsolin G1 domain; the crystals diffracted to resolutions of 1.19 and 2.2?Å and belonged to space groups P2?2?2? and P2?, respectively, each with one complex in the asymmetric unit.

SUBMITTER: Bhargav SP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3792683 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Crystallization and preliminary structural characterization of the two actin isoforms of the malaria parasite.

Bhargav Saligram Prabhakar SP Vahokoski Juha J Kumpula Esa-Pekka EP Kursula Inari I

Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology and crystallization communications 20130930 Pt 10

Malaria is a devastating disease caused by apicomplexan parasites of the genus Plasmodium that use a divergent actin-powered molecular motor for motility and invasion. Plasmodium actin differs from canonical actins in sequence, structure and function. Here, the purification, crystallization and secondary-structure analysis of the two Plasmodium actin isoforms are presented. The recombinant parasite actins were folded and could be purified to homogeneity. Plasmodium actins I and II were crystalli ...[more]

PMID: 24100575

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