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The Plasmodium HU homolog, which binds the plastid DNA sequence-independent manner, is essential for the parasite’s survival |
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| Authors: | Narie Sasaki Makoto Hirai Ryoko Yui Syoko Namiki Masayuki Hata Hiroyuki Matsuoka Shigeharu Sato |
| Institution: | a Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan b Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo 112-0012, Japan c Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Shimotsuke 329-0498, Japan d Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa 277-8562, Japan e Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan f Division of Parasitology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, UK |
| Abstract: | The nuclear genome of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum encodes a homolog of the bacterial HU protein (PfHU). In this study, we characterised PfHU’s physiological function. PfHU, which is targeted exclusively to the parasite’s plastid, bound its natural target - the plastid DNA - sequence-independently and complemented lack of HU in Escherichia coli. The HU gene could not be knocked-out from the genome of Plasmodium berghei, implying that HU is important for the parasite’s survival. As the human cell lacks the HU homolog, PfHU is a potential target for drugs to control malaria. |
| Keywords: | BHL bacterial histone-like DNA binding protein ptDNA plastid DNA |
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