Genome-wide expression of P. falciparum membrane proteins

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19455
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 49:Pathology, infection/immunology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Ehime University
• Principal Investigator: Takashima Eizo 愛媛大学, プロテオサイエンスセンター, 准教授 (50366762)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山田 浩司 岡山大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 准教授 (80325092)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: マラリア / 膜タンパク質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Membrane associated plasmodial proteins are usually difficult to predict using the present algorithms, and are not well expressed by under conventional wheat germ cell-free protein expression system (WGCFS) conditions. In this study, we aimed at expressing P. falciparum genes using WGCFS-liposome method for membrane protein production. As a result, we succeeded to express P. falciparum proteins which are not well expressed by usual conditions of WGCFS. Moreover, liposome encapsulated WGCFS successfully expressed some membrane proteins and the recombinant proteins were localized to the liposomal membrane. Based on these results, we conclude that WGCFS-liposome is a useful tool for the expression of membrane proteins and will facilitate production and functional analyses of P. falciparum membrane proteins.

Free Research Field

分子寄生虫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

マラリア原虫タンパク質は既存の発現系ではほとんど発現できず、研究が頓挫していた。しかし申請者らはコムギ無細胞系で組換え原虫タンパク質の発現に成功し研究を発展させてきた。本研究でリポソームを共存させたコムギ無細胞系によって今まで合成できなかった膜タンパク質も合成することができた。合成できるタンパク質が増えることによって研究対象が増え、その結果マラリアワクチンや新規化学療法剤の開発に繋がる事が期待される。