Abstract

CALVO T, Eliana  and  WASSERMAN L, Moisés. PfGBP: A Plasmodium falciparum telomere binding protein. Rev.Colomb.Quim. [online]. 2015, vol.44, n.1, pp.5-10. ISSN 0120-2804.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rev.colomb.quim.v44n1.53977.

Telomeres are specialized structures at the end of chromosomes that consist of repetitive DNA sequences and associated proteins. The primary role of telomeres is to protect the end of linear chromosomes from recombination, fusion, and recognition as broken DNA ends. This protective function can be achieved through association with specific telomere binding proteins. Telomeric DNA consists of G-rich double-stranded arrays followed by a single-stranded G-rich overhang. The telomeric proteins can be classified in dsBPs, which bind double-stranded DNA, GBPs those that bind specifically to G-rich overhang, and proteins that interact with telomeric factors. Plasmodium falciparum gene PF3D7_1006800 codifies for a protein highly similar to Cryptosporidium parvum GBP. In order to investigate whether the P. falciparum protein binds telomeric DNA, a recombinant protein was produced, purified and DNA binding assays were performed. Polyclonal antibodies against rPfGBP were produced and tested in western blot. Our results indicate that PfGBP is a nuclear protein that binds telomeric DNA in vitro, which could be part of the protein complex responsible for protecting and/or maintaining the telomere in vivo.

Keywords : telomere; Telomere binding protein; telomerase; hnRPNs, RRMs; 3'overhang; recombinant protein; cloning.

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