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Summary: A Subset of Plasmodium falciparum SERA Genes Are Expressed and
Appear to Play an Important Role in the Erythrocytic Cycle*
Received for publication, July 12, 2002, and in revised form, August 22, 2002
Published, JBC Papers in Press, September 11, 2002, DOI 10.1074/jbc.M206974200
Susanne K. Miller, Robert T. Good, Damien R. Drew§, Mauro Delorenzi, Paul R. Sanders¶,
Anthony N. Hodder, Terence P. Speed, Alan F. Cowman , Tania F. de Koning-Ward**,
and Brendan S. Crabb
From the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria 3050, Australia
The Plasmodium falciparum serine repeat antigen
(SERA) has shown considerable promise as a blood stage
vaccine for the control of malaria. A related protein,
SERPH, has also been described in P. falciparum.
Whereas their biological role remains unknown, both
proteins possess papain-like protease domains that may
provide attractive targets for therapeutic intervention.
Genomic sequencing has recently shown that SERA and
SERPH are the fifth and sixth genes, respectively, in a
cluster of eight SERA homologues present on chromo-
some 2. In this paper, the expression and functional
relevance of these eight genes and of a ninth SERA ho-
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