The diversity of Plasmodium SERA gene family : Adaptation of parasitism and host range

使用来自不同脊椎动物宿主的疟疾寄生虫的血清基因来分析转录图谱和序列多样性。结果发现，灵长类寄生虫和啮齿类寄生虫的血清中表达丰富且对寄生虫生存至关重要的基因库不同。此外，与啮齿类寄生虫相比，灵长类寄生虫具有更多的血清基因，并在灵长类寄生虫的几个血清基因中检测到阳性选择。这些发现表明，血清基因已经获得了与寄生虫扩展寄主范围相关的多种功能。

Transcriptional profiles and sequence diversities were analyzed using SERA genes of malaria parasites from a variety of different vertebrate hosts. As a result, we found that the repertories of SERA genes showing abundant expression and essential for parasite survival were different between primate and rodent parasites. In addition, primate parasites when compared to rodent parasites have larger number of SERA genes and positive selections were detected in the several SERA genes in primate parasites. These findings suggest that SERA genes have acquired multiple functions relevant to the parasite extension of host range.