Random Mating in a Natural Population of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum

H. A. Babiker; L. C. Ranford-Cartwright; D. Currie

doi:10.1017/S0031182000080665

Random Mating in a Natural Population of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum

H. A. Babiker, L. C. Ranford-Cartwright, D. Currie

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

185 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The genetic structure of a population of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has been examined in a village in Tanzania. Seventeen alleles of the merozoite surface protein MSP-1 and 23 of MSP-2 were detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) among the blood parasites of the inhabitants. Most infections contained mixtures of genetically distinct parasite clones. PCR was then used to examine individual P. falciparum oocysts, the products of fertilization events, in wild-caught mosquitoes. Forty-five out of 71 oocysts were heterozygous for one or both genes, showing that crossing between clones was taking place frequently, following uptake of mixtures of gametocytes by the mosquitoes. The frequency of heterozygous forms showed that random mating events probably occurred within mosquito bloodmeals between gametes belonging to different parasite clones.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	413-421
Number of pages	9
Journal	Parasitology
Volume	109
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182000080665
Publication status	Published - Nov 1994
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Plasmodium falciparum
cross-fertilization
malaria
oocysts

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Parasitology
Animal Science and Zoology
Infectious Diseases

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1017/S0031182000080665

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title = "Random Mating in a Natural Population of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum",

abstract = "The genetic structure of a population of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has been examined in a village in Tanzania. Seventeen alleles of the merozoite surface protein MSP-1 and 23 of MSP-2 were detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) among the blood parasites of the inhabitants. Most infections contained mixtures of genetically distinct parasite clones. PCR was then used to examine individual P. falciparum oocysts, the products of fertilization events, in wild-caught mosquitoes. Forty-five out of 71 oocysts were heterozygous for one or both genes, showing that crossing between clones was taking place frequently, following uptake of mixtures of gametocytes by the mosquitoes. The frequency of heterozygous forms showed that random mating events probably occurred within mosquito bloodmeals between gametes belonging to different parasite clones.",

keywords = "Plasmodium falciparum, cross-fertilization, malaria, oocysts",

author = "Babiker, {H. A.} and Ranford-Cartwright, {L. C.} and D. Currie",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the entomological team and staff of the Ifakara Centre for the collection and examination of mosquitoes and laboratory support. We are grateful to Professor W. Kilama, Director-General, NIMR, Tanzania, and to Professor Marcel Tanner, Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, for their support. Research clearance was granted by the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology, ref. NSR/RCA90. The work was funded by the Medical Research Council of Great Britain, the World Health Organization, and by the Commission of the European Communities. We are grateful to Geoffrey Beale, Richard Carter, Alison Creasey, Chris Dye, Bill Hill and Andrew Read for helpful discussions.",

year = "1994",

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doi = "10.1017/S0031182000080665",

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AU - Currie, D.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the entomological team and staff of the Ifakara Centre for the collection and examination of mosquitoes and laboratory support. We are grateful to Professor W. Kilama, Director-General, NIMR, Tanzania, and to Professor Marcel Tanner, Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, for their support. Research clearance was granted by the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology, ref. NSR/RCA90. The work was funded by the Medical Research Council of Great Britain, the World Health Organization, and by the Commission of the European Communities. We are grateful to Geoffrey Beale, Richard Carter, Alison Creasey, Chris Dye, Bill Hill and Andrew Read for helpful discussions.

PY - 1994/11

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KW - oocysts

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Random Mating in a Natural Population of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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