The gene encoding topoisomerase I from the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Abstract

Part of the topoisomerase I (TopoI)-encoding gene from Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) was isolated by PCR from cDNA using oligodeoxyribonucleotides modelled on the highly conserved regions of sequence from other species. The entire TopoI gene was obtained by screening a Pf K1 HindIII-EcoRI genomic library in lambda NM1149 with a random-labeled heterologous probe from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae TopoI gene. DNA sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 2520 nt encoding a deduced protein of 839 amino acids (aa) with no detectable introns. The Pf TopoI aa sequence has about 40% identity with most eukaryotic TopoI homologues. The gene is located as a single copy on chromosome 5 and Northern analysis identified a transcript of 3.8 kb.