Abstract: Understanding the genetic diversity in Plasmodium falciparum populations is of major importance in the outcome of antimalarial drug trials and vaccine design. Merozoite surface protein-2 (msp 2) is a well known antigenic marker for distinguishing infections with P. falciparum. Parasite DNA was extracted from 127 blood samples collected from patients confirmed by microscopy to be P. falciparum-positive followed by PCR-genotyping for msp 2 (block2) allelic family. Out of the 127 positive samples, only 12 were confirmed so by PCR. Six samples were positive for the FC 27 family of msp 2. The FC27 allele sequence gave high frequency of 50% (6/12). The P. falciparum FC 27 allele sequence analyses presented P. falciparum MSA-2 gene having high identity to the query sequence although the nucleotide alignment of the sequence demonstrated several polymorphisms. The 349bp Plasmodium falciparum FC 27 allele of msp2 gene obtained exhibited polymorphisms. The frequency of occurrence of this molecular marker of malaria virulence was high suggesting Jos is endemic to highly virulent Plasmodium falciparum strains.
Keywords: Plasmodium falciparum, FC 27 allele, merozoite surface protein 2 gene malaria.
Title: Frequency of the FC 27 allelic family of merozoite surface protein 2 gene signifies highly virulent strain of Plasmodium falciparum in Jos, Nigeria
Author: Ishaya Y. Longdet, Richard J. Kutshik, Bitrus Yakubu, Peter G. Ngutur
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-313X (Print), ISSN 2348-3148 (online)
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