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Recent origin of Plasmodium falciparum from a single progenitor
journal contribution
posted on 2001-07-20, 00:00 authored by S K Volkman, Alyssa BarryAlyssa Barry, E J Lyons, K M Nielsen, S M Thomas, M Choi, S S Thakore, K P Day, D F Wirth, D L HartlGenetic variability of Plasmodium falciparum underlies its transmission success and thwarts efforts to control disease caused by this parasite. Genetic variation in antigenic, drug resistance, and pathogenesis determinants is abundant, consistent with an ancient origin of P. falciparum, whereas DNA variation at silent (synonymous) sites in coding sequences appears virtually absent, consistent with a recent origin of the parasite. To resolve this paradox, we analyzed introns and demonstrated that these are deficient in single-nucleotide polymorphisms, as are synonymous sites in coding regions. These data establish the recent origin of P. falciparum and further provide an explanation for the abundant diversity observed in antigen and other selected genes.
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Journal
ScienceVolume
293Issue
5529Pagination
482 - 484Publisher
Moses KingLocation
Cambridge, Mass.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0036-8075Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalUsage metrics
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