A sequence element associated with the Plasmodium falciparum KAHRP gene is the site of developmentally regulated protein-DNA interactions.

The Plasmodium falciparum gene encoding the knob associated histidine-rich protein (KAHRP) is shown to be transcriptionally regulated during its expression in the intraerythrocytic cycle as demonstrated by stage specific nuclear run-on analysis. The genomic organization of the KAHRP gene was determined and the structural basis for the stage specific transcription investigated. A sequence motif with two-fold symmetry was found 160 bp upstream of the RNA initiation site. This sequence element interacts with parasite derived nuclear extracts in a stage specific manner that correlates with the transcriptional activity of the KAHRP gene. These studies suggest a functional role for this structural element in the developmental regulation of a P. falciparum erythrocytic gene.