Kojom Foko Loick P, Jakhan Jahnvi, Narang Geetika, Hawadak Joseph, Eboumbou Moukoko Carole E, Singh Vineeta
Parasite & Host Biology, ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, Delhi, India.
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2025 May 7;69(5):e0088424. doi: 10.1128/aac.00884-24. Epub 2025 Apr 14.
The recent emergence of () parasites resistant to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) in Africa has outlined the need for continuous molecular surveillance of artemisinin partial resistance. Here, the genetic polymorphism in the 13 gene () and its structural impact were analyzed. DNA was extracted from dried blood spots of symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals living in different epidemiological facets of Cameroon. The gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction, and amplicons were sequenced to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The evolutionary history and the impact of the polymorphisms on physicochemical properties, structure, and function of the pfK13 protein were appraised using various models. A total of ten SNPs were identified in this study, of which five non-synonymous SNPs have not been previously reported (L647, D648, N657, K658, and L663). The genetic diversity of sequences was low, and the gene evolved under the neutral model. Some mutations, especially L663, appeared to affect the function and structure of the pfK13 protein. Analysis of the physicochemical properties of the Cameroonian pfK13 protein sequences revealed slight changes in the solvent-accessible surface area, isoelectric point, and hydrophobicity. The results support the ongoing use of ACTs in the study areas, given the absence of validated SNPs associated with artemisinin partial resistance. Computational findings suggest a possible deleterious effect of some novel SNPs on the pfK13 structure and/or function.
近期在非洲出现的对青蒿素联合疗法(ACT)耐药的疟原虫凸显了持续开展青蒿素部分耐药分子监测的必要性。在此,对13基因()的遗传多态性及其结构影响进行了分析。从生活在喀麦隆不同流行病学层面的有症状和无症状个体的干血斑中提取DNA。通过巢式聚合酶链反应扩增该基因,并对扩增子进行测序以检测单核苷酸多态性(SNP)。使用各种模型评估了进化历史以及多态性对pfK13蛋白的物理化学性质、结构和功能的影响。本研究共鉴定出10个SNP,其中5个非同义SNP此前未被报道(L647、D648、N657、K658和L663)。疟原虫序列的遗传多样性较低,且该基因在中性模型下进化。一些突变,尤其是L663,似乎影响了pfK13蛋白的功能和结构。对喀麦隆pfK13蛋白序列物理化学性质的分析显示,可溶剂接触表面积、等电点和疏水性略有变化。鉴于缺乏与青蒿素部分耐药相关的已验证SNP,这些结果支持在研究区域继续使用ACT。计算结果表明,一些新的SNP可能对pfK13结构和/或功能产生有害影响。