Plasmodium falciparum: CD36 dependent cytoadherence or rosetting of infected erythrocytes is modulated by knobs.

A knobless (K-) line of the FCR-3 isolate of Plasmodium falciparum was obtained by gelatin flotation. Immunofluorescent staining and immunoblots indicated that both the K- line and the K+ (knobby) line from which it was derived contained similar forms of potentially adhesive modified band 3 protein. When the K+ and K- lines were assayed for their cytoadherent and rosetting abilities the K+ line showed a high level of CD36 dependent cytoadherence, whereas the K- line demonstrated a marked pH dependent increase in rosetting. Rosetting was inhibited by the addition of peptides based on band 3 motifs, suggesting that cytoadherence and rosetting involve the same adhesin but that the presence of knobs affects whether the adherent preference of the infected erythrocyte is uninfected red cells or endothelial/C32 amelanotic melanoma cells.