Isolation and functional characterization of eIF4F components and poly(A)-binding protein from Plasmodium falciparum

The multisubunit translation initiation complex eIF4F contains eIF4E, eIF4A and eIF4G. eIF4A is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase. eIF4G provides the platform for binding initiation factors and it contains the binding sites for eIF4A and eIF4E and interacts with poly(A)-binding protein (PABP). Although the genome of Plasmodium falciparum is fully sequenced but the gene annotation is still incomplete. In this manuscript we present the isolation and characterization of components of the eIF4F complex i.e. eIF4E, eIF4G and PABP from P. falciparum. Our studies indicate that PfeIF4E is involved in translation and PfPABP binds poly(A) specifically. We demonstrate the interaction of PfeIF4G with PfeIF4E, PfeIF4A (PfH45) and PfPABP. These studies demonstrate that these factors are structurally and functionally conserved. These studies will contribute to understand the important process and components of translation complex in the malaria parasite. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.