# name
Expression of the Plasmodium falciparum Clonally Variant clag3
                Genes in Human Infections

# metadata.dc.description.abstract[].value
Background.: Many genes of the malaria parasite Plasmodium
                falciparum show clonally variant expression regulated at the
                epigenetic level. These genes participate in fundamental
                host-parasite interactions and contribute to adaptive processes.
                However, little is known about their expression patterns during
                human infections. A peculiar case of clonally variant genes are
                the 2 nearly identical clag3 genes, clag3.1 and clag3.2, which
                mediate nutrient uptake and are linked to resistance to some
                toxic compounds. Methods.: We developed a procedure to
                characterize the expression of clag3 genes in naturally infected
                patients and in experimentally infected human volunteers.
                Results.: We provide the first description of clag3 expression
                during human infections, which revealed mutually exclusive
                expression and identified the gene predominantly expressed.
                Adaptation to culture conditions or selection with a toxic
                compound resulted in isolate-dependent changes in clag3
                expression. We also found that clag3 expression patterns were
                reset during transmission stages. Conclusions.: Different
                environment conditions select for parasites with different clag3
                expression patterns, implying functional differences between the
                proteins encoded. The epigenetic memory is likely erased before
                parasites start infection of a new human host. Altogether, our
                findings support the idea that clonally variant genes facilitate
                the adaptation of parasite populations to changing conditions
                through bet-hedging strategies.

# metadata.dc.relation.ispartof[].value
The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2017, vol. 215, num. 6 , p. 938-945

# metadata.dc.source[].value
Articles publicats en revistes (ISGlobal)

# metadata.dc.title[].value
Expression of the Plasmodium falciparum Clonally Variant clag3
                Genes in Human Infections