In this study, we used a reverse genetic approach to investigate the roles of Puf1 and Puf2 in P. berghei, with the aim to identify potential mRNA binding proteins that play critical roles in sporozoite stage conversion.
Seventeen genes were down-regulated in both studies including four Jonah proteases (Jonah 25Bii, Jonah 25Biii, Jonah 65Ai and Jonah 25Bi), two related calcium binding proteins that play an important role in many cellular processes (regucalcin and Smp-30) and 11 other genes (fit, CG18594, CG18179, CG12813, CG9090, CG4019, CG13947, CG7322, CG9672, CG9914 and CG3699).
Splicing factors (SFs) are RNA binding proteins that play key roles in AS regulation [ 14].
In particular, RNA binding proteins that play a role in splicing and mRNA decay have been highlighted.
The zf-RanBP domain is associated with a group of proteins that include Ran binding proteins that play a role in transport between the nucleus and the cytoplasm.
Moreover, genes encoding fatty acid binding proteins that play a role in fatty acid uptake and transport were up-regulated (fabp3: + 2.29, fabp4: + 6.42 and fabp5: + 1.57).
The 61 amino acid homeodomain is conserved among members of a family of eukaryotic DNA-binding proteins that play regulatory roles in transcription and in development.
Ras proteins are guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins that play a pivotal role in the control of many cellular processes, including growth and differentiation.
Lectins are a diverse class of carbohydrate-binding proteins that play a wide variety of roles in cell-cell recognition events that trigger several important cellular processes [ 70].
Annexins are calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins that play an important role in the regulation of cellular growth and in signal transduction pathways.
