@article{TEXTUAL,
      recid = {14512},
      author = {Tan, Mun Hua and Tiedje, Kathryn E. and Feng, Qian and  Zhan, Qi and Pascual, Mercedes and Shim, Heejung and Chan,  Yao-ban and Day, Karen P.},
      title = {A paradoxical population structure of  <i>var</i> DBLα types in Africa},
      journal = {PLOS Pathogens},
      address = {2025-02-04},
      number = {TEXTUAL},
      abstract = {The var multigene family encodes Plasmodium falciparum  erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), central to  host-parasite interactions. Genome structure studies have  identified three major groups of var genes by specific  upstream sequences (upsA, B, or C). Var with these ups  groups have different chromosomal locations,  transcriptional directions, and associations with disease  severity. Here we explore temporal and spatial diversity of  a region of var genes encoding the DBLα domain of PfEMP1 in  Africa. By applying a novel ups classification algorithm  (cUps) to publicly-available DBLα sequence datasets, we  categorised DBLα according to association with the three  ups groups, thereby avoiding the need to sequence complete  genes. Data from deep sequencing of DBLα types in a local  population in northern Ghana surveyed seven times from 2012  to 2017 found variants with rare-to-moderate-to-extreme  frequencies, and the common variants were temporally stable  in this local endemic area. Furthermore, we observed that  every isolate repertoire, whether mono- or multiclonal,  comprised DBLα types occurring with these frequency ranges  implying a common genome structure. When comparing African  countries of Ghana, Gabon, Malawi, and Uganda, we report  that some DBLα types were consistently found at high  frequencies in multiple African countries while others were  common only at the country level. The implication of these  local and pan-Africa population patterns is discussed in  terms of advantage to the parasite with regards to  within-host adaptation and resilience to malaria control.},
      url = {http://knowledge.uchicago.edu/record/14512},
}