Figure 2: PfTatD is expressed at the mature stage of trophozoite-infected erythrocytes.

(a) Transcriptional analysis of the PF3D7_0112000 gene was performed using quantitative PCR. Transcription was increased with parasite growth and reached its maximum at 32 h in the blood stage. The results are shown as the mean ±s.e.m. of 3 independent experiments. (b) An immunoblot was performed with rabbit anti-rPfTatD IgG (also see Supplementary Fig. 13). The top line indicates the expression of PfTatD every 8 h and the increased expression at 32 h in the blood stage. HSP70, presented in the bottom panel, was used as a control. (c) Indirect immunofluorescence of PfTatD was detected. The green fluorescence indicates that PfTatD was localized to the RBC membrane or the parasitophorous vacuole membrane of a mature trophozoite and was distinct from the nucleus in the schizont. The parasite nuclei were stained with DAPI. Scale bar, 5 μm. (d–f) Immune electron microscopy images of PfTatD. The gold particles were localized to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane, and there was a trend for localization to the periphery. Scale bar, (d) 500 nm and (e,f) 200 nm.