Chromosome patterns in Plasmodium faleiparum by pulsed field gradient gel electrophoresis

Abstract

The chromosomal DNA from 1 isolate and 28 clones of Plasmodium falciparum which were resistant to pyrimethamine at different MIC level were studied by pulse field gradient, gel electrophoresis. At least, 11 chromosomes were separated according to their different molecular weights. When compared with the chromosomes, of S. cerevisiae, the chromosome size of P. falciparum were approximately 600-4100 kb. Chromosome size polymorphism was found even among the subclones. Thus, pulse field gradient gel electrophoresis can serve for malaria characterization. Consequently, dot blot analysis was then done to determine this relationship. DNA from one pyrimethamine-sensitive clone (T9/94) of P.falciparum and one (TM 4 C8.2) clone that was intermediate resistant to pyrimethamine were hybridized with DHFR gene and β-tubulin gene. The result revealed no amplification of DHFR-TS gene.