Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
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Genetic Diversity and Clustering of the Rhoptry Associated Protein-1 of Plasmodium knowlesi from Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo

  • Ummi Wahidah, Azlan (Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya) ;
  • Yee Ling, Lau (Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya) ;
  • Mun Yik, Fong (Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya)
  • Received : 2022.10.01
  • Accepted : 2022.11.22
  • Published : 2022.12.31
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Abstract

Human infection with simian malaria Plasmodium knowlesi is a cause for concern in Southeast Asian countries, especially in Malaysia. A previous study on Peninsular Malaysia P. knowlesi rhoptry associated protein-1 (PkRAP1) gene has discovered the existence of dimorphism. In this study, genetic analysis of PkRAP1 in a larger number of P. knowlesi samples from Malaysian Borneo was conducted. The PkRAP1 of these P. knowlesi isolates was PCR-amplified and sequenced. The newly obtained PkRAP1 gene sequences (n=34) were combined with those from the previous study (n=26) and analysed for polymorphism and natural selection. Sequence analysis revealed a higher genetic diversity of PkRAP1 compared to the previous study. Exon II of the gene had higher diversity (π=0.0172) than exon I (π=0.0128). The diversity of the total coding region (π=0.0167) was much higher than those of RAP1 orthologues such as PfRAP-1 (π=0.0041) and PvRAP1 (π=0.00088). Z-test results indicated that the gene was under purifying selection. Phylogenetic tree and haplotype network showed distinct clustering of Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo PkRAP1 haplotypes. This geographical-based clustering of PkRAP1 haplotypes provides further evidence of the dimorphism of the gene and possible existence of 2 distinct P. knowlesi lineages in Malaysia.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the Long Term Research Grant Scheme (LRGS/1/2018/UM/01/1/1) of the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia. We would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Mohd Hafizi Abdul Hamid and Dr. Jenarun Jelip from Vector Borne Disease Sector, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Malaysia, Dr. Rose Nani Mudin (Sabah Health Department Director) and Dr. Ooi Choo Huck Sarawak Health Department Director) for their contribution in coordinating nationwide sample collection. We also thank the public health officials from the Malaysian State Health Department and District Health offices in Pahang, Kelantan, Johor, Kedah, Terengganu, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Sabah, Sarawak and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur for their help in sample collection.

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