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. 2007 Jan 25;402(Pt 1):197–204. doi: 10.1042/BJ20060986

Figure 3. SPHz has minimal protein content and predominant neutral lipids.

Figure 3

(A) Saponin-purified trophozoites (T) and SPHz equalized to 10 nmol of haemozoin, which approximates to 10 million parasites, were separated by gel electrophoresis and stained by Coomassie Brilliant Blue. Molecular-mass markers are in kDa. (B) Western-blot analysis of a digestive-vacuole integral membrane protein PfCRT (molecular mass=48 kDa), soluble cytosolic Pfaldolase (ALD; molecular mass=40 kDa) and soluble PfHRP II (molecular mass=30 kDa, but runs as dimer at 60 kDa) located in digestive vacuoles and also infected erythrocyte cytosol shows more than 100-fold reduction of specific proteins. (C) TLC indicates significant amounts of monoacylglycerols. Isolated trophozoites (T), enriched digestive vacuoles (eDV) and SPHz were equalized to 100 nmol haemozoin content, and lipids were extracted and then separated by two mobile phases of TLC. Monoacylglycerols predominate in all the fractions. Diacylglycerols and triacylglycerols were diminished in SPHz compared with trophozoites. Lipid standards (STD) are: PC, phosphatidylcholine; PE, phosphatidylethanolamine; MAG, monoacylglycerol; DAG, diacylglycerol; FA, non-esterified fatty acid; TAG, triacylglycerol.