FIGURE 2.

Schematic description of the Bc28.1 sequence. Top, molecules found in the parasite. The gene coding for Bc28.1 displays no intron, as evidenced by comparison of genomic and cDNA sequence. The Bc28.1 is translated as a precursor protein containing both N- and C-terminal hydrophobic sequences (black boxes) predicted to be a signal peptide and a GPI anchor signal, respectively. Mature GPI-anchored Bc28.1 was found at the merozoite surface, whereas a soluble form of the protein, potentially without a GPI anchor, was found produced inside the parasite and secreted in the in vitro culture supernatant. The three last sequences correspond to recombinant proteins used in the present study. In all sequence schemes, the structured core of the protein (Ser³²–Glu²²⁴) is represented as white boxes, and unstructured parts (Ser¹⁸–Ser³⁸ and Glu²²⁴–Asp²³⁵) are shown as gray boxes.