Studies of antigens in Plasmodium yoelii. II. Inheritance and recombination of antigenic characters.

ABSTRACT

The inheritance of an antigen designated Py-1 in the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii has been investigated. A cross was made between 2 lines differing in the electrophoretic mobility and quantity of Py-1 detected by crossed immunoelectrophoresis. In 10 clones isolated from the progeny of the cross the level of Py-1 always correlated with the virulence of the infection and it was concluded that these characters were different phenotypic effects of the same gene mutation. The electrophoretic mobility of Py-1 segregated independently of the virulence character and was therefore controlled by a different gene. These two antigenic markers also recombined with isoenzyme and drug-sensitivity characters distinguishing the parent lines.