Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 2 (FC27 allele) (MSP2)

Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2) is a major glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein located on the surface of the merozoite, the stage of the malaria parasite that invades red blood cells (UniProt P19598; PMID: 15567131). MSP2 is highly abundant and is considered an intrinsically disordered protein, which may facilitate its interaction with various host cell components (PMID: 21903829). The protein is a leading malaria vaccine candidate because antibodies against it are strongly associated with protection from clinical disease in endemic areas (PMID: 10639473). The MSP2 gene is characterized by extreme dimorphism, categorized into the FC27 and 3D7 allelic families, which differ primarily in their central variable regions (PMID: 8501661). The FC27 allele contains unique tandem repeats that are a focus of strain-specific immune responses. Therapeutic strategies, such as the Combination B vaccine, have targeted the FC27 variant to induce protective immunity, though the high degree of antigenic variation remains a primary challenge for achieving broad-spectrum efficacy (PMID: 11030001).

Other names

Merozoite surface antigen 2MSA-2MSP-2P. falciparum MSP2 FC27-like family

Induction of opsonizing and invasion-inhibitory antibodies that target the merozoite surface to prevent erythrocyte entry (PMID: 11030001).