PfHMGBs as potential chromatin modulators at var gene loci

Malaria, caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium, remains a major health issue. P. falciparum causes the most severe form of human malaria
and its virulence is attributed to its ability to modify the iRBC and to undergo antigenic switching of variable surface proteins named PfEMP1. PfEMP1 is
encoded by a multi-gene family called var, which is expressed in a mutually exclusive manner. We have previously showed that the interaction between
var regulatory regions i.e. the var upstream and the var intron promoters is mediated by DNA elements found in both regions, called the pairing
elements. We found the High-mobility group B proteins (PfHMGB1 and PfHMGB2) to be amongst the nuclear proteins associated with the pairing
elements of var genes. Preliminary data suggests that PfHMGB1 and 2 are regulators of chromatin packaging at var gene loci.