A pyrimethamine-resistant parasite population was selected after transfection with a construct for targeted gene disruption by double cross-over homologous recombination. The primers of the two target sequences of the gene are provided below.

The genotype of the parasites has not been analysed in detail.
Diagnostic PCR (for correct integration of the construct) and/or Southern analysis of PFG-separated chromosomes (to show integration into the chromosome on which the target gene is located) have been performed (see below). This analysis provided evidence for correct disruption of the gene indicating that it has no essential function during asexual blood stage development. However, no further analyses on the parasite population/cloned lines have been performed to show absence of transcripts or protein .

The phenotype of the selected parasite population/cloned lines has not been analysed in detail.
No obvious growth defects of the asexual blood stages of the selected parasite populations/cloned lines have been observed.

The gene has been selected for targeted gene disruption based on its presence in a proteome of membranes of infected red blood cells

The gene is a member of a (subtelomeric) multigene family. Exact location of the different members on the chromosomes, the number of paralogs in P. berghei and their orthologous relationship with P. falciparum genes is not completely clear (see also PF13_0198, reticulocyte binding protein 2 homologue a).