NAB2

PF3D7_0623100 (NAB2) is a putative RNA-binding protein in P. falciparum, catalogued among 189 predicted RBP genes assigned to recognized RBP families through domain-based genome analysis, implying a role in post-transcriptional regulation (PMID:26525978). Consistent with this prediction, NAB2 was subsequently detected as an RNA-dependent protein in a proteome-wide R-DeeP screen, its sedimentation profile shifting in an RNA-dependent manner (PMID:38355719). Beyond this computational classification and one proteome-wide RNA-dependence assignment, no direct mechanistic characterization of NAB2's RNA-binding activity, substrates, binding partners, structure, or cellular role has been established in the available corpus.

1. 2015 Low

   Whether PF3D7_0623100 belongs to the RNA-binding protein repertoire of P. falciparum was unknown; a genome-wide domain survey established it as a candidate RBP, framing it as a possible post-transcriptional regulator.

   Evidence Bioinformatic/computational survey of the P. falciparum genome using domain-based searches and 3D modelling, with no experimental validation of NAB2 specifically

   PMID:26525978

   Open questions at the time

   • Purely computational assignment not experimentally validated for NAB2 itself
   • No RNA target or binding activity demonstrated
   • No cellular role or localization determined
2. 2024 Low

   Whether the computationally predicted RNA association of NAB2 has any experimental support was unknown; a proteome-wide RNA-dependence screen showed its sedimentation shifts with RNA presence, providing the first experimental hint of RNA association.

   Evidence R-DeeP (sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation coupled with quantitative mass spectrometry)

   PMID:38355719

   Open questions at the time

   • Proteome-wide screen provides no direct binding or functional follow-up for NAB2 specifically
   • RNA targets and whether binding is direct versus complex-mediated are unknown
   • No interaction partners or complex membership established

• The direct RNA-binding activity, substrates, binding partners, structure, and cellular function of PF3D7_0623100 remain uncharacterized in the available corpus.
• No demonstrated RNA substrate or binding specificity
• No identified protein interaction partners or complex
• No experimental data on localization, structure, or phenotype