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Plasmodium falciparum expresses on the host erythrocyte surface clonally variant antigens and ligands that mediate adherence to endothelial receptors. Both are central to pathogenesis, since they allow chronicity of infection and lead to concentration of infected erythrocytes in cerebral vessels. Here we show that expression of variant antigenic determinants is correlated with expression of individual members of a large, multigene family named war. Each yar gene contains copies of a motif that has been previously shown to bind diverse host receptors; expression of a specific yar gene correlated with binding to ICAM-1. Thus, our findings are consistent with the involvement of Var genes in antigenic variation and binding to endothelium.