On plasmodb.org proteins like Stevor and Maurer's cleft which are host-parasite interaction proteins which I presume exist on the parasite cell surface membrane appear with GO annotations for the apicoplast organelle (as contain signal peptide).
I do know that these host-parasite interaction proteins as they are trying to evade the host immune system have different amino acid residue sequence behaviours (due to their evolution), and that homologue searching programs/servers like HMMER can pick up on this.
From a functional biological perspective what would the purpose be of these proteins residing in the apicoplast organelle which is predominantly of biosynthesis and export function be?
You have me confused at many levels. To the main question, apicoplast (an organelle) does not have cell surface proteins. It is the main parasite cells that do have surface proteins; e.g. merozoite surface proteins on merozoites (the blood stage of Plasmodium) used for RBC invasion, and PfEMP on trophozoites and schizonts (which are inside RBCs) for clustering RBC for ultimate destruction; STEVOR and RIFIN are also on merozoites and help in binding to RBC. Maurer's clefts are completely separate organelles in the RBC, not in the parasite; thus no connection with apicoplast.
Well Kholhring Lalchhandama if you look on plasmodb they appear there, but thank you that is also another great answer!
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