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Mamede L, Fall F, Schoumacher M, Ledoux A, Bugli C, De Tullio P, Quetin-Leclercq J, Govaerts B, Frédérich M. Comparison of extraction methods in vitro Plasmodium falciparum: A 1H NMR and LC-MS joined approach. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 703:149684. [PMID: 38367514 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Malaria is a parasitic disease that remains a global concern and the subject of many studies. Metabolomics has emerged as an approach to better comprehend complex pathogens and discover possible drug targets, thus giving new insights that can aid in the development of antimalarial therapies. However, there is no standardized method to extract metabolites from in vitro Plasmodium falciparum intraerythrocytic parasites, the stage that causes malaria. Additionally, most methods are developed with either LC-MS or NMR analysis in mind, and have rarely been evaluated with both tools. In this work, three extraction methods frequently found in the literature were reproduced and samples were analyzed through both LC-MS and 1H NMR, and evaluated in order to reveal which is the most repeatable and consistent through an array of different tools, including chemometrics, peak detection and annotation. The most reliable method in this study proved to be a double extraction with methanol and methanol/water (80:20, v/v). Metabolomic studies in the field should move towards standardization of methodologies and the use of both LC-MS and 1H NMR in order to make data more comparable between studies and facilitate the achievement of biologically interpretable information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lúcia Mamede
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Belgium
| | - Fanta Fall
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Schoumacher
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Belgium
| | - Allison Ledoux
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Belgium
| | - Céline Bugli
- Statistical Methodology and Computing Service (SMCS/LIDAM), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Pascal De Tullio
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Belgium
| | - Joëlle Quetin-Leclercq
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernadette Govaerts
- Statistical Methodology and Computing Service (SMCS/LIDAM), UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Michel Frédérich
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Center of Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Belgium.
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2
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Florini F, Visone JE, Hadjimichael E, Malpotra S, Nötzel C, Kafsack BF, Deitsch KW. Transcriptional plasticity of virulence genes provides malaria parasites with greater adaptive capacity for avoiding host immunity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.584127. [PMID: 38496509 PMCID: PMC10942408 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.584127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Chronic, asymptomatic malaria infections contribute substantially to disease transmission and likely represent the most significant impediment preventing malaria elimination and eradication. Plasmodium falciparum parasites evade antibody recognition through transcriptional switching between members of the var gene family, which encodes the major virulence factor and surface antigen on infected red blood cells. This process can extend infections for up to a year; however, infections have been documented to last for over a decade, constituting an unseen reservoir of parasites that undermine eradication and control efforts. How parasites remain immunologically "invisible" for such lengthy periods is entirely unknown. Here we show that in addition to the accepted paradigm of mono-allelic var gene expression, individual parasites can simultaneously express multiple var genes or enter a state in which little or no var gene expression is detectable. This unappreciated flexibility provides parasites with greater adaptive capacity than previously understood and challenges the dogma of mutually exclusive var gene expression. It also provides an explanation for the antigenically "invisible" parasites observed in chronic asymptomatic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Evi Hadjimichael
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Shivali Malpotra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Björn F.C. Kafsack
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kirk W. Deitsch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA
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3
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Fierro MA, Muheljic A, Sha J, Wohlschlegel J, Beck JR. PEXEL is a proteolytic maturation site for both exported and non-exported Plasmodium proteins. mSphere 2024; 9:e0039323. [PMID: 38334391 PMCID: PMC10900883 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00393-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Obligate intracellular malaria parasites dramatically remodel their erythrocyte host through effector protein export to create a niche for survival. Most exported proteins contain a pentameric Plasmodium export element (PEXEL)/host-targeting motif that is cleaved in the parasite ER by the aspartic protease Plasmepsin V (PMV). This processing event exposes a mature N terminus required for translocation into the host cell and is not known to occur in non-exported proteins. Here, we report that the non-exported parasitophorous vacuole protein UIS2 contains a bona fide PEXEL motif that is processed in the P. falciparum blood stage. While the N termini of exported proteins containing the PEXEL and immediately downstream ~10 residues are sufficient to mediate translocation into the RBC, the equivalent UIS2 N terminus does not promote the export of a reporter. Curiously, the UIS2 PEXEL contains an unusual aspartic acid at the fourth position, which constitutes the extreme N-terminal residue following PEXEL cleavage (P1', RIL↓DE). Using a series of chimeric reporter fusions, we show that Asp at P1' is permissive for PMV processing but abrogates export. Moreover, mutation of this single UIS2 residue to alanine enables export, reinforcing that the mature N terminus mediates export, not PEXEL processing per se. Prompted by this observation, we further show that PEXEL sequences in the N termini of other non-exported rhoptry proteins are also processed, suggesting that PMV may be a more general secretory maturase than previously appreciated, similar to orthologs in related apicomplexans. Our findings provide new insight into the unique N-terminal constraints that mark proteins for export.IMPORTANCEHost erythrocyte remodeling by malaria parasite-exported effector proteins is critical to parasite survival and disease pathogenesis. In the deadliest malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, most exported proteins undergo proteolytic maturation via recognition of the pentameric Plasmodium export element (PEXEL)/host-targeting motif by the aspartic protease Plasmepsin V, which exposes a mature N terminus that is conducive for export into the erythrocyte host cell. While PEXEL processing is considered a unique mark of exported proteins, we demonstrate that PEXEL motifs are present and processed in non-exported proteins. Importantly, we show that specific residues at the variable fourth position of the PEXEL motif inhibit export despite being permissive for processing, reinforcing that features of the mature N terminus, and not PEXEL cleavage, identify cargo for export. This opens the door to further inquiry into the nature and evolution of the PEXEL motif.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel A. Fierro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, lowa, USA
| | - Ajla Muheljic
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Jihui Sha
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - James Wohlschlegel
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Josh R. Beck
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, lowa, USA
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
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4
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Kobpornchai P, Imwong M, Kulkeaw K. Trio fluorophore-based phenotypic assay for the detection of artemisinin-induced growth-arrested Plasmodium falciparum in human erythrocytes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1802. [PMID: 38245618 PMCID: PMC10799909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52414-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin combination therapy remains effective for the treatment of falciparum malaria. However, Plasmodium falciparum can escape the effects of artemisinin by arresting their growth. The growth-arrested parasites cannot be distinguished from nonviable parasites with standard microscopy techniques due to their morphological similarities. Here, we demonstrated the efficacy of a new laboratory assay that is compatible with the artemisinin susceptibility test. As a result of the differential cell permeabilities of two DNA-binding fluorophores, growth-arrested P. falciparum can be distinguished from parasites killed by artemisinin, since the latter lose cell membrane permeability. This fluorescence-based assay increased the sensitivity and specificity of the ring survival assay in the assessment of artemisinin susceptibility. When combined with a third fluorophore-conjugated anti-human leukocyte antibody, this trio fluorophore assay became more useful in identifying growth-arrested parasites in mock human blood samples. This novel assay is a simple and rapid technique for monitoring artemisinin resistance with greater sensitivity and accuracy compared with morphology-based observations under a light microscope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Porntida Kobpornchai
- Siriraj Integrative Center for Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
- Siriraj-Long Read Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
| | - Mallika Imwong
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
| | - Kasem Kulkeaw
- Siriraj Integrative Center for Neglected Parasitic Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.
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5
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Beri D, Singh M, Rodriguez M, Goyal N, Rasquinha G, Liu Y, An X, Yazdanbakhsh K, Lobo CA. Global Metabolomic Profiling of Host Red Blood Cells Infected with Babesia divergens Reveals Novel Antiparasitic Target Pathways. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0468822. [PMID: 36786651 PMCID: PMC10100774 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04688-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesia divergens is an apicomplexan parasite that infects human red blood cells (RBCs), initiating cycles of invasion, replication, and egress, resulting in extensive metabolic modification of the host cells. Babesia is an auxotroph for most of the nutrients required to sustain these cycles. There are currently limited studies on the biochemical pathways that support these critical processes, necessitating the high-resolution global metabolomics approach described here to uncover the metabolic interactions between parasite and host RBC. Our results reveal an extensive parasite-mediated modulation of RBC metabolite levels of all classes, including lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and nucleotides, with numerous metabolic species varying in proportion to the level of infection. Many of these molecules are scavenged from the host RBCs. This is in accord with the needs of a rapidly proliferating parasite with limited biosynthetic capabilities. Probing these pathways in depth, we used growth inhibition assays to quantitate parasite susceptibility to drugs targeting these pathways and stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy to obtain high-resolution images of drug-treated parasites to correlate changes in morphology with specific metabolic blocks in order to validate the data generated by the untargeted metabolomics platform. Thus, interruption of cholesterol scavenging from the host cell led to premature parasite egress, while chemical targeting of the hydrolysis of acyl glycerides led to the buildup of malformed parasites that could not successfully egress. This is the first report detailing the global metabolomic profile of the B. divergens-infected RBC. Besides deciphering diverse aspects of the host-parasite relationship, our results can be exploited by others to uncover further drug targets in the host-parasite biochemical network. IMPORTANCE Human babesiosis is caused by apicomplexan parasites of the Babesia genus and is associated with transfusion-transmitted illness and relapsing disease in immunosuppressed populations. Through its continuous cycles of invasion, proliferation, and egress, B. divergens radically changes the metabolic environment of the host red blood cell, allowing us opportunities to study potential chemical vulnerabilities that can be targeted by drugs. This is the first global metabolomic profiling of Babesia-infected human red blood cells, and our analysis revealed perturbation in all biomolecular classes at levels proportional to the level of infection. In particular, lipids and energy flux pathways in the host cell were altered by infection. We validated the changes in key metabolic pathways by performing inhibition assays accompanied by high-resolution microscopy. Overall, this global metabolomics analysis of Babesia-infected red blood cells has helped to uncover novel aspects of parasite biology and identified potential biochemical pathways that can be targeted for chemotherapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Beri
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Manpreet Singh
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Marilis Rodriguez
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Naman Goyal
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Yunfeng Liu
- Department of Complement Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xiuli An
- Department of Membrane Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Karina Yazdanbakhsh
- Department of Complement Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cheryl A. Lobo
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
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6
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Ring-stage growth arrest: Metabolic basis of artemisinin tolerance in Plasmodium falciparum. iScience 2022; 26:105725. [PMID: 36579133 PMCID: PMC9791339 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and spread of artemisinin-tolerant malaria parasites threatens malaria control programmes worldwide. Mutations in the propeller domain of the Kelch13 protein confer Plasmodium falciparum artemisinin resistance (ART-R). ART-R is linked to the reduced susceptibility of temporary growth-arrested ring-stage parasites, but the metabolic mechanisms remain elusive. We generated two PfKelch13 mutant lines via CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing which displayed a reduced susceptibility accompanied by an extended ring stage. The metabolome of ART-induced ring-stage growth arrest parasites carrying PfKelch13 mutations showed significant alterations in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, glycolysis, and amino acids metabolism, pointing to altered energy and porphyrin metabolism with metabolic plasticity. The critical role of these pathways was further confirmed by altering metabolic flow or through chemical inhibition. Our findings uncover that the growth arrestment associated with ART-R is potentially attributed to the adaptative metabolic plasticity, indicating that the defined metabolic remodeling turns out to be the trigger for ART-R.
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7
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Morillo RC, Harris CT, Kennedy K, Henning SR, Kafsack BFC. Genome-wide profiling of histone modifications in Plasmodium falciparum using CUT&RUN. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 6:6/1/e202201778. [PMID: 36379668 PMCID: PMC9670794 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently adapted a CUT&RUN protocol for genome-wide profiling of chromatin modifications in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium Using the step-by-step protocol described below, we were able to generate high-quality profiles of multiple histone modifications using only a small fraction of the cells required for ChIP-seq. Using antibodies against two commonly profiled histone modifications, H3K4me3 and H3K9me3, we show here that CUT&RUN profiling is highly reproducible and closely recapitulates previously published ChIP-seq-based abundance profiles of histone marks. Finally, we show that CUT&RUN requires substantially lower sequencing coverage for accurate profiling compared with ChIP-seq.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chantal T Harris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA,Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kit Kennedy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samuel R Henning
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Björn FC Kafsack
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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8
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Deshmukh SS, Byaruhanga O, Tumwebaze P, Akin D, Greenhouse B, Egan ES, Demirci U. Automated Recognition of Plasmodium falciparum Parasites from Portable Blood Levitation Imaging. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105396. [PMID: 35957519 PMCID: PMC9534981 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In many malaria-endemic regions, current detection tools are inadequate in diagnostic accuracy and accessibility. To meet the need for direct, phenotypic, and automated malaria parasite detection in field settings, a portable platform to process, image, and analyze whole blood to detect Plasmodium falciparum parasites, is developed. The liberated parasites from lysed red blood cells suspended in a magnetic field are accurately detected using this cellphone-interfaced, battery-operated imaging platform. A validation study is conducted at Ugandan clinics, processing 45 malaria-negative and 36 malaria-positive clinical samples without external infrastructure. Texture and morphology features are extracted from the sample images, and a random forest classifier is trained to assess infection status, achieving 100% sensitivity and 91% specificity against gold-standard measurements (microscopy and polymerase chain reaction), and limit of detection of 31 parasites per µL. This rapid and user-friendly platform enables portable parasite detection and can support malaria diagnostics, surveillance, and research in resource-constrained environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya S. Deshmukh
- Department of BioengineeringStanford University Schools of Engineering and MedicineStanfordCA94305USA
- Canary Center for Early Cancer DetectionBioacoustic MEMS in Medicine LabDepartment of RadiologyStanford University School of MedicinePalo AltoCA94305USA
| | | | | | - Demir Akin
- Canary Center for Early Cancer DetectionBioacoustic MEMS in Medicine LabDepartment of RadiologyStanford University School of MedicinePalo AltoCA94305USA
| | - Bryan Greenhouse
- Department of MedicineUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCA94110USA
| | - Elizabeth S. Egan
- Department of PediatricsStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCA94305USA
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyStanford University School of MedicineStanfordCA94305USA
| | - Utkan Demirci
- Canary Center for Early Cancer DetectionBioacoustic MEMS in Medicine LabDepartment of RadiologyStanford University School of MedicinePalo AltoCA94305USA
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9
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Maier AG, van Ooij C. The role of cholesterol in invasion and growth of malaria parasites. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:984049. [PMID: 36189362 PMCID: PMC9522969 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.984049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites are unicellular eukaryotic pathogens that develop through a complex lifecycle involving two hosts, an anopheline mosquito and a vertebrate host. Throughout this lifecycle, the parasite encounters widely differing conditions and survives in distinct ways, from an intracellular lifestyle in the vertebrate host to exclusively extracellular stages in the mosquito. Although the parasite relies on cholesterol for its growth, the parasite has an ambiguous relationship with cholesterol: cholesterol is required for invasion of host cells by the parasite, including hepatocytes and erythrocytes, and for the development of the parasites in those cells. However, the parasite is unable to produce cholesterol itself and appears to remove cholesterol actively from its own plasma membrane, thereby setting up a cholesterol gradient inside the infected host erythrocyte. Overall a picture emerges in which the parasite relies on host cholesterol and carefully controls its transport. Here, we describe the role of cholesterol at the different lifecycle stages of the parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G. Maier
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT, Australia
- *Correspondence: Alexander G. Maier, ; Christiaan van Ooij,
| | - Christiaan van Ooij
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Alexander G. Maier, ; Christiaan van Ooij,
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10
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Aggarwal S, Peng WK, Srivastava S. Multi-Omics Advancements towards Plasmodium vivax Malaria Diagnosis. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:2222. [PMID: 34943459 PMCID: PMC8700291 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11122222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax malaria is one of the most lethal infectious diseases, with 7 million infections annually. One of the roadblocks to global malaria elimination is the lack of highly sensitive, specific, and accurate diagnostic tools. The absence of diagnostic tools in particular has led to poor differentiation among parasite species, poor prognosis, and delayed treatment. The improvement necessary in diagnostic tools can be broadly grouped into two categories: technologies-driven and omics-driven progress over time. This article discusses the recent advancement in omics-based malaria for identifying the next generation biomarkers for a highly sensitive and specific assay with a rapid and antecedent prognosis of the disease. We summarize the state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies, the key challenges, opportunities, and emerging prospects of multi-omics-based sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Aggarwal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, Maharashtra, India;
| | - Weng Kung Peng
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Building A1, University Innovation Park, Dongguan 523808, China
- Precision Medicine-Engineering Group, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
| | - Sanjeeva Srivastava
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, Maharashtra, India;
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11
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Deshmukh SS, Shakya B, Chen A, Durmus NG, Greenhouse B, Egan ES, Demirci U. Multiparametric biophysical profiling of red blood cells in malaria infection. Commun Biol 2021; 4:697. [PMID: 34103669 PMCID: PMC8187722 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02181-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Biophysical separation promises label-free, less-invasive methods to manipulate the diverse properties of live cells, such as density, magnetic susceptibility, and morphological characteristics. However, some cellular changes are so minute that they are undetectable by current methods. We developed a multiparametric cell-separation approach to profile cells with simultaneously changing density and magnetic susceptibility. We demonstrated this approach with the natural biophysical phenomenon of Plasmodium falciparum infection, which modifies its host erythrocyte by simultaneously decreasing density and increasing magnetic susceptibility. Current approaches have used these properties separately to isolate later-stage infected cells, but not in combination. We present biophysical separation of infected erythrocytes by balancing gravitational and magnetic forces to differentiate infected cell stages, including early stages for the first time, using magnetic levitation. We quantified height distributions of erythrocyte populations-27 ring-stage synchronized samples and 35 uninfected controls-and quantified their unique biophysical signatures. This platform can thus enable multidimensional biophysical measurements on unique cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya S Deshmukh
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University Schools of Engineering and Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Canary Center for Early Cancer Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Bikash Shakya
- Department of Pediatrics; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anna Chen
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Naside Gozde Durmus
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Bryan Greenhouse
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Egan
- Department of Pediatrics; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Utkan Demirci
- Canary Center for Early Cancer Detection, Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
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12
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Garde A, Sherwood DR. Fueling Cell Invasion through Extracellular Matrix. Trends Cell Biol 2021; 31:445-456. [PMID: 33549396 PMCID: PMC8122022 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2021.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Cell invasion through extracellular matrix (ECM) has pivotal roles in cell dispersal during development, immune cell trafficking, and cancer metastasis. Many elegant studies have revealed the specialized cellular protrusions, proteases, and distinct modes of migration invasive cells use to overcome ECM barriers. Less clear, however, is how invasive cells provide energy, specifically ATP, to power the energetically demanding membrane trafficking, F-actin polymerization, and actomyosin machinery that mediate break down, remodeling, and movement through ECMs. Here, we provide an overview of the challenges of examining ATP generation and delivery within invading cells and how recent studies using diverse invasion models, experimental approaches, and energy biosensors are revealing that energy metabolism is an integral component of cell invasive behavior that is dynamically tuned to overcome the ECM environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aastha Garde
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Box 3709, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - David R Sherwood
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Regeneration Next, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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13
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Liu S, Huckaby AC, Brown AC, Moore CC, Burbulis I, McConnell MJ, Güler JL. Single-cell sequencing of the small and AT-skewed genome of malaria parasites. Genome Med 2021; 13:75. [PMID: 33947449 PMCID: PMC8094492 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-021-00889-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell genomics is a rapidly advancing field; however, most techniques are designed for mammalian cells. We present a single-cell sequencing pipeline for an intracellular parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, with a small genome of extreme base content. Through optimization of a quasi-linear amplification method, we target the parasite genome over contaminants and generate coverage levels allowing detection of minor genetic variants. This work, as well as efforts that build on these findings, will enable detection of parasite heterogeneity contributing to P. falciparum adaptation. Furthermore, this study provides a framework for optimizing single-cell amplification and variant analysis in challenging genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwei Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Adam C Huckaby
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Audrey C Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Christopher C Moore
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ian Burbulis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad San Sebastian, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Michael J McConnell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Current address: Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer L Güler
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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14
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Yu X, Feng G, Zhang Q, Cao J. From Metabolite to Metabolome: Metabolomics Applications in Plasmodium Research. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:626183. [PMID: 33505389 PMCID: PMC7829456 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.626183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in research over the past few decades have greatly improved metabolomics-based approaches in studying parasite biology and disease etiology. This improves the investigation of varied metabolic requirements during life stages or when following transmission to their hosts, and fulfills the demand for improved diagnostics and precise therapeutics. Therefore, this review highlights the progress of metabolomics in malaria research, including metabolic mapping of Plasmodium vertebrate life cycle stages to investigate antimalarials mode of actions and underlying complex host-parasite interactions. Also, we discuss current limitations as well as make several practical suggestions for methodological improvements which could drive metabolomics progress for malaria from a comprehensive perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Yu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China.,Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Gaoqian Feng
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Qingfeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Cao
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China.,Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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15
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Brown AC, Guler JL. From Circulation to Cultivation: Plasmodium In Vivo versus In Vitro. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:914-926. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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16
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Ressurreição M, Thomas JA, Nofal SD, Flueck C, Moon RW, Baker DA, van Ooij C. Use of a highly specific kinase inhibitor for rapid, simple and precise synchronization of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium knowlesi asexual blood-stage parasites. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235798. [PMID: 32673324 PMCID: PMC7365400 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During the course of the asexual erythrocytic stage of development, Plasmodium spp. parasites undergo a series of morphological changes and induce alterations in the host cell. At the end of this stage, the parasites egress from the infected cell, after which the progeny invade a new host cell. These processes are rapid and occur in a time-dependent manner. Of particular importance, egress and invasion of erythrocytes by the parasite are difficult to capture in an unsynchronized culture, or even a culture that has been synchronized within a window of one to several hours. Therefore, precise synchronization of parasite cultures is of paramount importance for the investigation of these processes. Here we describe a method for synchronizing Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium knowlesi asexual blood stage parasites with ML10, a highly specific inhibitor of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) that arrests parasite growth approximately 15 minutes prior to egress. This inhibitor allows parasite cultures to be synchronized so that all parasites are within a window of development of several minutes, with a simple wash step. Furthermore, we show that parasites remain viable for several hours after becoming arrested by the compound and that ML10 has advantages, owing to its high specificity and low EC50, over the previously used PKG inhibitor Compound 2. Here, we demonstrate that ML10 is an invaluable tool for the study of Plasmodium spp. asexual blood stage biology and for the routine synchronization of P. falciparum and P. knowlesi cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Ressurreição
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - James A. Thomas
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie D. Nofal
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Flueck
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert W. Moon
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - David A. Baker
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christiaan van Ooij
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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