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Kengne-Ouafo JA, Bah SY, Kemp A, Stewart L, Amenga-Etego L, Deitsch KW, Rayner JC, Billker O, Binka FN, Sutherland CJ, Awandare GA, Urban BC, Dinko B. The global transcriptome of Plasmodium falciparum mid-stage gametocytes (stages II-IV) appears largely conserved and gametocyte-specific gene expression patterns vary in clinical isolates. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0382022. [PMID: 37698406 PMCID: PMC10581088 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03820-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Our overall understanding of the developmental biology of malaria parasites has been greatly enhanced by recent advances in transcriptomic analysis. However, most of these investigations rely on laboratory strains (LS) that were adapted into in vitro culture many years ago, and the transcriptomes of clinical isolates (CI) circulating in human populations have not been assessed. In this study, RNA-seq was used to compare the global transcriptome of mid-stage gametocytes derived from three short-term cultured CI, with gametocytes derived from the NF54 reference laboratory strain. The core transcriptome appeared to be consistent between CI- and LS-derived gametocyte preparations, but some important differences were also observed. A majority of gametocyte-specific genes (43/53) appear to have relatively higher expression in CI-derived gametocytes than in LS-derived gametocytes, but a K-means clustering analysis showed that genes involved in flagellum- and microtubule-based processes (movement/motility) were more abundant in both groups, albeit with some differences between them. In addition, gametocytes from one CI described as CI group II gametocytes (CI:GGII) showed gene expression variation in the form of reduced gametocyte-specific gene expression compared to the other two CI-derived gametocytes (CI gametocyte group I, CI:GGI), although the mixed developmental stages used in our study is a potential confounder, only partially mitigated by the inclusion of multiple replicates for each CI. Overall, our study suggests that there may be subtle differences in the gene expression profiles of mid-stage gametocytes from CI relative to the NF54 reference strain of Plasmodium falciparum. Thus, it is necessary to deploy gametocyte-producing clinical parasite isolates to fully understand the diversity of gene expression strategies that may occur during the sequestered development of parasite sexual stages. IMPORTANCE Maturing gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum are known to sequester away from peripheral circulation into the bone marrow until they are mature. Blocking gametocyte sequestration can prevent malaria transmission from humans to mosquitoes, but most studies aim to understand gametocyte development utilizing long-term adapted laboratory lines instead of clinical isolates. This is a particular issue for our understanding of the sexual stages, which are known to decrease rapidly during adaptation to long-term culture, meaning that many LS are unable to produce transmissible gametocytes. Using RNA-seq, we investigated the global transcriptome of mid-stage gametocytes derived from three clinical isolates and a reference strain (NF54). This identified important differences in gene expression profiles between immature gametocytes of CI and the NF54 reference strain of P. falciparum, suggesting increased investment in gametocytogenesis in clinical isolates. Our transcriptomic data highlight the use of clinical isolates in studying the morphological, cellular features and molecular biology of gametocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas A. Kengne-Ouafo
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Saikou Y. Bah
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Vaccine and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Banjul, Gambia
| | - Alison Kemp
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lindsay Stewart
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucas Amenga-Etego
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kirk W. Deitsch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Julian C. Rayner
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Billker
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fred N. Binka
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
| | - Colin J. Sutherland
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gordon A. Awandare
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Britta C. Urban
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Bismarck Dinko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
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Gräf R, Grafe M, Meyer I, Mitic K, Pitzen V. The Dictyostelium Centrosome. Cells 2021; 10:cells10102657. [PMID: 34685637 PMCID: PMC8534566 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The centrosome of Dictyostelium amoebae contains no centrioles and consists of a cylindrical layered core structure surrounded by a corona harboring microtubule-nucleating γ-tubulin complexes. It is the major centrosomal model beyond animals and yeasts. Proteomics, protein interaction studies by BioID and superresolution microscopy methods led to considerable progress in our understanding of the composition, structure and function of this centrosome type. We discuss all currently known components of the Dictyostelium centrosome in comparison to other centrosomes of animals and yeasts.
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An Integrative Computational Approach for the Prediction of Human- Plasmodium Protein-Protein Interactions. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2020:2082540. [PMID: 33426052 PMCID: PMC7771252 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2082540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Host-pathogen molecular cross-talks are critical in determining the pathophysiology of a specific infection. Most of these cross-talks are mediated via protein-protein interactions between the host and the pathogen (HP-PPI). Thus, it is essential to know how some pathogens interact with their hosts to understand the mechanism of infections. Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by an obligate intracellular parasite belonging to the Plasmodium genus, of which P. falciparum is the most prevalent. Several previous studies predicted human-plasmodium protein-protein interactions using computational methods have demonstrated their utility, accuracy, and efficiency to identify the interacting partners and therefore complementing experimental efforts to characterize host-pathogen interaction networks. To predict potential putative HP-PPIs, we use an integrative computational approach based on the combination of multiple OMICS-based methods including human red blood cells (RBC) and Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain expressed proteins, domain-domain based PPI, similarity of gene ontology terms, structure similarity method homology identification, and machine learning prediction. Our results reported a set of 716 protein interactions involving 302 human proteins and 130 Plasmodium proteins. This work provides a list of potential human-Plasmodium interacting proteins. These findings will contribute to better understand the mechanisms underlying the molecular determinism of malaria disease and potentially to identify candidate pharmacological targets.
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Liu R, Cheng WJ, Ye F, Zhang YD, Zhong QP, Dong HF, Tang HB, Jiang H. Comparative Transcriptome Analyses of Schistosoma japonicum Derived From SCID Mice and BALB/c Mice: Clues to the Abnormality in Parasite Growth and Development. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:274. [PMID: 32218772 PMCID: PMC7078119 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by the parasitic flatworms called schistosomes, remains one of the most prevailing parasitic diseases in the world. The prodigious oviposition of female worms after maturity is the main driver of pathology due to infection, yet our understanding about the regulation of development and reproduction of schistosomes is limited. Here, we comparatively profiled the transcriptome of Schistosoma japonicum recovered from SCID and BALB/c mice, which were collected 35 days post-infection, when prominent morphological abnormalities could be observed in schistosomes from SCID mice, by performing RNA-seq analysis. Of the 11,183 identified genes, 62 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with 39 upregulated and 23 downregulated messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were found in male worms from SCID mice (S_M) vs. male worms from BALB/c mice (B_M), and 240 DEGs with 152 upregulated and 88 downregulated mRNAs were found in female worms from SCID mice (S_F) vs. female worms from BALB/c mice (B_F). We also tested nine DEGs with a relatively higher expression abundance in the gonads of the worms (ovary, vitellaria, or testis), suggesting their potential biological significance in the development and reproduction of the parasites. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that GO terms such as “microtubule-based process,” “multicellular organismal development,” and “Rho protein signal transduction” were significantly enriched in the DEGs in S_F vs. B_F, whereas GO terms such as “oxidation–reduction process,” “response to stress,” and “response to DNA damage stimulus” were significantly enriched in the DEGs in S_M vs. B_M. These results revealed that the differential expression of some important genes might contribute to the morphological abnormalities of worms in SCID mice. Furthermore, we selected one DEG, the mitochondrial prohibitin complex protein 1 (Phb1), to perform double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) in vivo targeting the worms in BALB/c mice, and we found that it was essential for the growth and reproductive development of both male and female S. japonicum worms. Taken together, these results provided a wealth of information on the differential gene expression profiles of schistosomes from SCID mice when compared with those from BALB/c mice, which were potentially involved in regulating the growth and development of schistosomes. These findings contributed to an understanding of parasite biology and provided a rich resource for the exploitation of antischistosomal intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen-Jun Cheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Feng Ye
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yao-Dan Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qin-Ping Zhong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hui-Fen Dong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong-Bin Tang
- Laboratory Animal Center, School of Medicine, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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Zhang S. Screening and verification for proteins that interact with leucine aminopeptidase of Taenia pisiformis using a yeast two-hybrid system. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:3387-3398. [PMID: 31728719 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06510-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Leucine aminopeptidase of Taenia pisiformis (TpLAP) belonging to the M17 peptidase family has been implicated as a stage-differentially expressed protein in the adult stage of T. pisiformis. In order to further dissect the biological functions of TpLAP in the growth and development of adult worms, TpLAP-interacting partners were investigated. In this study, a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) cDNA library from adult T. pisiformis was constructed. Using pGBKT7-TpLAP as bait, proteins interacting with TpLAP were screened by Y2H system and positive preys were sequenced and analyzed using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). Our results showed that six genuine TpLAP-interacting proteins, including LAP, dynein light chain (DLC), SUMO-conjugating enzyme (UBC9), histone-lysine n-methyltransferase, trans-acting transcriptional, and one unknown protein, were identified via Y2H assay. Furthermore, the interaction between TpLAP and UBC9 of T. pisiformis (TpUBC9), an important protein involved in SUMOylation pathway, was further validated by one-to-one Y2H assay, co-immunoprecipitation, and confocal analysis. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the biological functions of TpLAP and offer the first clue that TpLAP may act as a novel SUMOylated substrate, suggesting that the SUMO modification pathway plays an important role in regulation of adult worm growth and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 1 Xujiaping, Yanchangbu, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China.
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Tellier G, Lenne A, Cailliau-Maggio K, Cabezas-Cruz A, Valdés JJ, Martoriati A, Aliouat EM, Gosset P, Delaire B, Fréville A, Pierrot C, Khalife J. Identification of Plasmodium falciparum Translation Initiation eIF2β Subunit: Direct Interaction with Protein Phosphatase Type 1. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:777. [PMID: 27303372 PMCID: PMC4881399 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1c) is one of the main phosphatases whose function is shaped by many regulators to confer a specific location and a selective function for this enzyme. Here, we report that eukaryotic initiation factor 2β of Plasmodium falciparum (PfeIF2β) is an interactor of PfPP1c. Sequence analysis of PfeIF2β revealed a deletion of 111 amino acids when compared to its human counterpart and the presence of two potential binding motifs to PfPP1 (29FGEKKK34, 103KVAW106). As expected, we showed that PfeIF2β binds PfeIF2γ and PfeIF5, confirming its canonical interaction with partners of the translation complex. Studies of the PfeIF2β-PfPP1 interaction using wild-type, single and double mutated versions of PfeIF2β revealed that both binding motifs are critical. We next showed that PfeIF2β is able to induce Germinal Vesicle Break Down (GVBD) when expressed in Xenopus oocytes, an indicator of its capacity to regulate PP1. Only combined mutations of both binding motifs abolished the interaction with PP1 and the induction of GVBD. In P. falciparum, although the locus is accessible for genetic manipulation, PfeIF2β seems to play an essential role in intraerythrocytic cycle as no viable knockout parasites were detectable. Interestingly, as for PfPP1, the subcellular fractionation of P. falciparum localized PfeIF2β in cytoplasm and nuclear extracts, suggesting a potential effect on PfPP1 in both compartments and raising the question of a non-canonical function of PfeIf2β in the nucleus. Hence, the role played by PfeIF2β in blood stage parasites could occur at multiple levels involving the binding to proteins of the translational complex and to PfPP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géraldine Tellier
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 8204 - Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille Lille, France
| | - Astrid Lenne
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 8204 - Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille Lille, France
| | - Katia Cailliau-Maggio
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 8576 - Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Université de Lille Lille, France
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 8204 - Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille Lille, France
| | - James J Valdés
- Institute of Parasitology, The Czech Academy of SciencesČeské Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Virology, Veterinary Research InstituteBrno, Czech Republic
| | - Alain Martoriati
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 8576 - Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, Université de Lille Lille, France
| | - El M Aliouat
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 8204 - Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille Lille, France
| | - Pierre Gosset
- Service d'Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, Groupe Hospitalier de l'Université Catholique de Lille Lille, France
| | - Baptiste Delaire
- Service d'Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, Groupe Hospitalier de l'Université Catholique de Lille Lille, France
| | - Aline Fréville
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 8204 - Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille Lille, France
| | - Christine Pierrot
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 8204 - Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille Lille, France
| | - Jamal Khalife
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 8204 - Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, Université de Lille Lille, France
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Talman AM, Prieto JH, Marques S, Ubaida-Mohien C, Lawniczak M, Wass MN, Xu T, Frank R, Ecker A, Stanway RS, Krishna S, Sternberg MJE, Christophides GK, Graham DR, Dinglasan RR, Yates JR, Sinden RE. Proteomic analysis of the Plasmodium male gamete reveals the key role for glycolysis in flagellar motility. Malar J 2014; 13:315. [PMID: 25124718 PMCID: PMC4150949 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-13-315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gametogenesis and fertilization play crucial roles in malaria transmission. While male gametes are thought to be amongst the simplest eukaryotic cells and are proven targets of transmission blocking immunity, little is known about their molecular organization. For example, the pathway of energy metabolism that power motility, a feature that facilitates gamete encounter and fertilization, is unknown. Methods Plasmodium berghei microgametes were purified and analysed by whole-cell proteomic analysis for the first time. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD001163. Results 615 proteins were recovered, they included all male gamete proteins described thus far. Amongst them were the 11 enzymes of the glycolytic pathway. The hexose transporter was localized to the gamete plasma membrane and it was shown that microgamete motility can be suppressed effectively by inhibitors of this transporter and of the glycolytic pathway. Conclusions This study describes the first whole-cell proteomic analysis of the malaria male gamete. It identifies glycolysis as the likely exclusive source of energy for flagellar beat, and provides new insights in original features of Plasmodium flagellar organization. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1475-2875-13-315) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur M Talman
- Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Imperial College, London, UK.
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Fréville A, Cailliau-Maggio K, Pierrot C, Tellier G, Kalamou H, Lafitte S, Martoriati A, Pierce RJ, Bodart JF, Khalife J. Plasmodium falciparum encodes a conserved active inhibitor-2 for Protein Phosphatase type 1: perspectives for novel anti-plasmodial therapy. BMC Biol 2013; 11:80. [PMID: 23837822 PMCID: PMC3735429 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-11-80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is clear that the coordinated and reciprocal actions of kinases and phosphatases are fundamental in the regulation of development and growth of the malaria parasite. Protein Phosphatase type 1 is a key enzyme playing diverse and essential roles in cell survival. Its dephosphorylation activity/specificity is governed by the interaction of its catalytic subunit (PP1c) with regulatory proteins. Among these, inhibitor-2 (I2) is one of the most evolutionarily ancient PP1 regulators. In vivo studies in various organisms revealed a defect in chromosome segregation and cell cycle progression when the function of I2 is blocked. Results In this report, we present evidence that Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most deadly form of malaria, expresses a structural homolog of mammalian I2, named PfI2. Biochemical, in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that PfI2 binds PP1 and inhibits its activity. We further showed that the motifs 12KTISW16 and 102HYNE105 are critical for PfI2 inhibitory activity. Functional studies using the Xenopus oocyte model revealed that PfI2 is able to overcome the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint by inducing germinal vesicle breakdown. Genetic manipulations in P. falciparum suggest an essential role of PfI2 as no viable mutants with a disrupted PfI2 gene were detectable. Additionally, peptides derived from PfI2 and competing with RVxF binding sites in PP1 exhibit anti-plasmodial activity against blood stage parasites in vitro. Conclusions Taken together, our data suggest that the PfI2 protein could play a role in the regulation of the P. falciparum cell cycle through its PfPP1 phosphatase regulatory activity. Structure-activity studies of this regulator led to the identification of peptides with anti-plasmodial activity against blood stage parasites in vitro suggesting that PP1c-regulator interactions could be a novel means to control malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Fréville
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Inserm U1019-CNRS UMR 8204, University of Lille Nord de France, Institut Pasteur de Lille, 1 Rue du Professeur Calmette, 59019 Lille, Cedex, France.
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Kono M, Herrmann S, Loughran NB, Cabrera A, Engelberg K, Lehmann C, Sinha D, Prinz B, Ruch U, Heussler V, Spielmann T, Parkinson J, Gilberger TW. Evolution and architecture of the inner membrane complex in asexual and sexual stages of the malaria parasite. Mol Biol Evol 2012; 29:2113-32. [PMID: 22389454 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/mss081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The inner membrane complex (IMC) is a unifying morphological feature of all alveolate organisms. It consists of flattened vesicles underlying the plasma membrane and is interconnected with the cytoskeleton. Depending on the ecological niche of the organisms, the function of the IMC ranges from a fundamental role as reinforcement system to more specialized roles in motility and cytokinesis. In this article, we present a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of IMC components, which exemplifies the adaptive nature of the IMCs' protein composition. Focusing on eight structurally distinct proteins in the most prominent "genus" of the Alveolata-the malaria parasite Plasmodium-we demonstrate that the level of conservation is reflected in phenotypic characteristics, accentuated in differential spatial-temporal patterns of these proteins in the motile stages of the parasite's life cycle. Colocalization studies with the centromere and the spindle apparatus reveal their discriminative biogenesis. We also reveal that the IMC is an essential structural compartment for the development of the sexual stages of Plasmodium, as it seems to drive the morphological changes of the parasite during the long and multistaged process of sexual differentiation. We further found a Plasmodium-specific IMC membrane matrix protein that highlights transversal structures in gametocytes, which could represent a genus-specific structural innovation required by Plasmodium. We conclude that the IMC has an additional role during sexual development supporting morphogenesis of the cell, which in addition to its functions in the asexual stages highlights the multifunctional nature of the IMC in the Plasmodium life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Kono
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
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Neospora caninum: comparative gene expression profiling of Neospora caninum wild type and a temperature sensitive clone. Exp Parasitol 2011; 129:346-54. [PMID: 21963790 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2011.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2010] [Revised: 09/13/2011] [Accepted: 09/16/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
To understand the genetic basis of virulence, gene expression profiles of a temperature-sensitive clone (NCts-8, relatively avirulent) and its wild type (NC-1) of Neospora caninum were characterized and compared using a high-density microarray with approximately 63,000 distinct oligonucleotides. This microarray consists of 5692 unique N. caninum sequences, including 1980 Tentative Consensus sequences and 3712 singleton ESTs from the TIGR N. caninum Gene Index (NCGI, release 5.0). Each sequence was represented by 11 distinct 60mer oligonucleotides synthesized in situ on the microarray. The results showed that 111 genes were significantly repressed and no up-regulated genes were identified in the NCts-8 clone. The level of 10 randomly selected genes from the repressed genes was confirmed using real-time RT-PCR. Of the 111 repressed genes, 58 were hypothetical protein products and 53 were annotated genes. Over 70% of the repressed genes identified in this study are clustered on five chromosomes (I, VII, VIII, X and XII). These results suggest that the down-regulated genes may be in part responsible for the reduced pathogenesis of NCts-8; further characterization of the regulated genes may aid in understanding of molecular basis of virulence and development of countermeasures against neosporosis.
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Deligianni E, Morgan RN, Bertuccini L, Kooij TWA, Laforge A, Nahar C, Poulakakis N, Schüler H, Louis C, Matuschewski K, Siden-Kiamos I. Critical role for a stage-specific actin in male exflagellation of the malaria parasite. Cell Microbiol 2011; 13:1714-30. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2011.01652.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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