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Nayeri T, Sarvi S, Daryani A. Effective factors in the pathogenesis of Toxoplasmagondii. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31558. [PMID: 38818168 PMCID: PMC11137575 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a cosmopolitan protozoan parasite in humans and animals. It infects about 30 % of the human population worldwide and causes potentially fatal diseases in immunocompromised hosts and neonates. For this study, five English-language databases (ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) and the internet search engine Google Scholar were searched. This review was accomplished to draw a global perspective of what is known about the pathogenesis of T. gondii and various factors affecting it. Virulence and immune responses can influence the mechanisms of parasite pathogenesis and these factors are in turn influenced by other factors. In addition to the host's genetic background, the type of Toxoplasma strain, the routes of transmission of infection, the number of passages, and different phases of parasite life affect virulence. The identification of virulence factors of the parasite could provide promising insights into the pathogenesis of this parasite. The results of this study can be an incentive to conduct more intensive research to design and develop new anti-Toxoplasma agents (drugs and vaccines) to treat or prevent this infection. In addition, further studies are needed to better understand the key agents in the pathogenesis of T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tooran Nayeri
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahabeddin Sarvi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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2
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Goswami D, Patel H, Betz W, Armstrong J, Camargo N, Patil A, Chakravarty S, Murphy SC, Sim BKL, Vaughan AM, Hoffman SL, Kappe SH. A replication competent Plasmodium falciparum parasite completely attenuated by dual gene deletion. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:723-754. [PMID: 38514791 PMCID: PMC11018819 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00057-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Vaccination with infectious Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoites (SPZ) administered with antimalarial drugs (PfSPZ-CVac), confers superior sterilizing protection against infection when compared to vaccination with replication-deficient, radiation-attenuated PfSPZ. However, the requirement for drug administration constitutes a major limitation for PfSPZ-CVac. To obviate this limitation, we generated late liver stage-arresting replication competent (LARC) parasites by deletion of the Mei2 and LINUP genes (mei2-/linup- or LARC2). We show that Plasmodium yoelii (Py) LARC2 sporozoites did not cause breakthrough blood stage infections and engendered durable sterilizing immunity against various infectious sporozoite challenges in diverse strains of mice. We next genetically engineered a PfLARC2 parasite strain that was devoid of extraneous DNA and produced cryopreserved PfSPZ-LARC2. PfSPZ-LARC2 liver stages replicated robustly in liver-humanized mice but displayed severe defects in late liver stage differentiation and did not form liver stage merozoites. This resulted in complete abrogation of parasite transition to viable blood stage infection. Therefore, PfSPZ-LARC2 is the next-generation vaccine strain expected to unite the safety profile of radiation-attenuated PfSPZ with the superior protective efficacy of PfSPZ-CVac.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debashree Goswami
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Hardik Patel
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - William Betz
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Janna Armstrong
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Nelly Camargo
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Asha Patil
- Sanaria Inc., 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | | | - Sean C Murphy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - B Kim Lee Sim
- Sanaria Inc., 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Ashley M Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Stefan Hi Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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3
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Murata Y, Nishi T, Kaneko I, Iwanaga S, Yuda M. Coordinated regulation of gene expression in Plasmodium female gametocytes by two transcription factors. eLife 2024; 12:RP88317. [PMID: 38252559 PMCID: PMC10945693 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88317] [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] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Gametocytes play key roles in the Plasmodium lifecycle. They are essential for sexual reproduction as precursors of the gametes. They also play an essential role in parasite transmission to mosquitoes. Elucidation of the gene regulation at this stage is essential for understanding these two processes at the molecular level and for developing new strategies to break the parasite lifecycle. We identified a novel Plasmodium transcription factor (TF), designated as a partner of AP2-FG or PFG. In this article, we report that this TF regulates the gene expression in female gametocytes in concert with another female-specific TF AP2-FG. Upon the disruption of PFG, majority of female-specific genes were significantly downregulated, and female gametocyte lost the ability to produce ookinetes. ChIP-seq analysis showed that it was located in the same position as AP2-FG, indicating that these two TFs form a complex. ChIP-seq analysis of PFG in AP2-FG-disrupted parasites and ChIP-seq analysis of AP2-FG in PFG-disrupted parasites demonstrated that PFG mediates the binding of AP2-FG to a ten-base motif and that AP2-FG binds another motif, GCTCA, in the absence of PFG. In promoter assays, this five-base motif was identified as another female-specific cis-acting element. Genes under the control of the two forms of AP2-FG, with or without PFG, partly overlapped; however, each form had target preferences. These results suggested that combinations of these two forms generate various expression patterns among the extensive genes expressed in female gametocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuho Murata
- Department of Medical Zoology, Mie University School of MedicineTsu CityJapan
| | - Tsubasa Nishi
- Department of Medical Zoology, Mie University School of MedicineTsu CityJapan
| | - Izumi Kaneko
- Department of Medical Zoology, Mie University School of MedicineTsu CityJapan
| | - Shiroh Iwanaga
- Department of Molecular Protozoology, Research Center for Infectious Disease ControlOsakaJapan
| | - Masao Yuda
- Department of Medical Zoology, Mie University School of MedicineTsu CityJapan
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4
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Agrawal P, Kumari S, Mohmmed A, Malhotra P, Sharma U, Sahal D. Identification of Novel, Potent, and Selective Compounds against Malaria Using Glideosomal-Associated Protein 50 as a Drug Target. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:38506-38523. [PMID: 37867646 PMCID: PMC10586260 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Phylum apicomplexan consists of parasites, such as Plasmodium and Toxoplasma. These obligate intracellular parasites enter host cells via an energy-dependent process using specialized machinery, called the glideosome. In the present study, we used Plasmodium falciparum GAP50, a glideosome-associated protein, as a target to screen 951 different compounds from diverse chemical libraries. Using different screening methods, eight compounds (Hayatinine, Curine, MMV689758 (Bedaquiline), MMV1634402 (Brilacidin), and MMV688271, MMV782353, MMV642550, and USINB4-124-8) were identified, which showed promising binding affinity (KD < 75 μM), along with submicromolar range antiparasitic efficacy and selectivity index > 100 fold for malaria parasite. These eight compounds were effective against Chloroquine-resistant PfINDO and Artemisinin-resistant PfCam3.1R359T strains. Studies on the effect of these compounds at asexual blood stages showed that these eight compounds act differently at different developmental stages, indicating the binding of these compounds to other Plasmodium proteins, in addition to PfGAP50. We further studied the effects of compounds (Bedaquiline and USINB4-124-8) in an in vivoPlasmodium berghei mouse model of malaria. Importantly, the oral delivery of Bedaquiline (50 mg/kg b. wt.) showed substantial suppression of parasitemia, and three out of seven mice were cured of the infection. Thus, our study provides new scaffolds for the development of antimalarials that can act at multiple Plasmodium lifecycle stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakhar Agrawal
- International
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Surekha Kumari
- Chemical
Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan
Bioresource Technology, Palampur 176061, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Asif Mohmmed
- International
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Pawan Malhotra
- International
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Upendra Sharma
- Chemical
Technology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan
Bioresource Technology, Palampur 176061, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh 201002, India
| | - Dinkar Sahal
- International
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
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Kundu P, Naskar D, McKie SJ, Dass S, Kanjee U, Introini V, Ferreira MU, Cicuta P, Duraisingh M, Deane JE, Rayner JC. The structure of a Plasmodium vivax Tryptophan Rich Antigen domain suggests a lipid binding function for a pan-Plasmodium multi-gene family. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5703. [PMID: 37709739 PMCID: PMC10502043 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40885-8] [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: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tryptophan Rich Antigens (TRAgs) are encoded by a multi-gene family found in all Plasmodium species, but are significantly expanded in P. vivax and closely related parasites. We show that multiple P. vivax TRAgs are expressed on the merozoite surface and that one, PVP01_0000100 binds red blood cells with a strong preference for reticulocytes. Using X-ray crystallography, we solved the structure of the PVP01_0000100 C-terminal tryptophan rich domain, which defines the TRAg family, revealing a three-helical bundle that is conserved across Plasmodium and has structural homology with lipid-binding BAR domains involved in membrane remodelling. Biochemical assays confirm that the PVP01_0000100 C-terminal domain has lipid binding activity with preference for sulfatide, a glycosphingolipid present in the outer leaflet of plasma membranes. Deletion of the putative orthologue in P. knowlesi, PKNH_1300500, impacts invasion in reticulocytes, suggesting a role during this essential process. Together, this work defines an emerging molecular function for the Plasmodium TRAg family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prasun Kundu
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Deboki Naskar
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Shannon J McKie
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sheena Dass
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Usheer Kanjee
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Viola Introini
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marcelo U Ferreira
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, LA-REAL, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Manoj Duraisingh
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Janet E Deane
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Julian C Rayner
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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6
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Martinez M, Mageswaran SK, Guérin A, Chen WD, Thompson CP, Chavin S, Soldati-Favre D, Striepen B, Chang YW. Origin and arrangement of actin filaments for gliding motility in apicomplexan parasites revealed by cryo-electron tomography. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4800. [PMID: 37558667 PMCID: PMC10412601 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40520-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The phylum Apicomplexa comprises important eukaryotic parasites that invade host tissues and cells using a unique mechanism of gliding motility. Gliding is powered by actomyosin motors that translocate host-attached surface adhesins along the parasite cell body. Actin filaments (F-actin) generated by Formin1 play a central role in this critical parasitic activity. However, their subcellular origin, path and ultrastructural arrangement are poorly understood. Here we used cryo-electron tomography to image motile Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoites and reveal the cellular architecture of F-actin at nanometer-scale resolution. We demonstrate that F-actin nucleates at the apically positioned preconoidal rings and is channeled into the pellicular space between the parasite plasma membrane and the inner membrane complex in a conoid extrusion-dependent manner. Within the pellicular space, filaments on the inner membrane complex surface appear to guide the apico-basal flux of F-actin. F-actin concordantly accumulates at the basal end of the parasite. Finally, analyzing a Formin1-depleted Toxoplasma gondii mutant pinpoints the upper preconoidal ring as the conserved nucleation hub for F-actin in Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma. Together, we provide an ultrastructural model for the life cycle of F-actin for apicomplexan gliding motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Martinez
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Shrawan Kumar Mageswaran
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Institute of Structural Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amandine Guérin
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - William David Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Cameron Parker Thompson
- Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sabine Chavin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yi-Wei Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Institute of Structural Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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7
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He L, Qiu Y, Pang G, Li S, Wang J, Feng Y, Chen L, Zhu L, Liu Y, Cui L, Cao Y, Zhu X. Plasmodium falciparum GAP40 Plays an Essential Role in Merozoite Invasion and Gametocytogenesis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0143423. [PMID: 37249423 PMCID: PMC10269477 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01434-23] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic invasion of red blood cells (RBCs) by Plasmodium merozoites is associated with the symptoms and pathology of malaria. Merozoite invasion is powered actively and rapidly by a parasite actomyosin motor called the glideosome. The ability of the glideosome to generate force to support merozoite entry into the host RBCs is thought to rely on its stable anchoring within the inner membrane complex (IMC) through membrane-resident proteins, such as GAP50 and GAP40. Using a conditional knockdown (KD) approach, we determined that PfGAP40 was required for asexual blood-stage replication. PfGAP40 is not needed for merozoite egress from host RBCs or for the attachment of merozoites to new RBCs. PfGAP40 coprecipitates with PfGAP45 and PfGAP50. During merozoite invasion, PfGAP40 is associated strongly with stabilizing the expression levels of PfGAP45 and PfGAP50 in the schizont stage. Although PfGAP40 KD did not influence IMC integrity, it impaired the maturation of gametocytes. In addition, PfGAP40 is phosphorylated, and mutations that block phosphorylation of PfGAP40 at the C-terminal serine residues S370, S372, S376, S405, S409, S420, and S445 reduced merozoite invasion efficiency. Overall, our findings implicate PfGAP40 as an important regulator for the gliding activity of merozoites and suggest that phosphorylation is required for PfGAP40 function. IMPORTANCE Red blood cell invasion is central to the pathogenesis of the malaria parasite, and the parasite proteins involved in this process are potential therapeutic targets. Gliding motility powers merozoite invasion and is driven by a unique molecular motor termed the glideosome. The glideosome is stably anchored to the parasite inner membrane complex (IMC) through membrane-resident proteins. In the present study, we demonstrate the importance of an IMC-resident glideosome component, PfGAP40, that plays a critical role in stabilizing the expression levels of glideosome components in the schizont stage. We determined that phosphorylation of PfGAP40 at C-terminal residues is required for efficient merozoite invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu He
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yue Qiu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Department of Cardiovascular Ultrasound, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Geping Pang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Siqi Li
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jingjing Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yonghui Feng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Lumeng Chen
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Liying Zhu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yinjie Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Liwang Cui
- College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xiaotong Zhu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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8
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Analysis of Plasmodium falciparum myosin B ATPase activity and structure in complex with the calmodulin-like domain of its light chain MLC-B. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102634. [PMID: 36273584 PMCID: PMC9692044 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Myosin B (MyoB) is a class 14 myosin expressed in all invasive stages of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. It is not associated with the glideosome complex that drives motility and invasion of host cells. During red blood cell invasion, MyoB remains at the apical tip of the merozoite but is no longer observed once invasion is completed. MyoB is not essential for parasite survival, but when it is knocked out, merozoites are delayed in the initial stages of red blood cell invasion, giving rise to a growth defect that correlates with reduced invasion success. Therefore, further characterization is needed to understand how MyoB contributes to parasite invasion. Here, we have expressed and purified functional MyoB with the help of parasite-specific chaperones Hsp90 and Unc45, characterized its binding to actin and its known light chain MLC-B using biochemical and biophysical methods and determined its low-resolution structure in solution using small angle X-ray scattering. In addition to MLC-B, we found that four other putative regulatory light chains bind to the MyoB IQ2 motif in vitro. The purified recombinant MyoB adopted the overall shape of a myosin, exhibited actin-activated ATPase activity, and moved actin filaments in vitro. Additionally, we determined that the ADP release rate was faster than the ATP turnover number, and thus, does not appear to be rate limiting. This, together with the observed high affinity to actin and the specific localization of MyoB, may point toward a role in tethering and/or force sensing during early stages of invasion.
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Anam Z, Kumari G, Mukherjee S, Rex DAB, Biswas S, Maurya P, Ravikumar S, Gupta N, Kushawaha AK, Sah RK, Chaurasiya A, Singhal J, Singh N, Kaushik S, Prasad TSK, Pati S, Ranganathan A, Singh S. Complementary crosstalk between palmitoylation and phosphorylation events in MTIP regulates its role during Plasmodium falciparum invasion. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:924424. [PMID: 36250062 PMCID: PMC9556994 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.924424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) including phosphorylation and palmitoylation have emerged as crucial biomolecular events that govern many cellular processes including functioning of motility- and invasion-associated proteins during Plasmodium falciparum invasion. However, no study has ever focused on understanding the possibility of a crosstalk between these two molecular events and its direct impact on preinvasion- and invasion-associated protein–protein interaction (PPI) network-based molecular machinery. Here, we used an integrated in silico analysis to enrich two different catalogues of proteins: (i) the first group defines the cumulative pool of phosphorylated and palmitoylated proteins, and (ii) the second group represents a common set of proteins predicted to have both phosphorylation and palmitoylation. Subsequent PPI analysis identified an important protein cluster comprising myosin A tail interacting protein (MTIP) as one of the hub proteins of the glideosome motor complex in P. falciparum, predicted to have dual modification with the possibility of a crosstalk between the same. Our findings suggested that blocking palmitoylation led to reduced phosphorylation and blocking phosphorylation led to abrogated palmitoylation of MTIP. As a result of the crosstalk between these biomolecular events, MTIP’s interaction with myosin A was found to be abrogated. Next, the crosstalk between phosphorylation and palmitoylation was confirmed at a global proteome level by click chemistry and the phenotypic effect of this crosstalk was observed via synergistic inhibition in P. falciparum invasion using checkerboard assay and isobologram method. Overall, our findings revealed, for the first time, an interdependence between two PTM types, their possible crosstalk, and its direct impact on MTIP-mediated invasion via glideosome assembly protein myosin A in P. falciparum. These insights can be exploited for futuristic drug discovery platforms targeting parasite molecular machinery for developing novel antimalarial therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zille Anam
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Geeta Kumari
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Soumyadeep Mukherjee
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Shreeja Biswas
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Preeti Maurya
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Susendaran Ravikumar
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nutan Gupta
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Raj Kumar Sah
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Ayushi Chaurasiya
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Jhalak Singhal
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Niharika Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Shikha Kaushik
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - T. S. Keshava Prasad
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore, India
| | - Soumya Pati
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
- *Correspondence: Shailja Singh, ; Anand Ranganathan, ; Soumya Pati,
| | - Anand Ranganathan
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Shailja Singh, ; Anand Ranganathan, ; Soumya Pati,
| | - Shailja Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Shailja Singh, ; Anand Ranganathan, ; Soumya Pati,
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10
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Boisard J, Duvernois-Berthet E, Duval L, Schrével J, Guillou L, Labat A, Le Panse S, Prensier G, Ponger L, Florent I. Marine gregarine genomes reveal the breadth of apicomplexan diversity with a partially conserved glideosome machinery. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:485. [PMID: 35780080 PMCID: PMC9250747 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08700-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Our current view of the evolutionary history, coding and adaptive capacities of Apicomplexa, protozoan parasites of a wide range of metazoan, is currently strongly biased toward species infecting humans, as data on early diverging apicomplexan lineages infecting invertebrates is extremely limited. Here, we characterized the genome of the marine eugregarine Porospora gigantea, intestinal parasite of Lobsters, remarkable for the macroscopic size of its vegetative feeding forms (trophozoites) and its gliding speed, the fastest so far recorded for Apicomplexa. Two highly syntenic genomes named A and B were assembled. Similar in size (~ 9 Mb) and coding capacity (~ 5300 genes), A and B genomes are 10.8% divergent at the nucleotide level, corresponding to 16-38 My in divergent time. Orthogroup analysis across 25 (proto)Apicomplexa species, including Gregarina niphandrodes, showed that A and B are highly divergent from all other known apicomplexan species, revealing an unexpected breadth of diversity. Phylogenetically these two species branch sisters to Cephaloidophoroidea, and thus expand the known crustacean gregarine superfamily. The genomes were mined for genes encoding proteins necessary for gliding, a key feature of apicomplexans parasites, currently studied through the molecular model called glideosome. Sequence analysis shows that actin-related proteins and regulatory factors are strongly conserved within apicomplexans. In contrast, the predicted protein sequences of core glideosome proteins and adhesion proteins are highly variable among apicomplexan lineages, especially in gregarines. These results confirm the importance of studying gregarines to widen our biological and evolutionary view of apicomplexan species diversity, and to deepen our understanding of the molecular bases of key functions such as gliding, well known to allow access to the intracellular parasitic lifestyle in Apicomplexa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Boisard
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France. .,Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Structure et instabilité des génomes (STRING UMR 7196 CNRS/INSERM U1154), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, INSERM, CP 26, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France. .,Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Evelyne Duvernois-Berthet
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation (PhyMA UMR 7221 CNRS), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, CP 32, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Linda Duval
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Joseph Schrével
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Laure Guillou
- CNRS, UMR7144 Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Ecology of Marine Plankton (ECOMAP), Station Biologique de Roscoff SBR, Sorbonne Université, 29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Amandine Labat
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Le Panse
- Plateforme d'Imagerie Merimage, FR2424, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Station Biologique de Roscoff, 29680, Roscoff, France
| | - Gérard Prensier
- Cell biology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory, François Rabelais University, 10 Boulevard Tonnellé, 3223 Cedex, Tours, BP, France
| | - Loïc Ponger
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Structure et instabilité des génomes (STRING UMR 7196 CNRS/INSERM U1154), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, INSERM, CP 26, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France.
| | - Isabelle Florent
- Département Adaptations du Vivant (AVIV), Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Microorganismes (MCAM, UMR 7245 CNRS), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, 75231 Cedex 05, Paris, France.
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11
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Qian P, Wang X, Zhong CQ, Wang J, Cai M, Nguitragool W, Li J, Cui H, Yuan J. Inner membrane complex proteomics reveals a palmitoylation regulation critical for intraerythrocytic development of malaria parasite. eLife 2022; 11:77447. [PMID: 35775739 PMCID: PMC9293000 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is caused by infection of the erythrocytes by the parasites Plasmodium. Inside the erythrocytes, the parasites multiply via schizogony, an unconventional cell division mode. The inner membrane complex (IMC), an organelle located beneath the parasite plasma membrane, serving as the platform for protein anchorage, is essential for schizogony. So far, the complete repertoire of IMC proteins and their localization determinants remain unclear. Here we used biotin ligase (TurboID)-based proximity labeling to compile the proteome of the schizont IMC of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii. In total, 300 TurboID-interacting proteins were identified. 18 of 21 selected candidates were confirmed to localize in the IMC, indicating good reliability. In light of the existing palmitome of Plasmodium falciparum, 83 proteins of the P. yoelii IMC proteome are potentially palmitoylated. We further identified DHHC2 as the major resident palmitoyl-acyl-transferase of the IMC. Depletion of DHHC2 led to defective schizont segmentation and growth arrest both in vitro and in vivo. DHHC2 was found to palmitoylate two critical IMC proteins CDPK1 and GAP45 for their IMC localization. In summary, this study reports an inventory of new IMC proteins and demonstrates a central role of DHHC2 in governing the IMC localization of proteins during the schizont development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengge Qian
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chuan-Qi Zhong
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jiaxu Wang
- Xiamen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xiamen, China
| | - Mengya Cai
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jian Li
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huiting Cui
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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12
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Elaagip A, Absalon S, Florentin A. Apicoplast Dynamics During Plasmodium Cell Cycle. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:864819. [PMID: 35573785 PMCID: PMC9100674 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.864819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The deadly malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, contains a unique subcellular organelle termed the apicoplast, which is a clinically-proven antimalarial drug target. The apicoplast is a plastid with essential metabolic functions that evolved via secondary endosymbiosis. As an ancient endosymbiont, the apicoplast retained its own genome and it must be inherited by daughter cells during cell division. During the asexual replication of P. falciparum inside human red blood cells, both the parasite, and the apicoplast inside it, undergo massive morphological changes, including DNA replication and division. The apicoplast is an integral part of the cell and thus its development is tightly synchronized with the cell cycle. At the same time, certain aspects of its dynamics are independent of nuclear division, representing a degree of autonomy in organelle biogenesis. Here, we review the different aspects of organelle dynamics during P. falciparum intraerythrocytic replication, summarize our current understanding of these processes, and describe the many open questions in this area of parasite basic cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arwa Elaagip
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- *Correspondence: Sabrina Absalon, ; Anat Florentin,
| | - Anat Florentin
- The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- *Correspondence: Sabrina Absalon, ; Anat Florentin,
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13
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Singh D, Patri S, Narahari V, Segireddy RR, Dey S, Saurabh A, Macha V, Prabhu NP, Srivastava A, Kolli SK, Kota AK. A Conserved Plasmodium Structural Integrity Maintenance Protein (SIMP) is associated with sporozoite membrane and is essential for maintaining shape and infectivity. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:1324-1339. [PMID: 35301756 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium sporozoites are extracellular forms introduced during mosquito bite that selectively invade mammalian hepatocytes. Sporozoites are delimited by a cell membrane that is linked to the underlying acto-myosin molecular motor. While membrane proteins with roles in motility and invasion have been well studied, very little is known about proteins that maintain the sporozoite shape. We demonstrate that in Plasmodium berghei (Pb) a conserved hypothetical gene, PBANKA_1422900 specifies sporozoite structural integrity maintenance protein (SIMP) required for maintaining the sporozoite shape and motility. Sporozoites lacking SIMP exhibited loss of regular shape, extensive membrane blebbing at multiple foci and membrane detachment. The mutant sporozoites failed to infect hepatocytes, though the altered shape did not affect the organisation of cytoskeleton or inner membrane complex (IMC). Interestingly, the components of IMC failed to extend under the membrane blebs likely suggesting that SIMP may assist in anchoring the membrane to IMC. Endogenous C-terminal HA tagging localized SIMP to membrane and revealed the C-terminus of the protein to be extracellular. Since SIMP is highly conserved amongst Plasmodium species, these findings have important implications for utilising it as a novel sporozoite specific vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipti Singh
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Smita Patri
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Veeda Narahari
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Rameswara R Segireddy
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Sandeep Dey
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Archi Saurabh
- Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Vijay Macha
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500032, India
| | - N Prakash Prabhu
- Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Anand Srivastava
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500032, India
| | - Surendra Kumar Kolli
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Arun Kumar Kota
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
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14
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Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum, the Apicomplexan parasite that causes the most severe form of human malaria, divides via schizogony during the asexual blood stage of its life cycle. In this method of cell division, multiple daughter cells are generated from a single schizont by segmentation. During segmentation, the basal complex forms at the basal end of the nascent daughter parasites and likely facilitates cell shape and cytokinesis. The requirement and function for each of the individual protein components within the basal complex remain largely unknown in P. falciparum. In this work, we demonstrate that the P. falciparum membrane occupation and recognition nexus repeat-containing protein 1 (PfMORN1) is not required for asexual replication. Following inducible knockout of PfMORN1, we find no detectable defect in asexual parasite morphology or replicative fitness. IMPORTANCEPlasmodium falciparum parasites cause the most severe form of human malaria. During the clinically relevant blood stage of its life cycle, the parasites divide via schizogony. In this divergent method of cell division, the components for multiple daughter cells are generated within a common cytoplasm. At the end of schizogony, segmentation partitions the organelles into invasive daughter parasites. The basal complex is a ring-shaped molecular machine that is critical for segmentation. The requirement for individual proteins within the basal complex is incompletely understood. We demonstrate that the PfMORN1 protein is dispensable for blood stage replication of P. falciparum. This result highlights important differences between Plasmodium parasites and Toxoplasma gondii, where the ortholog T. gondii MORN1 (TgMORN1) is required for asexual replication.
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15
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Steel RWJ, Vigdorovich V, Dambrauskas N, Wilder BK, Arredondo SA, Goswami D, Kumar S, Carbonetti S, Swearingen KE, Nguyen T, Betz W, Camargo N, Fisher BS, Soden J, Thomas H, Freeth J, Moritz RL, Noah Sather D, Kappe SHI. Platelet derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ) is a host receptor for the human malaria parasite adhesin TRAP. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11328. [PMID: 34059712 PMCID: PMC8166973 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90722-5] [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: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Following their inoculation by the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito, the malaria parasite sporozoite forms travel from the bite site in the skin into the bloodstream, which transports them to the liver. The thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) is a type 1 transmembrane protein that is released from secretory organelles and relocalized on the sporozoite plasma membrane. TRAP is required for sporozoite motility and host infection, and its extracellular portion contains adhesive domains that are predicted to engage host receptors. Here, we identified the human platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (hPDGFRβ) as one such protein receptor. Deletion constructs showed that the von Willebrand factor type A and thrombospondin repeat domains of TRAP are both required for optimal binding to hPDGFRβ-expressing cells. We also demonstrate that this interaction is conserved in the human-infective parasite Plasmodium vivax, but not the rodent-infective parasite Plasmodium yoelii. We observed expression of hPDGFRβ mainly in cells associated with the vasculature suggesting that TRAP:hPDGFRβ interaction may play a role in the recognition of blood vessels by invading sporozoites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan W J Steel
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Infectious Diseases and Immune Defence Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | | | | | - Brandon K Wilder
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | | | | | - Sudhir Kumar
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Thao Nguyen
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Will Betz
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nelly Camargo
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Jo Soden
- Retrogenix Ltd, Chinley, High Peak, SK23 6FJ, UK
| | - Helen Thomas
- Retrogenix Ltd, Chinley, High Peak, SK23 6FJ, UK
| | - Jim Freeth
- Retrogenix Ltd, Chinley, High Peak, SK23 6FJ, UK
| | | | - D Noah Sather
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Stefan H I Kappe
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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16
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Blocking Palmitoylation of Toxoplasma gondii Myosin Light Chain 1 Disrupts Glideosome Composition but Has Little Impact on Parasite Motility. mSphere 2021; 6:6/3/e00823-20. [PMID: 34011689 PMCID: PMC8265671 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00823-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread apicomplexan parasite that causes severe disease in immunocompromised individuals and the developing fetus. Like other apicomplexans, T. gondii uses an unusual form of substrate-dependent gliding motility to invade cells of its hosts and to disseminate throughout the body during infection. It is well established that a myosin motor consisting of a class XIVa heavy chain (TgMyoA) and two light chains (TgMLC1 and TgELC1/2) plays an important role in parasite motility. The ability of the motor to generate force at the parasite periphery is thought to be reliant upon its anchoring and immobilization within a peripheral membrane-bound compartment, the inner membrane complex (IMC). The motor does not insert into the IMC directly; rather, this interaction is believed to be mediated by the binding of TgMLC1 to the IMC-anchored protein, TgGAP45. Therefore, the binding of TgMLC1 to TgGAP45 is considered a key element in the force transduction machinery of the parasite. TgMLC1 is palmitoylated, and we show here that palmitoylation occurs on two N-terminal cysteine residues, C8 and C11. Mutations that block TgMLC1 palmitoylation completely abrogate the binding of TgMLC1 to TgGAP45. Surprisingly, the loss of TgMLC1 binding to TgGAP45 in these mutant parasites has little effect on their ability to initiate or sustain movement. These results question a key tenet of the current model of apicomplexan motility and suggest that our understanding of gliding motility in this important group of human and animal pathogens is not yet complete. IMPORTANCE Gliding motility plays a central role in the life cycle of T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites. The myosin motor thought to power motility is essential for virulence but distinctly different from the myosins found in humans. Consequently, an understanding of the mechanism(s) underlying parasite motility and the role played by this unusual myosin may reveal points of vulnerability that can be targeted for disease prevention or treatment. We show here that mutations that uncouple the motor from what is thought to be a key structural component of the motility machinery have little impact on parasite motility. This finding runs counter to predictions of the current, widely held “linear motor” model of motility, highlighting the need for further studies to fully understand how apicomplexan parasites generate the forces necessary to move into, out of, and between cells of the hosts they infect.
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17
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Morano AA, Dvorin JD. The Ringleaders: Understanding the Apicomplexan Basal Complex Through Comparison to Established Contractile Ring Systems. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:656976. [PMID: 33954122 PMCID: PMC8089483 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.656976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The actomyosin contractile ring is a key feature of eukaryotic cytokinesis, conserved across many eukaryotic kingdoms. Recent research into the cell biology of the divergent eukaryotic clade Apicomplexa has revealed a contractile ring structure required for asexual division in the medically relevant genera Toxoplasma and Plasmodium; however, the structure of the contractile ring, known as the basal complex in these parasites, remains poorly characterized and in the absence of a myosin II homolog, it is unclear how the force required of a cytokinetic contractile ring is generated. Here, we review the literature on the basal complex in Apicomplexans, summarizing what is known about its formation and function, and attempt to provide possible answers to this question and suggest new avenues of study by comparing the Apicomplexan basal complex to well-studied, established cytokinetic contractile rings and their mechanisms in organisms such as S. cerevisiae and D. melanogaster. We also compare the basal complex to structures formed during mitochondrial and plastid division and cytokinetic mechanisms of organisms beyond the Opisthokonts, considering Apicomplexan diversity and divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander A Morano
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jeffrey D Dvorin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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18
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Ferreira JL, Heincke D, Wichers JS, Liffner B, Wilson DW, Gilberger TW. The Dynamic Roles of the Inner Membrane Complex in the Multiple Stages of the Malaria Parasite. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 10:611801. [PMID: 33489940 PMCID: PMC7820811 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.611801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites, such as human malaria parasites, have complex lifecycles encompassing multiple and diverse environmental niches. Invading, replicating, and escaping from different cell types, along with exploiting each intracellular niche, necessitate large and dynamic changes in parasite morphology and cellular architecture. The inner membrane complex (IMC) is a unique structural element that is intricately involved with these distinct morphological changes. The IMC is a double membrane organelle that forms de novo and is located beneath the plasma membrane of these single-celled organisms. In Plasmodium spp. parasites it has three major purposes: it confers stability and shape to the cell, functions as an important scaffolding compartment during the formation of daughter cells, and plays a major role in motility and invasion. Recent years have revealed greater insights into the architecture, protein composition and function of the IMC. Here, we discuss the multiple roles of the IMC in each parasite lifecycle stage as well as insights into its sub-compartmentalization, biogenesis, disassembly and regulation during stage conversion of P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie Liane Ferreira
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Heinrich Pette Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dorothee Heincke
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Stephan Wichers
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Liffner
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Danny W. Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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19
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Blake TCA, Haase S, Baum J. Actomyosin forces and the energetics of red blood cell invasion by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1009007. [PMID: 33104759 PMCID: PMC7644091 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
All symptoms of malaria disease are associated with the asexual blood stages of development, involving cycles of red blood cell (RBC) invasion and egress by the Plasmodium spp. merozoite. Merozoite invasion is rapid and is actively powered by a parasite actomyosin motor. The current accepted model for actomyosin force generation envisages arrays of parasite myosins, pushing against short actin filaments connected to the external milieu that drive the merozoite forwards into the RBC. In Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent human malaria species, Myosin A (PfMyoA) is critical for parasite replication. However, the precise function of PfMyoA in invasion, its regulation, the role of other myosins and overall energetics of invasion remain unclear. Here, we developed a conditional mutagenesis strategy combined with live video microscopy to probe PfMyoA function and that of the auxiliary motor PfMyoB in invasion. By imaging conditional mutants with increasing defects in force production, based on disruption to a key PfMyoA phospho-regulation site, the absence of the PfMyoA essential light chain, or complete motor absence, we define three distinct stages of incomplete RBC invasion. These three defects reveal three energetic barriers to successful entry: RBC deformation (pre-entry), mid-invasion initiation, and completion of internalisation, each requiring an active parasite motor. In defining distinct energetic barriers to invasion, these data illuminate the mechanical challenges faced in this remarkable process of protozoan parasitism, highlighting distinct myosin functions and identifying potential targets for preventing malaria pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C. A. Blake
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Haase
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, United Kingdom
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20
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Anam ZE, Joshi N, Gupta S, Yadav P, Chaurasiya A, Kahlon AK, Kaushik S, Munde M, Ranganathan A, Singh S. A De novo Peptide from a High Throughput Peptide Library Blocks Myosin A -MTIP Complex Formation in Plasmodium falciparum. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176158. [PMID: 32859024 PMCID: PMC7503848 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites, through their motor machinery, produce the required propulsive force critical for host cell-entry. The conserved components of this so-called glideosome machinery are myosin A and myosin A Tail Interacting Protein (MTIP). MTIP tethers myosin A to the inner membrane complex of the parasite through 20 amino acid-long C-terminal end of myosin A that makes direct contacts with MTIP, allowing the invasion of Plasmodium falciparum in erythrocytes. Here, we discovered through screening a peptide library, a de-novo peptide ZA1 that binds the myosin A tail domain. We demonstrated that ZA1 bound strongly to myosin A tail and was able to disrupt the native myosin A tail MTIP complex both in vitro and in vivo. We then showed that a shortened peptide derived from ZA1, named ZA1S, was able to bind myosin A and block parasite invasion. Overall, our study identified a novel anti-malarial peptide that could be used in combination with other antimalarials for blocking the invasion of Plasmodium falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zill e Anam
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (Z.e.A.); (P.Y.); (A.C.); (A.K.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Nishant Joshi
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201304, India;
| | - Sakshi Gupta
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (S.G.); (M.M.)
| | - Preeti Yadav
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (Z.e.A.); (P.Y.); (A.C.); (A.K.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Ayushi Chaurasiya
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (Z.e.A.); (P.Y.); (A.C.); (A.K.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Amandeep Kaur Kahlon
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (Z.e.A.); (P.Y.); (A.C.); (A.K.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Shikha Kaushik
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (Z.e.A.); (P.Y.); (A.C.); (A.K.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Manoj Munde
- School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (S.G.); (M.M.)
| | - Anand Ranganathan
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (Z.e.A.); (P.Y.); (A.C.); (A.K.K.); (S.K.)
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (S.S.)
| | - Shailja Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India; (Z.e.A.); (P.Y.); (A.C.); (A.K.K.); (S.K.)
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (S.S.)
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21
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Moreau CA, Quadt KA, Piirainen H, Kumar H, Bhargav SP, Strauss L, Tolia NH, Wade RC, Spatz JP, Kursula I, Frischknecht F. A function of profilin in force generation during malaria parasite motility that is independent of actin binding. J Cell Sci 2020; 134:jcs233775. [PMID: 32034083 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.233775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
During transmission of malaria-causing parasites from mosquito to mammal, Plasmodium sporozoites migrate at high speed within the skin to access the bloodstream and infect the liver. This unusual gliding motility is based on retrograde flow of membrane proteins and highly dynamic actin filaments that provide short tracks for a myosin motor. Using laser tweezers and parasite mutants, we previously suggested that actin filaments form macromolecular complexes with plasma membrane-spanning adhesins to generate force during migration. Mutations in the actin-binding region of profilin, a near ubiquitous actin-binding protein, revealed that loss of actin binding also correlates with loss of force production and motility. Here, we show that different mutations in profilin, that do not affect actin binding in vitro, still generate lower force during Plasmodium sporozoite migration. Lower force generation inversely correlates with increased retrograde flow suggesting that, like in mammalian cells, the slow down of flow to generate force is the key underlying principle governing Plasmodium gliding motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Moreau
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katharina A Quadt
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Heidelberg University, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henni Piirainen
- Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Hirdesh Kumar
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance and Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Saligram P Bhargav
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Léanne Strauss
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niraj H Tolia
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Rebecca C Wade
- Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance and Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joachim P Spatz
- Department of Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research and Laboratory of Biophysical Chemistry, Heidelberg University, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Inari Kursula
- Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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22
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Chellappan S, Roy S, Nagmoti JM, Tabassum W, Hoti SL, Bhattacharyya MK, Nina PB. Functional studies of Plasmodium falciparum's prohibitin1 and prohibitin 2 in yeast. Indian J Med Microbiol 2020; 38:213-215. [PMID: 32883936 DOI: 10.4103/ijmm.ijmm_20_28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Prohibitins (PHBs) are evolutionarily conserved mitochondrial integral membrane proteins, shown to regulate mitochondrial structure and function, and can be classified into PHB1 and PHB2. PHB1 and PHB2 have been shown to interact with each other, and form heterodimers in mitochondrial inner membrane. Plasmodium falciparum has orthologues of PHB1 and PHB2 in its genome, and their role is unclear. Here, by homology modelling and yeast two-hybrid analysis, we show that putative Plasmodium PHBs (Pf PHB1 and Pf PHB2) interact with each other, which suggests that they could form supercomplexes of heterodimers in Plasmodium, the functional form required for optimum mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savitha Chellappan
- Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Traditional Medicine, Belagavi, Karnataka, India
| | - Subarna Roy
- Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Traditional Medicine, Belagavi, Karnataka, India
| | - Jyoti M Nagmoti
- Department of Microbiology, K.L.E. University, Belagavi, Karnataka, India
| | - Wahida Tabassum
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - S L Hoti
- Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Traditional Medicine, Belagavi, Karnataka, India
| | - Mrinal Kanti Bhattacharyya
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Praveen Balabaskaran Nina
- Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Traditional Medicine, Belagavi, Karnataka; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, India
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23
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Helton LG, Kennedy EJ. Targeting Plasmodium with constrained peptides and peptidomimetics. IUBMB Life 2020; 72:1103-1114. [PMID: 32037730 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Malaria remains a worldwide health concern with an estimated quarter of a billion people infected and nearly half a million deaths annually. Malaria is caused by a parasite infection from Plasmodium strains which are transmitted from mosquitoes into the human host. Although several small molecule inhibitors have been found to target the early stages of transmission and prevent parasite proliferation, multiple drug resistant parasite strains have emerged and drug resistance remains a major hurdle. As an alternative to small molecule inhibition, several peptide-based therapeutics have been explored for their potential as antimalarial compounds. Chemically constrained peptides or peptidomimetics were developed to target large binding interfaces of parasite-based proteins that have historically been difficult to selectively inhibit using small molecules. Here, we review ongoing research aimed at developing constrained peptides targeting protein-protein interactions pertinent to malaria pathogenesis. These targets include Falcipain-2, the J domain of CDPK1, myosin A tail domain interacting protein, the PKA signaling pathway, and an unclear signaling pathway involving angiotensin-derived peptides. Diverse synthetic methods were also used for each target. Merging parasite biology with synthetic strategies may provide new opportunities to develop alternative methods for uncovering novel antimalarials and may offer an alternate source for targeting drug-resistant parasite strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah G Helton
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Eileen J Kennedy
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
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24
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Frénal K, Krishnan A, Soldati-Favre D. The Actomyosin Systems in Apicomplexa. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1239:331-354. [PMID: 32451865 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-38062-5_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The phylum of Apicomplexa groups obligate intracellular parasites that exhibit unique classes of unconventional myosin motors. These parasites also encode a limited repertoire of actins, actin-like proteins, actin-binding proteins and nucleators of filamentous actin (F-actin) that display atypical properties. In the last decade, significant progress has been made to visualize F-actin and to unravel the functional contribution of actomyosin systems in the biology of Toxoplasma and Plasmodium, the most genetically-tractable members of the phylum. In addition to assigning specific roles to each myosin, recent biochemical and structural studies have begun to uncover mechanistic insights into myosin function at the atomic level. In several instances, the myosin light chains associated with the myosin heavy chains have been identified, helping to understand the composition of the motor complexes and their mode of regulation. Moreover, the considerable advance in proteomic methodologies and especially in assignment of posttranslational modifications is offering a new dimension to our understanding of the regulation of actin dynamics and myosin function. Remarkably, the actomyosin system contributes to three major processes in Toxoplasma gondii: (i) organelle trafficking, positioning and inheritance, (ii) basal pole constriction and intravacuolar cell-cell communication and (iii) motility, invasion, and egress from infected cells. In this chapter, we summarize how the actomyosin system harnesses these key events to ensure successful completion of the parasite life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Frénal
- Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité, UMR 5234, University of Bordeaux and CNRS, Bordeaux Cedex, France. .,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Aarti Krishnan
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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25
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Siden-Kiamos I, Goosmann C, Buscaglia CA, Brinkmann V, Matuschewski K, Montagna GN. Polarization of MTIP is a signature of gliding locomotion in Plasmodium ookinetes and sporozoites. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2019; 235:111247. [PMID: 31874192 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2019.111247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Gliding motility and cell invasion are essential for the successful transmission of Plasmodium parasites. These processes rely on an acto-myosin motor located underneath the parasite plasma membrane. The Myosin A-tail interacting protein (MTIP) connects the class XIV myosin A (MyoA) to the gliding-associated proteins and is essential for assembly of the motor at the inner membrane complex. Here, we assessed the subcellular localization of MTIP in Plasmodium berghei motile stages from wild-type parasites and mutants that lack MyoA or the small heat shock protein 20 (HSP20). We demonstrate that MTIP is recruited to the apical end of motile ookinetes independently of the presence of MyoA. We also show that infective sporozoites displayed a polarized MTIP distribution during gliding, and that this distribution was abrogated in mutant parasites with an aberrant locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Siden-Kiamos
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology, Hellas, 700 13 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Carlos A Buscaglia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas 'Dr Rodolfo Ugalde' (IIBio), UNSAM-CONICET, 1650 San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Volker Brinkmann
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Matuschewski
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Georgina N Montagna
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas 'Dr Rodolfo Ugalde' (IIBio), UNSAM-CONICET, 1650 San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 049032, SP, Brazil..
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26
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González LM, Estrada K, Grande R, Jiménez-Jacinto V, Vega-Alvarado L, Sevilla E, de la Barrera J, Cuesta I, Zaballos Á, Bautista JM, Lobo CA, Sánchez-Flores A, Montero E. Comparative and functional genomics of the protozoan parasite Babesia divergens highlighting the invasion and egress processes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007680. [PMID: 31425518 PMCID: PMC6715253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Babesiosis is considered an emerging disease because its incidence has significantly increased in the last 30 years, providing evidence of the expanding range of this rare but potentially life-threatening zoonotic disease. Babesia divergens is a causative agent of babesiosis in humans and cattle in Europe. The recently sequenced genome of B. divergens revealed over 3,741 protein coding-genes and the 10.7-Mb high-quality draft become the first reference tool to study the genome structure of B. divergens. Now, by exploiting this sequence data and using new computational tools and assembly strategies, we have significantly improved the quality of the B. divergens genome. The new assembly shows better continuity and has a higher correspondence to B. bovis chromosomes. Moreover, we present a differential expression analysis using RNA sequencing of the two different stages of the asexual lifecycle of B. divergens: the free merozoite capable of invading erythrocytes and the intraerythrocytic parasite stage that remains within the erythrocyte until egress. Comparison of mRNA levels of both stages identified 1,441 differentially expressed genes. From these, around half were upregulated and the other half downregulated in the intraerythrocytic stage. Orthogonal validation by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR confirmed the differential expression. A moderately increased expression level of genes, putatively involved in the invasion and egress processes, were revealed in the intraerythrocytic stage compared with the free merozoite. On the basis of these results and in the absence of molecular models of invasion and egress for B. divergens, we have proposed the identified genes as putative molecular players in the invasion and egress processes. Our results contribute to an understanding of key parasitic strategies and pathogenesis and could be a valuable genomic resource to exploit for the design of diagnostic methods, drugs and vaccines to improve the control of babesiosis. Babesiosis has long been recognized as an economically important disease of cattle, but only in the last 40 years has Babesia been recognized as an important pathogen in humans. Babesiosis in humans is caused by one of several species (B. microti, B. divergens, B. duncani and B. venatorum). The complete Babesia lifecycle requires two hosts, the ixodid ticks and a vertebrate host. It is the parasite's ability to first recognize and then invade host erythrocytes that is central to the pathogenesis of babesiosis. Once inside the cell, the parasite begins a cycle of maturation and growth, resulting in merozoites that egress from the red blood cells (RBCs) and seek new, uninfected RBCs to invade, perpetuating the infection. To better understand this asexual lifecycle, the authors focused on the parasite genome and transcriptome of the asexual erythrocytic forms of B. divergens. Through this functional and comparative genomic approach, the authors have identified genes putatively involved in invasion, gliding motility, moving junction formation and egress, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms of these processes necessary for B. divergens to survive and propagate during its life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Miguel González
- Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, ISCIII Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Karel Estrada
- Unidad Universitaria de Secuenciación Masiva y Bioinformática, Instituto de Biotecnología, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Ricardo Grande
- Unidad Universitaria de Secuenciación Masiva y Bioinformática, Instituto de Biotecnología, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Verónica Jiménez-Jacinto
- Unidad Universitaria de Secuenciación Masiva y Bioinformática, Instituto de Biotecnología, Cuernavaca, México
| | | | - Elena Sevilla
- Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, ISCIII Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge de la Barrera
- Unidad de Bioinformática, Área de Unidades Centrales Científico-Técnicas, ISCIII, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Cuesta
- Unidad de Bioinformática, Área de Unidades Centrales Científico-Técnicas, ISCIII, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel Zaballos
- Unidad de Genómica, Área de Unidades Centrales Científico-Técnicas, ISCIII, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Manuel Bautista
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology & Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cheryl A. Lobo
- Blood Borne Parasites, LFKRI, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Alejandro Sánchez-Flores
- Unidad Universitaria de Secuenciación Masiva y Bioinformática, Instituto de Biotecnología, Cuernavaca, México
- * E-mail: (ASF); (EM)
| | - Estrella Montero
- Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, ISCIII Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail: (ASF); (EM)
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27
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Rudlaff RM, Kraemer S, Streva VA, Dvorin JD. An essential contractile ring protein controls cell division in Plasmodium falciparum. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2181. [PMID: 31097714 PMCID: PMC6522492 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10214-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
During the blood stage of human malaria, Plasmodium falciparum parasites divide by schizogony-a process wherein components for several daughter cells are produced within a common cytoplasm and then segmentation, a synchronized cytokinesis, produces individual invasive daughters. The basal complex is hypothesized to be required for segmentation, acting as a contractile ring to establish daughter cell boundaries. Here we identify an essential component of the basal complex which we name PfCINCH. Using three-dimensional reconstructions of parasites at electron microscopy resolution, we show that while parasite organelles form and divide normally, PfCINCH-deficient parasites develop inviable conjoined daughters that contain components for multiple cells. Through biochemical evaluation of the PfCINCH-containing complex, we discover multiple previously undescribed basal complex proteins. Therefore, this work provides genetic evidence that the basal complex is required for precise segmentation and lays the groundwork for a mechanistic understanding of how the parasite contractile ring drives cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Rudlaff
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Stephan Kraemer
- Center for Nanoscale Systems, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Vincent A Streva
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Dvorin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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28
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Kumar V, Behl A, Kapoor P, Nayak B, Singh G, Singh AP, Mishra S, Kang TS, Mishra PC, Hora R. Inner membrane complex 1l protein of Plasmodium falciparum links membrane lipids with cytoskeletal element 'actin' and its associated motor 'myosin'. Int J Biol Macromol 2018; 126:673-684. [PMID: 30599160 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.12.239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 12/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The inner membrane complex (IMC) is a defining feature of apicomplexans comprising of lipid and protein components involved in gliding motility and host cell invasion. Motility of Plasmodium parasites is accomplished by an actin and myosin based glideosome machinery situated between the parasite plasma membrane (PPM) and IMC. Here, we have studied in vivo expression and localization of a Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) IMC protein 'PfIMC1l' and characterized it functionally by using biochemical assays. We have identified cytoskeletal protein 'actin' and motor protein 'myosin' as novel binding partners of PfIMC1l, alongside its interaction with the lipids 'cholesterol' and 'phosphatidyl-inositol 4, 5 bisphosphate' (PIP2). While actin and myosin compete for interaction with PfIMC1l, actin and either of the lipids (cholesterol or PIP2) simultaneously bind PfIMC1l. Interestingly, PfIMC1l showed enhanced binding with actin in the presence of calcium ions, and displayed direct binding with calcium. Based on our in silico analysis and experimental data showing PfIMC1l-actin/myosin and PfIMC1l-lipid interactions, we propose that this protein may anchor the IMC membrane with the parasite gliding apparatus. Considering its binding with key proteins involved in motility viz. myosin and actin (with calcium dependence), we suggest that PfIMC1l may have a role in the locomotion of Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikash Kumar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Ankita Behl
- Department of Biotechnology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Payal Kapoor
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Bandita Nayak
- CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Gurbir Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Amrit Pal Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | - Satish Mishra
- CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Tejwant Singh Kang
- Department of Chemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India
| | | | - Rachna Hora
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
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29
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Morales L, Hernández P, Chaparro-Olaya J. Systematic Comparison of Strategies to Achieve Soluble Expression of Plasmodium falciparum Recombinant Proteins in E. coli. Mol Biotechnol 2018; 60:887-900. [PMID: 30259259 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-018-0125-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Constructs containing partial coding sequences of myosin A, myosin B, and glideosome-associated protein (50 kDa) of Plasmodium falciparum were used to challenge several strategies designed in order to improve the production and solubility of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. Assays were carried out inducing expression in a late log phase culture, optimizing the inductor concentration, reducing the growth temperature for induced cultures, and supplementing additives in the lysis buffer. In addition, recombinant proteins were expressed as fusion proteins with three different tags (6His, GST, and MBP) in four different E. coli strains. We found that the only condition that consistently produced soluble proteins was the use of MBP as a fusion tag, which became a valuable tool for detecting the proteins used in this study and did not caused any interference in protein-protein interaction assays (Far Western Blot). Besides, we found that BL21-pG-KJE8 strain did not improve the solubility of any of the recombinant protein produced, while the BL21-CodonPlus(DE3)-RIL strain improved the expression of some of them independent of the rare codon content. Proteins with rare codons occurring at high frequencies (» 10%) were expressed efficiently in strains that do not supplement tRNAs for these triplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Morales
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto de Biología Molecular, Universidad El Bosque, Edificio O. Segundo piso, Avenida Cra. 9 No. 131 A - 02, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paula Hernández
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto de Biología Molecular, Universidad El Bosque, Edificio O. Segundo piso, Avenida Cra. 9 No. 131 A - 02, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jacqueline Chaparro-Olaya
- Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Instituto de Biología Molecular, Universidad El Bosque, Edificio O. Segundo piso, Avenida Cra. 9 No. 131 A - 02, Bogotá, Colombia.
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30
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Gao H, Yang Z, Wang X, Qian P, Hong R, Chen X, Su XZ, Cui H, Yuan J. ISP1-Anchored Polarization of GCβ/CDC50A Complex Initiates Malaria Ookinete Gliding Motility. Curr Biol 2018; 28:2763-2776.e6. [PMID: 30146157 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.06.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Ookinete gliding motility is essential for penetration of the mosquito midgut wall and transmission of malaria parasites. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling has been implicated in ookinete gliding. However, the upstream mechanism of how the parasites activate cGMP signaling and thus initiate ookinete gliding remains unknown. Using real-time imaging to visualize Plasmodium yoelii guanylate cyclase β (GCβ), we show that cytoplasmic GCβ translocates and polarizes to the parasite plasma membrane at "ookinete extrados site" (OES) during zygote-to-ookinete differentiation. The polarization of enzymatic active GCβ at OES initiates gliding of matured ookinete. Both the P4-ATPase-like domain and guanylate cyclase domain are required for GCβ polarization and ookinete gliding. CDC50A, a co-factor of P4-ATPase, binds to and stabilizes GCβ during ookinete development. Screening of inner membrane complex proteins identifies ISP1 as a key molecule that anchors GCβ/CDC50A complex at the OES of mature ookinetes. This study defines a spatial-temporal mechanism for the initiation of ookinete gliding, where GCβ polarization likely elevates local cGMP levels and activates cGMP-dependent protein kinase signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Zhenke Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Pengge Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Renjie Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xin-Zhuan Su
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Huiting Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China.
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31
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In vitro interaction between Plasmodium falciparum myosin B (PfMyoB) and myosin A tail interacting protein (MTIP). Parasitol Res 2018; 117:3437-3446. [PMID: 30094538 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-6039-8] [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: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites, including Plasmodium falciparum, are obligate intracellular organisms that utilize a strategy termed "gliding" to move and invade host cells, causing disease. Gliding is carried out by a protein complex known as the glideosome, which includes an actin-myosin motor. To date, six myosins have been identified in P. falciparum (PfMyoA, B, C, D, E, and F), but only the role of PfMyoA, the myosin of the glideosome that is involved in the process of red blood cell and mosquito cell invasion, has been established. Based on previous observations, we speculated that PfMyoA and PfMyoB may have similar or redundant functions. To test this hypothesis, we searched for in vitro interactions between PfMyoB and MTIP (myosin A tail interacting protein), the myosin light chain of PfMyoA. A set of differentially tagged PfMyoA, PfMyoB, and MTIP recombinant proteins was employed to specifically and simultaneously detect each myosin in competition assays and inhibition assays using specific peptides. MTIP potentially acts as the light chain of PfMyoB.
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32
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Steel RWJ, Pei Y, Camargo N, Kaushansky A, Dankwa DA, Martinson T, Nguyen T, Betz W, Cardamone H, Vigdorovich V, Dambrauskas N, Carbonetti S, Vaughan AM, Sather DN, Kappe SHI. Plasmodium yoelii S4/CelTOS is important for sporozoite gliding motility and cell traversal. Cell Microbiol 2018; 20. [PMID: 29253313 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Gliding motility and cell traversal by the Plasmodium ookinete and sporozoite invasive stages allow penetration of cellular barriers to establish infection of the mosquito vector and mammalian host, respectively. Motility and traversal are not observed in red cell infectious merozoites, and we have previously classified genes that are expressed in sporozoites but not merozoites (S genes) in order to identify proteins involved in these processes. The S4 gene has been described as criticaly involved in Cell Traversal for Ookinetes and Sporozoites (CelTOS), yet knockout parasites (s4/celtos¯) do not generate robust salivary gland sporozoite numbers, precluding a thorough analysis of S4/CelTOS function during host infection. We show here that a failure of oocysts to develop or survive in the midgut contributes to the poor mosquito infection by Plasmodium yoelii (Py) s4/celtos¯ rodent malaria parasites. We rescued this phenotype by expressing S4/CelTOS under the ookinete-specific circumsporozoite protein and thrombospondin-related anonymous protein-related protein (CTRP) promoter (S4/CelTOSCTRP ), generating robust numbers of salivary gland sporozoites lacking S4/CelTOS that were suitable for phenotypic analysis. Py S4/CelTOSCTRP sporozoites showed reduced infectivity in BALB/c mice when compared to wild-type sporozoites, although they appeared more infectious than sporozoites deficient in the related traversal protein PLP1/SPECT2 (Py plp1/spect2¯). Using in vitro assays, we substantiate the role of S4/CelTOS in sporozoite cell traversal, but also uncover a previously unappreciated role for this protein for sporozoite gliding motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan W J Steel
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ying Pei
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nelly Camargo
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Alexis Kaushansky
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Dorender A Dankwa
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Thomas Martinson
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Thao Nguyen
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Will Betz
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hayley Cardamone
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Vladimir Vigdorovich
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nicholas Dambrauskas
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sara Carbonetti
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ashley M Vaughan
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - D Noah Sather
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stefan H I Kappe
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Mueller C, Graindorge A, Soldati-Favre D. Functions of myosin motors tailored for parasitism. Curr Opin Microbiol 2017; 40:113-122. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Bookwalter CS, Tay CL, McCrorie R, Previs MJ, Lu H, Krementsova EB, Fagnant PM, Baum J, Trybus KM. Reconstitution of the core of the malaria parasite glideosome with recombinant Plasmodium class XIV myosin A and Plasmodium actin. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:19290-19303. [PMID: 28978649 PMCID: PMC5702669 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.813972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Motility of the apicomplexan malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is enabled by a multiprotein glideosome complex, whose core is the class XIV myosin motor, PfMyoA, and a divergent Plasmodium actin (PfAct1). Parasite motility is necessary for host-cell invasion and virulence, but studying its molecular basis has been hampered by unavailability of sufficient amounts of PfMyoA. Here, we expressed milligram quantities of functional full-length PfMyoA with the baculovirus/Sf9 cell expression system, which required a UCS (UNC-45/CRO1/She4p) family myosin chaperone from Plasmodium spp. In addition to the known light chain myosin tail interacting protein (MTIP), we identified an essential light chain (PfELC) that co-purified with PfMyoA isolated from parasite lysates. The speed at which PfMyoA moved actin was fastest with both light chains bound, consistent with the light chain–binding domain acting as a lever arm to amplify nucleotide-dependent motions in the motor domain. Surprisingly, PfELC binding to the heavy chain required that MTIP also be bound to the heavy chain, unlike MTIP that bound the heavy chain independently of PfELC. Neither the presence of calcium nor deletion of the MTIP N-terminal extension changed the speed of actin movement. Of note, PfMyoA moved filaments formed from Sf9 cell–expressed PfAct1 at the same speed as skeletal muscle actin. Duty ratio estimates suggested that as few as nine motors can power actin movement at maximal speed, a feature that may be necessitated by the dynamic nature of Plasmodium actin filaments in the parasite. In summary, we have reconstituted the essential core of the glideosome, enabling drug targeting of both of its core components to inhibit parasite invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol S Bookwalter
- From the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405 and
| | - Chwen L Tay
- the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Rama McCrorie
- the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J Previs
- From the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405 and
| | - Hailong Lu
- From the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405 and
| | - Elena B Krementsova
- From the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405 and
| | - Patricia M Fagnant
- From the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405 and
| | - Jake Baum
- the Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Kathleen M Trybus
- From the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405 and
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35
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Green JL, Wall RJ, Vahokoski J, Yusuf NA, Ridzuan MAM, Stanway RR, Stock J, Knuepfer E, Brady D, Martin SR, Howell SA, Pires IP, Moon RW, Molloy JE, Kursula I, Tewari R, Holder AA. Compositional and expression analyses of the glideosome during the Plasmodium life cycle reveal an additional myosin light chain required for maximum motility. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:17857-17875. [PMID: 28893907 PMCID: PMC5663884 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.802769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Myosin A (MyoA) is a Class XIV myosin implicated in gliding motility and host cell and tissue invasion by malaria parasites. MyoA is part of a membrane-associated protein complex called the glideosome, which is essential for parasite motility and includes the MyoA light chain myosin tail domain-interacting protein (MTIP) and several glideosome-associated proteins (GAPs). However, most studies of MyoA have focused on single stages of the parasite life cycle. We examined MyoA expression throughout the Plasmodium berghei life cycle in both mammalian and insect hosts. In extracellular ookinetes, sporozoites, and merozoites, MyoA was located at the parasite periphery. In the sexual stages, zygote formation and initial ookinete differentiation precede MyoA synthesis and deposition, which occurred only in the developing protuberance. In developing intracellular asexual blood stages, MyoA was synthesized in mature schizonts and was located at the periphery of segmenting merozoites, where it remained throughout maturation, merozoite egress, and host cell invasion. Besides the known GAPs in the malaria parasite, the complex included GAP40, an additional myosin light chain designated essential light chain (ELC), and several other candidate components. This ELC bound the MyoA neck region adjacent to the MTIP-binding site, and both myosin light chains co-located to the glideosome. Co-expression of MyoA with its two light chains revealed that the presence of both light chains enhances MyoA-dependent actin motility. In conclusion, we have established a system to study the interplay and function of the three glideosome components, enabling the assessment of inhibitors that target this motor complex to block host cell invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard J Wall
- the School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | - Juha Vahokoski
- the Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - Rebecca R Stanway
- the Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland, and
| | - Jessica Stock
- the School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | | | - Declan Brady
- the School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Isa P Pires
- the Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | | | - Justin E Molloy
- Single Molecule Enzymology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
| | - Inari Kursula
- the Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway.,the Biocenter Oulu and Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 7, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Rita Tewari
- the School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2UH, United Kingdom
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37
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Andrei SA, Sijbesma E, Hann M, Davis J, O’Mahony G, Perry MWD, Karawajczyk A, Eickhoff J, Brunsveld L, Doveston RG, Milroy LG, Ottmann C. Stabilization of protein-protein interactions in drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2017; 12:925-940. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2017.1346608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian A. Andrei
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Eline Sijbesma
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Hann
- Platform Technology and Science, Medicines Research Centre, GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Stevenage, UK
| | - Jeremy Davis
- Department of Chemistry, UCB Celltech, Slough, UK
| | - Gavin O’Mahony
- CVMD Medicinal Chemistry, Innovative Medicines and Early Development, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, Pepparedsleden, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Matthew W. D. Perry
- RIA Medicinal Chemistry, Innovative Medicines and Early Development, AstraZeneca Gothenburg, Pepparedsleden, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Anna Karawajczyk
- Medicinal Chemistry, Taros Chemicals GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jan Eickhoff
- Assay development & screening, Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Luc Brunsveld
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Richard G. Doveston
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Lech-Gustav Milroy
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Ottmann
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- Department of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
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38
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Myosin B of Plasmodium falciparum (PfMyoB): in silico prediction of its three-dimensional structure and its possible interaction with MTIP. Parasitol Res 2017; 116:1373-1382. [PMID: 28265752 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5417-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The mobility and invasion strategy of Plasmodium falciparum is governed by a protein complex known as the glideosome, which contains an actin-myosin motor. It has been shown that myosin A of the parasite (PfMyoA) is the myosin of the glideosome, and the interaction of PfMyoA with myosin tail domain interacting protein (MTIP) determines its correct location and its ability to function in the complex. Because PfMyoA and myosin B of P. falciparum (PfMyoB) share high sequence identity, are both small proteins without a tail domain, belong to the class XIV myosins, and are expressed in late schizonts and merozoites, we suspect that these myosins may have similar or redundant functions. Therefore, this work examined the structural similarity between PfMyoA and PfMyoB and performed a molecular docking between PfMyoB and MTIP. Three-dimensional (3D) models obtained for PfMyoA and PfMyoB achieved high scores in the structural validation programs used, and their superimposition revealed high structural similarity, supporting the hypothesis of possible similar functions for these two proteins. The 3D interaction models obtained and energy values found suggested that interaction between PfMyoB and MTIP is possible. Given the apparent abundance of PfMyoA relative to PfMyoB in the parasite, we believe that the interaction between PfMyoB and MTIP would only be detectable in specific cellular environments because under normal circumstances, it would be masked by the interaction between PfMyoA and MTIP.
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39
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Hopp CS, Balaban AE, Bushell ESC, Billker O, Rayner JC, Sinnis P. Palmitoyl transferases have critical roles in the development of mosquito and liver stages of Plasmodium. Cell Microbiol 2016; 18:1625-1641. [PMID: 27084458 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
As the Plasmodium parasite transitions between mammalian and mosquito host, it has to adjust quickly to new environments. Palmitoylation, a reversible and dynamic lipid post-translational modification, plays a central role in regulating this process and has been implicated with functions for parasite morphology, motility and host cell invasion. While proteins associated with the gliding motility machinery have been described to be palmitoylated, no palmitoyl transferase responsible for regulating gliding motility has previously been identified. Here, we characterize two palmityol transferases with gene tagging and gene deletion approaches. We identify DHHC3, a palmitoyl transferase, as a mediator of ookinete development, with a crucial role for gliding motility in ookinetes and sporozoites, and we co-localize the protein with a marker for the inner membrane complex in the ookinete stage. Ookinetes and sporozoites lacking DHHC3 are impaired in gliding motility and exhibit a strong phenotype in vivo; with ookinetes being significantly less infectious to their mosquito host and sporozoites being non-infectious to mice. Importantly, genetic complementation of the DHHC3-ko parasite completely restored virulence. We generated parasites lacking both DHHC3, as well as the palmitoyl transferase DHHC9, and found an enhanced phenotype for these double knockout parasites, allowing insights into the functional overlap and compensational nature of the large family of PbDHHCs. These findings contribute to our understanding of the organization and mechanism of the gliding motility machinery, which as is becoming increasingly clear, is mediated by palmitoylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine S Hopp
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. .,Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, UK.
| | - Amanda E Balaban
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | | | | | - Photini Sinnis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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40
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Swearingen KE, Lindner SE, Shi L, Shears MJ, Harupa A, Hopp CS, Vaughan AM, Springer TA, Moritz RL, Kappe SHI, Sinnis P. Interrogating the Plasmodium Sporozoite Surface: Identification of Surface-Exposed Proteins and Demonstration of Glycosylation on CSP and TRAP by Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005606. [PMID: 27128092 PMCID: PMC4851412 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasite infection is initiated by the mosquito-transmitted sporozoite stage, a highly motile invasive cell that targets hepatocytes in the liver for infection. A promising approach to developing a malaria vaccine is the use of proteins located on the sporozoite surface as antigens to elicit humoral immune responses that prevent the establishment of infection. Very little of the P. falciparum genome has been considered as potential vaccine targets, and candidate vaccines have been almost exclusively based on single antigens, generating the need for novel target identification. The most advanced malaria vaccine to date, RTS,S, a subunit vaccine consisting of a portion of the major surface protein circumsporozoite protein (CSP), conferred limited protection in Phase III trials, falling short of community-established vaccine efficacy goals. In striking contrast to the limited protection seen in current vaccine trials, sterilizing immunity can be achieved by immunization with radiation-attenuated sporozoites, suggesting that more potent protection may be achievable with a multivalent protein vaccine. Here, we provide the most comprehensive analysis to date of proteins located on the surface of or secreted by Plasmodium falciparum salivary gland sporozoites. We used chemical labeling to isolate surface-exposed proteins on sporozoites and identified these proteins by mass spectrometry. We validated several of these targets and also provide evidence that components of the inner membrane complex are in fact surface-exposed and accessible to antibodies in live sporozoites. Finally, our mass spectrometry data provide the first direct evidence that the Plasmodium surface proteins CSP and TRAP are glycosylated in sporozoites, a finding that could impact the selection of vaccine antigens. Malaria remains one of the most important infectious diseases in the world, responsible for an estimated 500 million new cases and 600,000 deaths annually. The etiologic agents of the disease are protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium that have a complex cycle between mosquito and mammalian hosts. Though all clinical symptoms are attributable to the blood stages, it is only by attacking the transmission stages that we can make an impact on the economic and health burdens of malaria. Infection is initiated when mosquitoes inoculate sporozoites into the skin as they probe for blood. Sporozoites must locate blood vessels and enter the circulation to reach the liver where they invade and grow in hepatocytes. The inoculum is low and these early stages of infection are asymptomatic. Though the small amounts of material available for study has made large scale -omics studies difficult, killing the parasite at this stage would prevent infection and block downstream transmission to mosquitoes, thus preventing spread of disease. Here we use state-of-the-art biochemistry tools to identify the proteins on the sporozoite surface and find that two of the most studied proteins, CSP and TRAP, have post-translational modifications. These studies will aid investigations into the novel biology of sporozoites and importantly, significantly expand the pool of potential vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott E. Lindner
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Lirong Shi
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Melanie J. Shears
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Anke Harupa
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Christine S. Hopp
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ashley M. Vaughan
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | | | - Robert L. Moritz
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail: (RLM); (SHIK); (PS)
| | - Stefan H. I. Kappe
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, formerly Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail: (RLM); (SHIK); (PS)
| | - Photini Sinnis
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail: (RLM); (SHIK); (PS)
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41
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Absalon S, Robbins JA, Dvorin JD. An essential malaria protein defines the architecture of blood-stage and transmission-stage parasites. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11449. [PMID: 27121004 PMCID: PMC4853479 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-stage replication of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum occurs via schizogony, wherein daughter parasites are formed by a specialized cytokinesis known as segmentation. Here we identify a parasite protein, which we name P. falciparum Merozoite Organizing Protein (PfMOP), as essential for cytokinesis of blood-stage parasites. We show that, following PfMOP knockdown, parasites undergo incomplete segmentation resulting in a residual agglomerate of partially divided cells. While organelles develop normally, the structural scaffold of daughter parasites, the inner membrane complex (IMC), fails to form in this agglomerate causing flawed segmentation. In PfMOP-deficient gametocytes, the IMC formation defect causes maturation arrest with aberrant morphology and death. Our results provide insight into the mechanisms of replication and maturation of malaria parasites. Blood-stage malaria parasites replicate through a specialised type of cell division known as schizogony. Here, Absalon et al. identify a parasite protein that is essential during schizogony for cytokinesis and formation of the inner membrane complex, the structural scaffold of daughter parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Absalon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan A Robbins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Dvorin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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Apicomplexa-specific tRip facilitates import of exogenous tRNAs into malaria parasites. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:4717-22. [PMID: 27071116 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1600476113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites are transmitted to vertebrates by mosquitoes. To support their growth and replication, these intracellular parasites, which belong to the phylum Apicomplexa, have developed mechanisms to exploit their hosts. These mechanisms include expropriation of small metabolites from infected host cells, such as purine nucleotides and amino acids. Heretofore, no evidence suggested that transfer RNAs (tRNAs) could also be exploited. We identified an unusual gene in Apicomplexa with a coding sequence for membrane-docking and structure-specific tRNA binding. This Apicomplexa protein-designated tRip (tRNA import protein)-is anchored to the parasite plasma membrane and directs import of exogenous tRNAs. In the absence of tRip, the fitness of the parasite stage that multiplies in the blood is significantly reduced, indicating that the parasite may need host tRNAs to sustain its own translation and/or as regulatory RNAs. Plasmodium is thus the first example, to our knowledge, of a cell importing exogenous tRNAs, suggesting a remarkable adaptation of this parasite to extend its reach into host cell biology.
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Plasmodium P-Type Cyclin CYC3 Modulates Endomitotic Growth during Oocyst Development in Mosquitoes. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005273. [PMID: 26565797 PMCID: PMC4643991 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-cycle progression and cell division in eukaryotes are governed in part by the cyclin family and their regulation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Cyclins are very well characterised in model systems such as yeast and human cells, but surprisingly little is known about their number and role in Plasmodium, the unicellular protozoan parasite that causes malaria. Malaria parasite cell division and proliferation differs from that of many eukaryotes. During its life cycle it undergoes two types of mitosis: endomitosis in asexual stages and an extremely rapid mitotic process during male gametogenesis. Both schizogony (producing merozoites) in host liver and red blood cells, and sporogony (producing sporozoites) in the mosquito vector, are endomitotic with repeated nuclear replication, without chromosome condensation, before cell division. The role of specific cyclins during Plasmodium cell proliferation was unknown. We show here that the Plasmodium genome contains only three cyclin genes, representing an unusual repertoire of cyclin classes. Expression and reverse genetic analyses of the single Plant (P)-type cyclin, CYC3, in the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, revealed a cytoplasmic and nuclear location of the GFP-tagged protein throughout the lifecycle. Deletion of cyc3 resulted in defects in size, number and growth of oocysts, with abnormalities in budding and sporozoite formation. Furthermore, global transcript analysis of the cyc3-deleted and wild type parasites at gametocyte and ookinete stages identified differentially expressed genes required for signalling, invasion and oocyst development. Collectively these data suggest that cyc3 modulates oocyst endomitotic development in Plasmodium berghei. The malaria parasite is a single-celled organism that multiplies asexually in a non-canonical way in both vertebrate host and mosquito vector. In the mosquito midgut, atypical cell division occurs in oocysts, where repeated nuclear division (endomitosis) precedes cell division, which then gives rise to many sporozoites in a process known as sporogony. The molecular mechanisms controlling this process are poorly understood. In many model organisms including mouse and yeast cells the cell cycle is regulated by members of the cyclin protein family, but the role of this family in the malaria parasite is unknown. Here, we show that there are only three cyclin genes and investigate the function of the single P-type cyclin (CYC3) in the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei. We show that CYC3 has a cytoplasmic and nuclear localisation throughout most of the parasite lifecycle and by gene deletion we demonstrate that CYC3 is important for normal oocyst development, maturation and sporozoite formation. Moreover, we show that deletion of cyc3 affects the transcription of genes required for cell signalling and oocyst development. The data suggest that CYC3 modulates asexual multiplication in oocysts and plays a vital role in parasite development in the mosquito.
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44
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Gliding motility in apicomplexan parasites. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2015; 46:135-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2015.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Abstract
Key to the virulence of apicomplexan parasites is their ability to move through tissue and to invade and egress from host cells. Apicomplexan motility requires the activity of the glideosome, a multicomponent molecular motor composed of a type XIV myosin, MyoA. Here we identify a novel glideosome component, essential light chain 2 (ELC2), and functionally characterize the two essential light chains (ELC1 and ELC2) of MyoA in Toxoplasma. We show that these proteins are functionally redundant but are important for invasion, egress, and motility. Molecular simulations of the MyoA lever arm identify a role for Ca2+ in promoting intermolecular contacts between the ELCs and the adjacent MLC1 light chain to stabilize this domain. Using point mutations predicted to ablate either the interaction with Ca2+ or the interface between the two light chains, we demonstrate their contribution to the quality, displacement, and speed of gliding Toxoplasma parasites. Our work therefore delineates the importance of the MyoA lever arm and highlights a mechanism by which this domain could be stabilized in order to promote invasion, egress, and gliding motility in apicomplexan parasites. Tissue dissemination and host cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma are pivotal to their pathogenesis. Central to these processes is gliding motility, which is driven by an actomyosin motor, the MyoA glideosome. Others have demonstrated the importance of the MyoA glideosome for parasite motility and virulence in mice. Disruption of its function may therefore have therapeutic potential, and yet a deeper mechanistic understanding of how it works is required. Ca2+-dependent and -independent phosphorylation and the direct binding of Ca2+ to the essential light chain have been implicated in the regulation of MyoA activity. Here we identify a second essential light chain of MyoA and demonstrate the importance of both to Toxoplasma motility. We also investigate the role of Ca2+ and the MyoA regulatory site in parasite motility and identify a potential mechanism whereby binding of a divalent cation to the essential light chains could stabilize the myosin to allow productive movement.
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Nemetski SM, Cardozo TJ, Bosch G, Weltzer R, O'Malley K, Ejigiri I, Kumar KA, Buscaglia CA, Nussenzweig V, Sinnis P, Levitskaya J, Bosch J. Inhibition by stabilization: targeting the Plasmodium falciparum aldolase-TRAP complex. Malar J 2015; 14:324. [PMID: 26289816 PMCID: PMC4545932 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-015-0834-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging resistance of the malaria parasite Plasmodium to current therapies underscores the critical importance of exploring novel strategies for disease eradication. Plasmodium species are obligate intracellular protozoan parasites. They rely on an unusual form of substrate-dependent motility for their migration on and across host-cell membranes and for host cell invasion. This peculiar motility mechanism is driven by the 'glideosome', an actin-myosin associated, macromolecular complex anchored to the inner membrane complex of the parasite. Myosin A, actin, aldolase, and thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) constitute the molecular core of the glideosome in the sporozoite, the mosquito stage that brings the infection into mammals. METHODS Virtual library screening of a large compound library against the PfAldolase-TRAP complex was used to identify candidate compounds that stabilize and prevent the disassembly of the glideosome. The mechanism of these compounds was confirmed by biochemical, biophysical and parasitological methods. RESULTS A novel inhibitory effect on the parasite was achieved by stabilizing a protein-protein interaction within the glideosome components. Compound 24 disrupts the gliding and invasive capabilities of Plasmodium parasites in in vitro parasite assays. A high-resolution, ternary X-ray crystal structure of PfAldolase-TRAP in complex with compound 24 confirms the mode of interaction and serves as a platform for future ligand optimization. CONCLUSION This proof-of-concept study presents a novel approach to anti-malarial drug discovery and design. By strengthening a protein-protein interaction within the parasite, an avenue towards inhibiting a previously "undruggable" target is revealed and the motility motor responsible for successful invasion of host cells is rendered inactive. This study provides new insights into the malaria parasite cell invasion machinery and convincingly demonstrates that liver cell invasion is dramatically reduced by 95 % in the presence of the small molecule stabilizer compound 24.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sondra Maureen Nemetski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children's Health, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA.
| | - Timothy J Cardozo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Gundula Bosch
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Ryan Weltzer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Kevin O'Malley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Ijeoma Ejigiri
- Department of Medical Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Kota Arun Kumar
- Michael Heidelberg Division of Pathology of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Department of Animal Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India.
| | - Carlos A Buscaglia
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas-Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (IIB-INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín-CONICET, 1650, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Victor Nussenzweig
- Michael Heidelberg Division of Pathology of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
| | - Photini Sinnis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Department of Medical Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Jelena Levitskaya
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
| | - Jürgen Bosch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA. .,Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI), Baltimore, USA.
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Haase S, Zimmermann D, Olshina MA, Wilkinson M, Fisher F, Tan YH, Stewart RJ, Tonkin CJ, Wong W, Kovar DR, Baum J. Disassembly activity of actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) is associated with distinct cellular processes in apicomplexan parasites. Mol Biol Cell 2015; 26:3001-12. [PMID: 26157165 PMCID: PMC4551315 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e14-10-1427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Complementation of a conditional KO of actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) in Toxoplasma gondii demonstrates that ADF-dependent actin filament disassembly is essential for parasite development but not for cell motility. Furthermore, trans-genera complementation highlights genus-specific coevolution between ADF proteins and their native actins. Proteins of the actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin family have been shown to be crucial for the motility and survival of apicomplexan parasites. However, the mechanisms by which ADF proteins fulfill their function remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the comparative activities of ADF proteins from Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, the human malaria parasite, using a conditional T. gondii ADF-knockout line complemented with ADF variants from either species. We show that P. falciparum ADF1 can fully restore native TgADF activity, demonstrating functional conservation between parasites. Strikingly, mutation of a key basic residue (Lys-72), previously implicated in disassembly in PfADF1, had no detectable phenotypic effect on parasite growth, motility, or development. In contrast, organelle segregation was severely impaired when complementing with a TgADF mutant lacking the corresponding residue (Lys-68). Biochemical analyses of each ADF protein confirmed the reduced ability of lysine mutants to mediate actin depolymerization via filament disassembly although not severing, in contrast to previous reports. These data suggest that actin filament disassembly is essential for apicomplexan parasite development but not for motility, as well as pointing to genus-specific coevolution between ADF proteins and their native actin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Haase
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Dennis Zimmermann
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Maya A Olshina
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Mark Wilkinson
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Fabio Fisher
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Yan Hong Tan
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Rebecca J Stewart
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Christopher J Tonkin
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Wilson Wong
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - David R Kovar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Jake Baum
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
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Cromm PM, Spiegel J, Grossmann TN. Hydrocarbon stapled peptides as modulators of biological function. ACS Chem Biol 2015; 10:1362-75. [PMID: 25798993 DOI: 10.1021/cb501020r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Peptide-based drug discovery has experienced a significant upturn within the past decade since the introduction of chemical modifications and unnatural amino acids has allowed for overcoming some of the drawbacks associated with peptide therapeutics. Strengthened by such features, modified peptides become capable of occupying a niche that emerges between the two major classes of today's therapeutics-small molecules (<500 Da) and biologics (>5000 Da). Stabilized α-helices have proven particularly successful at impairing disease-relevant PPIs previously considered "undruggable." Among those, hydrocarbon stapled α-helical peptides have emerged as a novel class of potential peptide therapeutics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the development and applications of hydrocarbon stapled peptides discussing the benefits and limitations of this technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp M. Cromm
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Technical University Dortmund, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jochen Spiegel
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Technical University Dortmund, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Tom N. Grossmann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Technical University Dortmund, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society, Otto-Hahn-Str. 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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Boucher LE, Bosch J. The apicomplexan glideosome and adhesins - Structures and function. J Struct Biol 2015; 190:93-114. [PMID: 25764948 PMCID: PMC4417069 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2015.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2014] [Revised: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The apicomplexan family of pathogens, which includes Plasmodium spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, are primarily obligate intracellular parasites and invade multiple cell types. These parasites express extracellular membrane protein receptors, adhesins, to form specific pathogen-host cell interaction complexes. Various adhesins are used to invade a variety of cell types. The receptors are linked to an actomyosin motor, which is part of a complex comprised of many proteins known as the invasion machinery or glideosome. To date, reviews on invasion have focused primarily on the molecular pathways and signals of invasion, with little or no structural information presented. Over 75 structures of parasite receptors and glideosome proteins have been deposited with the Protein Data Bank. These structures include adhesins, motor proteins, bridging proteins, inner membrane complex and cytoskeletal proteins, as well as co-crystal structures with peptides and antibodies. These structures provide information regarding key interactions necessary for target receptor engagement, machinery complex formation, how force is transmitted, and the basis of inhibitory antibodies. Additionally, these structures can provide starting points for the development of antibodies and inhibitory molecules targeting protein-protein interactions, with the aim to inhibit invasion. This review provides an overview of the parasite adhesin protein families, the glideosome components, glideosome architecture, and discuss recent work regarding alternative models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Boucher
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Jürgen Bosch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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50
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Yusuf NA, Green JL, Wall RJ, Knuepfer E, Moon RW, Schulte-Huxel C, Stanway RR, Martin SR, Howell SA, Douse CH, Cota E, Tate EW, Tewari R, Holder AA. The Plasmodium Class XIV Myosin, MyoB, Has a Distinct Subcellular Location in Invasive and Motile Stages of the Malaria Parasite and an Unusual Light Chain. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:12147-64. [PMID: 25802338 PMCID: PMC4424349 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.637694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Myosin B (MyoB) is one of the two short class XIV myosins encoded in the Plasmodium genome. Class XIV myosins are characterized by a catalytic "head," a modified "neck," and the absence of a "tail" region. Myosin A (MyoA), the other class XIV myosin in Plasmodium, has been established as a component of the glideosome complex important in motility and cell invasion, but MyoB is not well characterized. We analyzed the properties of MyoB using three parasite species as follows: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium berghei, and Plasmodium knowlesi. MyoB is expressed in all invasive stages (merozoites, ookinetes, and sporozoites) of the life cycle, and the protein is found in a discrete apical location in these polarized cells. In P. falciparum, MyoB is synthesized very late in schizogony/merogony, and its location in merozoites is distinct from, and anterior to, that of a range of known proteins present in the rhoptries, rhoptry neck or micronemes. Unlike MyoA, MyoB is not associated with glideosome complex proteins, including the MyoA light chain, myosin A tail domain-interacting protein (MTIP). A unique MyoB light chain (MLC-B) was identified that contains a calmodulin-like domain at the C terminus and an extended N-terminal region. MLC-B localizes to the same extreme apical pole in the cell as MyoB, and the two proteins form a complex. We propose that MLC-B is a MyoB-specific light chain, and for the short class XIV myosins that lack a tail region, the atypical myosin light chains may fulfill that role.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Richard J Wall
- the School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Rebecca R Stanway
- the Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland, and
| | | | - Steven A Howell
- Molecular Structure, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher H Douse
- the Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ernesto Cota
- the Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Edward W Tate
- the Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Rita Tewari
- the School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, United Kingdom
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