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Ganley M, Holz LE, Minnell JJ, de Menezes MN, Burn OK, Poa KCY, Draper SL, English K, Chan STS, Anderson RJ, Compton BJ, Marshall AJ, Cozijnsen A, Chua YC, Ge Z, Farrand KJ, Mamum JC, Xu C, Cockburn IA, Yui K, Bertolino P, Gras S, Le Nours J, Rossjohn J, Fernandez-Ruiz D, McFadden GI, Ackerley DF, Painter GF, Hermans IF, Heath WR. mRNA vaccine against malaria tailored for liver-resident memory T cells. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:1487-1498. [PMID: 37474653 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-023-01562-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is caused by Plasmodium species transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Following a mosquito bite, Plasmodium sporozoites migrate from skin to liver, where extensive replication occurs, emerging later as merozoites that can infect red blood cells and cause symptoms of disease. As liver tissue-resident memory T cells (Trm cells) have recently been shown to control liver-stage infections, we embarked on a messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccine strategy to induce liver Trm cells to prevent malaria. Although a standard mRNA vaccine was unable to generate liver Trm or protect against challenge with Plasmodium berghei sporozoites in mice, addition of an agonist that recruits T cell help from type I natural killer T cells under mRNA-vaccination conditions resulted in significant generation of liver Trm cells and effective protection. Moreover, whereas previous exposure of mice to blood-stage infection impaired traditional vaccines based on attenuated sporozoites, mRNA vaccination was unaffected, underlining the potential for such a rational mRNA-based strategy in malaria-endemic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitch Ganley
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Lauren E Holz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Maria N de Menezes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Olivia K Burn
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Kean Chan Yew Poa
- Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah L Draper
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Kieran English
- Centenary Institute and University of Sydney, AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Susanna T S Chan
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Regan J Anderson
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin J Compton
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Andrew J Marshall
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Anton Cozijnsen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yu Cheng Chua
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zhengyu Ge
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - John C Mamum
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Calvin Xu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian A Cockburn
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Katsuyuki Yui
- Shionogi Global Infectious Diseases Division, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Patrick Bertolino
- Centenary Institute and University of Sydney, AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephanie Gras
- Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jérôme Le Nours
- Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jamie Rossjohn
- Infection and Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, UK
| | - Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - David F Ackerley
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Gavin F Painter
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Ian F Hermans
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - William R Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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2
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Dans MG, Piirainen H, Nguyen W, Khurana S, Mehra S, Razook Z, Geoghegan ND, Dawson AT, Das S, Parkyn Schneider M, Jonsdottir TK, Gabriela M, Gancheva MR, Tonkin CJ, Mollard V, Goodman CD, McFadden GI, Wilson DW, Rogers KL, Barry AE, Crabb BS, de Koning-Ward TF, Sleebs BE, Kursula I, Gilson PR. Sulfonylpiperazine compounds prevent Plasmodium falciparum invasion of red blood cells through interference with actin-1/profilin dynamics. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002066. [PMID: 37053271 PMCID: PMC10128974 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
With emerging resistance to frontline treatments, it is vital that new antimalarial drugs are identified to target Plasmodium falciparum. We have recently described a compound, MMV020291, as a specific inhibitor of red blood cell (RBC) invasion, and have generated analogues with improved potency. Here, we generated resistance to MMV020291 and performed whole genome sequencing of 3 MMV020291-resistant populations. This revealed 3 nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in 2 genes; 2 in profilin (N154Y, K124N) and a third one in actin-1 (M356L). Using CRISPR-Cas9, we engineered these mutations into wild-type parasites, which rendered them resistant to MMV020291. We demonstrate that MMV020291 reduces actin polymerisation that is required by the merozoite stage parasites to invade RBCs. Additionally, the series inhibits the actin-1-dependent process of apicoplast segregation, leading to a delayed death phenotype. In vitro cosedimentation experiments using recombinant P. falciparum proteins indicate that potent MMV020291 analogues disrupt the formation of filamentous actin in the presence of profilin. Altogether, this study identifies the first compound series interfering with the actin-1/profilin interaction in P. falciparum and paves the way for future antimalarial development against the highly dynamic process of actin polymerisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline G Dans
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Medicine and Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Henni Piirainen
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - William Nguyen
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sachin Khurana
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Somya Mehra
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zahra Razook
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Medicine and Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | - Sujaan Das
- Ludwig Maximilian University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Thorey K Jonsdottir
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mikha Gabriela
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Medicine and Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | - Maria R Gancheva
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Kelly L Rogers
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alyssa E Barry
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Medicine and Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brendan S Crabb
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tania F de Koning-Ward
- School of Medicine and Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Inari Kursula
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Paul R Gilson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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3
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Maor-Landaw K, Eisenhut M, Tortorelli G, van de Meene A, Kurz S, Segal G, van Oppen MJH, Weber APM, McFadden GI. A candidate transporter allowing symbiotic dinoflagellates to feed their coral hosts. ISME Commun 2023; 3:7. [PMID: 36709382 PMCID: PMC9884229 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00218-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The symbiotic partnership between corals and dinoflagellate algae is crucial to coral reefs. Corals provide their algal symbionts with shelter, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. In exchange, the symbiotic algae supply their animal hosts with fixed carbon in the form of glucose. But how glucose is transferred from the algal symbiont to the animal host is unknown. We reasoned that a transporter resident in the dinoflagellate cell membrane would facilitate outward transfer of glucose to the surrounding host animal tissue. We identified a candidate transporter in the cnidarian symbiont dinoflagellate Breviolum minutum that belongs to the ubiquitous family of facilitative sugar uniporters known as SWEETs (sugars will eventually be exported transporters). Previous gene expression analyses had shown that BmSWEET1 is upregulated when the algae are living symbiotically in a cnidarian host by comparison to the free-living state [1, 2]. We used immunofluorescence microscopy to localise BmSWEET1 in the dinoflagellate cell membrane. Substrate preference assays in a yeast surrogate transport system showed that BmSWEET1 transports glucose. Quantitative microscopy showed that symbiotic B. minutum cells have significantly more BmSWEET1 protein than free-living cells of the same strain, consistent with export during symbiosis but not during the free-living, planktonic phase. Thus, BmSWEET1 is in the right place, at the right time, and has the right substrate to be the transporter with which symbiotic dinoflagellate algae feed their animal hosts to power coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Maor-Landaw
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Marine Biology, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Marion Eisenhut
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Computational Biology, Faculty of Biology, CeBiTec, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Giada Tortorelli
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Coral Resilience Lab, Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, Kāne'ohe, HI, USA
| | | | - Samantha Kurz
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Gabriela Segal
- Biological Optical Microscopy Platform, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Andreas P M Weber
- Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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4
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Burns AL, Sleebs BE, Gancheva M, McLean KT, Siddiqui G, Venter H, Beeson JG, O’Handley R, Creek DJ, Ma S, Frölich S, Goodman CD, McFadden GI, Wilson DW. Targeting malaria parasites with novel derivatives of azithromycin. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1063407. [PMID: 36530422 PMCID: PMC9748569 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1063407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The spread of artemisinin resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites is of global concern and highlights the need to identify new antimalarials for future treatments. Azithromycin, a macrolide antibiotic used clinically against malaria, kills parasites via two mechanisms: 'delayed death' by inhibiting the bacterium-like ribosomes of the apicoplast, and 'quick-killing' that kills rapidly across the entire blood stage development. Methods Here, 22 azithromycin analogues were explored for delayed death and quick-killing activities against P. falciparum (the most virulent human malaria) and P. knowlesi (a monkey parasite that frequently infects humans). Results Seventeen analogues showed improved quick-killing against both Plasmodium species, with up to 38 to 20-fold higher potency over azithromycin after less than 48 or 28 hours of treatment for P. falciparum and P. knowlesi, respectively. Quick-killing analogues maintained activity throughout the blood stage lifecycle, including ring stages of P. falciparum parasites (<12 hrs treatment) and were >5-fold more selective against P. falciparum than human cells. Isopentenyl pyrophosphate supplemented parasites that lacked an apicoplast were equally sensitive to quick-killing analogues, confirming that the quick killing activity of these drugs was not directed at the apicoplast. Further, activity against the related apicoplast containing parasite Toxoplasma gondii and the gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae did not show improvement over azithromycin, highlighting the specific improvement in antimalarial quick-killing activity. Metabolomic profiling of parasites subjected to the most potent compound showed a build-up of non-haemoglobin derived peptides that was similar to chloroquine, while also exhibiting accumulation of haemoglobin-derived peptides that was absent for chloroquine treatment. Discussion The azithromycin analogues characterised in this study expand the structural diversity over previously reported quick-killing compounds and provide new starting points to develop azithromycin analogues with quick-killing antimalarial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L. Burns
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia,School of Science and Technology, the University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Brad E. Sleebs
- ACRF Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Maria Gancheva
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Kimberley T. McLean
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Ghizal Siddiqui
- Drug Delivery Disposition and Dynamics, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Henrietta Venter
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - James G. Beeson
- Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Ryan O’Handley
- School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia,Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Darren J. Creek
- Drug Delivery Disposition and Dynamics, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Shutao Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Sonja Frölich
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | | | - Danny W. Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia,Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Program, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia,*Correspondence: Danny W. Wilson,
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5
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Meijlink MA, Chua YC, Chan STS, Anderson RJ, Rosenberg MW, Cozijnsen A, Mollard V, McFadden GI, Draper SL, Holz LE, Hermans IF, Heath WR, Painter GF, Compton BJ. 6″-Modifed α-GalCer-peptide conjugate vaccine candidates protect against liver-stage malaria. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:551-560. [PMID: 35656478 PMCID: PMC9092427 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00251a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-adjuvanting vaccines consisting of peptide epitopes conjugated to immune adjuvants are a powerful way of generating antigen-specific immune responses. We previously showed that a Plasmodium-derived peptide conjugated to a rearranged form of α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) could stimulate liver-resident memory T (TRM) cells that were effective killers of liver-stage Plasmodium berghei ANKA (Pba)-infected cells. To investigate if similar or even superior TRM responses can be induced by modifying the α-GalCer adjuvant, we created new conjugate vaccine cadidates by attaching an immunogenic Plasmodium-derived peptide antigen to 6″-substituted α-GalCer analogues. Vaccine synthesis involved developing an efficient route to α-galactosylphytosphingosine (α-GalPhs), from which the prototypical iNKT cell agonist, α-GalCer, and its 6″-deoxy-6″-thio and -amino analogues were derived. Attaching a cathepsin B-cleavable linker to the 6″-modified α-GalCer created pro-adjuvants bearing a pendant ketone group available for peptide conjugation. Optimized reaction conditions were developed that allow for the efficient conjugation of peptide antigens to the pro-adjuvants via oxime ligation to create new glycolipid-peptide (GLP) conjugate vaccines. A single dose of the vaccine candidates induced acute NKT and Plasmodium-specific CD8+ T cell responses that generated potent hepatic TRM responses in mice. Our findings demonstrate that attaching antigenic peptides to 6″-modifed α-GalCer generates powerful self-adjuvanting conjugate vaccine candidates that could potentially control hepatotropic infections such as liver-stage malaria. Candidate vaccines comprised of peptide antigen conjugated to 6″-modified α-GalCer analogues generate potent hepatic TRM responses in mice with a single dose inducing protective immunity against malaria in a Plasmodium sporozoite challenge model.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A. Meijlink
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Yu Cheng Chua
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Susanna T. S. Chan
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Regan J. Anderson
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Matthew W. Rosenberg
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Anton Cozijnsen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourntie, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourntie, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Sarah L. Draper
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Lauren E. Holz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian F. Hermans
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
- Avalia Immunotherapies Limited, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - William R. Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Gavin F. Painter
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
- Avalia Immunotherapies Limited, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin J. Compton
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
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6
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Buchanan HD, Goodman CD, McFadden GI. Roles of the apicoplast across the life cycles of rodent and human malaria parasites. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12947. [PMID: 36070203 PMCID: PMC9828729 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Malaria parasites are diheteroxenous, requiring two hosts-a vertebrate and a mosquito-to complete their life cycle. Mosquitoes are the definitive host where malaria parasite sex occurs, and vertebrates are the intermediate host, supporting asexual amplification and more significant geographic spread. In this review, we examine the roles of a single malaria parasite compartment, the relict plastid known as the apicoplast, at each life cycle stage. We focus mainly on two malaria parasite species-Plasmodium falciparum and P. berghei-comparing the changing, yet ever crucial, roles of their apicoplasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley D. Buchanan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne Medical SchoolThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVic.Australia,Faculty of Science, School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVic.Australia
| | - Christopher D. Goodman
- Faculty of Science, School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVic.Australia
| | - Geoffrey I. McFadden
- Faculty of Science, School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVic.Australia
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7
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Tortorelli G, Pettolino F, Lai D, Tomčala A, Bacic A, Oborník M, Lukeš J, McFadden GI. The cell wall polysaccharides of a photosynthetic relative of apicomplexans, Chromera velia. J Phycol 2021; 57:1805-1809. [PMID: 34491587 PMCID: PMC9293442 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Chromerids are a group of alveolates, found in corals, that show peculiar morphological and genomic features. These organisms are evolutionary placed in-between symbiotic dinoflagellates and parasitic apicomplexans. There are two known species of chromerids: Chromera velia and Vitrella brassicaformis. Here, the biochemical composition of the C. velia cell wall was analyzed. Several polysaccharides adorn this structure, with glucose being the most abundant monosaccharide (approx. 80%) and predominantly 4-linked (approx. 60%), suggesting that the chromerids cell wall is mostly cellulosic. The presence of cellulose was cytochemically confirmed with calcofluor white staining of the algal cell. The remaining wall polysaccharides, assuming structures are similar to those of higher plants, are indicative of a mixture of galactans, xyloglucans, heteroxylans, and heteromannans. The present work provides, for the first time, insights into the outermost layers of the photosynthetic alveolate C. velia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Tortorelli
- School of BiosciencesThe University of MelbourneParkville3010VictoriaAustralia
| | - Filomena Pettolino
- CSIRO Agriculture and FoodCanberra2601Australian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - De‐Hua Lai
- State Key Laboratory of BiocontrolCenter for Parasitic OrganismsSchool of Life SciencesSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510275China
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology CentreCzech Academy of Sciences370 05České BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | - Aleš Tomčala
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology CentreCzech Academy of Sciences370 05České BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | - Antony Bacic
- Department of Animal, Plant & Soil SciencesLa Trobe Institute for Agriculture and FoodLa Trobe UniversityAgriBio BuildingBundooraVictoriaAustralia
| | - Miroslav Oborník
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology CentreCzech Academy of Sciences370 05České BudějoviceCzech Republic
- Faculty of ScienceUniversity of South Bohemia37005České BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology CentreCzech Academy of Sciences370 05České BudějoviceCzech Republic
- Faculty of ScienceUniversity of South Bohemia37005České BudějoviceCzech Republic
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8
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Bailey BL, Nguyen W, Ngo A, Goodman CD, Gancheva MR, Favuzza P, Sanz LM, Gamo FJ, Lowes KN, McFadden GI, Wilson DW, Laleu B, Brand S, Jackson PF, Cowman AF, Sleebs BE. Optimisation of 2-(N-phenyl carboxamide) triazolopyrimidine antimalarials with moderate to slow acting erythrocytic stage activity. Bioorg Chem 2021; 115:105244. [PMID: 34452759 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a devastating parasitic disease caused by parasites from the genus Plasmodium. Therapeutic resistance has been reported against all clinically available antimalarials, threatening our ability to control the disease and therefore there is an ongoing need for the development of novel antimalarials. Towards this goal, we identified the 2-(N-phenyl carboxamide) triazolopyrimidine class from a high throughput screen of the Janssen Jumpstarter library against the asexual stages of the P. falciparum parasite. Here we describe the structure activity relationship of the identified class and the optimisation of asexual stage activity while maintaining selectivity against the human HepG2 cell line. The most potent analogues from this study were shown to exhibit equipotent activity against P. falciparum multidrug resistant strains and P. knowlesi asexual parasites. Asexual stage phenotyping studies determined the triazolopyrimidine class arrests parasites at the trophozoite stage, but it is likely these parasites are still metabolically active until the second asexual cycle, and thus have a moderate to slow onset of action. Non-NADPH dependent degradation of the central carboxamide and low aqueous solubility was observed in in vitro ADME profiling. A significant challenge remains to correct these liabilities for further advancement of the 2-(N-phenyl carboxamide) triazolopyrimidine scaffold as a potential moderate to slow acting partner in a curative or prophylactic antimalarial treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brodie L Bailey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - William Nguyen
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Anna Ngo
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | | | - Maria R Gancheva
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Paola Favuzza
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Laura M Sanz
- Global Health Pharma Research Unit, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos 28760, Spain
| | | | - Kym N Lowes
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Benoît Laleu
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva 1215, Switzerland
| | - Stephen Brand
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva 1215, Switzerland
| | - Paul F Jackson
- Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Alan F Cowman
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia.
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9
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Tortorelli G, Oakley CA, Davy SK, van Oppen MJH, McFadden GI. Cell wall proteomic analysis of the cnidarian photosymbionts Breviolum minutum and Cladocopium goreaui. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2021; 69:e12870. [PMID: 34448326 PMCID: PMC9293036 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The algal cell wall is an important cellular component that functions in defense, nutrient utilization, signaling, adhesion, and cell–cell recognition—processes important in the cnidarian–dinoflagellate symbiosis. The cell wall of symbiodiniacean dinoflagellates is not well characterized. Here, we present a method to isolate cell walls of Symbiodiniaceae and prepare cell‐wall‐enriched samples for proteomic analysis. Label‐free liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was used to explore the surface proteome of two Symbiodiniaceae species from the Great Barrier Reef: Breviolum minutum and Cladocopium goreaui. Transporters, hydrolases, translocases, and proteins involved in cell‐adhesion and protein–protein interactions were identified, but the majority of cell wall proteins had no homologues in public databases. We propose roles for some of these proteins in the cnidarian–dinoflagellate symbiosis. This work provides the first proteomics investigation of cell wall proteins in the Symbiodiniaceae and represents a basis for future explorations of the roles of cell wall proteins in Symbiodiniaceae and other dinoflagellates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Tortorelli
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
| | - Clinton A Oakley
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn, New Zealand
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn, New Zealand
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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10
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Tortorelli G, Rautengarten C, Bacic A, Segal G, Ebert B, Davy SK, van Oppen MJH, McFadden GI. Cell surface carbohydrates of symbiotic dinoflagellates and their role in the establishment of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. ISME J 2021; 16:190-199. [PMID: 34285364 PMCID: PMC8290866 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01059-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Symbiodiniaceae algae are often photosymbionts of reef-building corals. The establishment of their symbiosis resembles a microbial infection where eukaryotic pattern recognition receptors (e.g. lectins) are thought to recognize a specific range of taxon-specific microbial-associated molecular patterns (e.g. glycans). The present study used the sea anemone, Exaiptasia diaphana and three species of Symbiodiniaceae (the homologous Breviolum minutum, the heterologous-compatible Cladocopium goreaui and the heterologous-incompatible Fugacium kawagutii) to compare the surface glycomes of three symbionts and explore the role of glycan–lectin interactions in host–symbiont recognition and establishment of symbiosis. We identified the nucleotide sugars of the algal cells, then examined glycans on the cell wall of the three symbiont species with monosaccharide analysis, lectin array technology and fluorescence microscopy of the algal cell decorated with fluorescently tagged lectins. Armed with this inventory of possible glycan moieties, we then assayed the ability of the three Symbiodiniaceae to colonize aposymbiotic E. diaphana after modifying the surface of one of the two partners. The Symbiodiniaceae cell-surface glycome varies among algal species. Trypsin treatment of the alga changed the rate of B. minutum and C. goreaui uptake, suggesting that a protein-based moiety is an essential part of compatible symbiont recognition. Our data strongly support the importance of D-galactose (in particular β-D-galactose) residues in the establishment of the cnidarian–dinoflagellate symbiosis, and we propose a potential involvement of L-fucose, D-xylose and D-galacturonic acid in the early steps of this mutualism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Tortorelli
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | | | - Antony Bacic
- Department of Animal, Plant & Soil Sciences, La Trobe Institute for Agriculture and Food, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Gabriela Segal
- Biological Optical Microscopy Platform, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Berit Ebert
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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11
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Feng G, Wines BD, Kurtovic L, Chan JA, Boeuf P, Mollard V, Cozijnsen A, Drew DR, Center RJ, Marshall DL, Chishimba S, McFadden GI, Dent AE, Chelimo K, Boyle MJ, Kazura JW, Hogarth PM, Beeson JG. Mechanisms and targets of Fcγ-receptor mediated immunity to malaria sporozoites. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1742. [PMID: 33741975 PMCID: PMC7979888 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21998-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A highly protective vaccine will greatly facilitate achieving and sustaining malaria elimination. Understanding mechanisms of antibody-mediated immunity is crucial for developing vaccines with high efficacy. Here, we identify key roles in humoral immunity for Fcγ-receptor (FcγR) interactions and opsonic phagocytosis of sporozoites. We identify a major role for neutrophils in mediating phagocytic clearance of sporozoites in peripheral blood, whereas monocytes contribute a minor role. Antibodies also promote natural killer cell activity. Mechanistically, antibody interactions with FcγRIII appear essential, with FcγRIIa also required for maximum activity. All regions of the circumsporozoite protein are targets of functional antibodies against sporozoites, and N-terminal antibodies have more activity in some assays. Functional antibodies are slowly acquired following natural exposure to malaria, being present among some exposed adults, but uncommon among children. Our findings reveal targets and mechanisms of immunity that could be exploited in vaccine design to maximize efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoqian Feng
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medicine and Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Bruce D Wines
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Liriye Kurtovic
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jo-Anne Chan
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Philippe Boeuf
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medicine and Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anton Cozijnsen
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Damien R Drew
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rob J Center
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medicine and Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel L Marshall
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sandra Chishimba
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medicine and Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Arlene E Dent
- Centre for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Kiprotich Chelimo
- Department of Biomedical Science and Technology, Maseno University, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Michelle J Boyle
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Immunology, IMR-Berghofer Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - James W Kazura
- Centre for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - P Mark Hogarth
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Medicine and Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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12
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Biddau M, Santha Kumar TR, Henrich P, Laine LM, Blackburn GJ, Chokkathukalam A, Li T, Lee Sim K, King L, Hoffman SL, Barrett MP, Coombs GH, McFadden GI, Fidock DA, Müller S, Sheiner L. Plasmodium falciparum LipB mutants display altered redox and carbon metabolism in asexual stages and cannot complete sporogony in Anopheles mosquitoes. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:441-453. [PMID: 33713652 PMCID: PMC8126644 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Apicoplast LipB deletion leads to changed antioxidant expression that precedes and coincides with accelerated differentiation. 3D7 Plasmodium exhibits changes in glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle activity after deletion of apicoplast LipB. When LipB is deleted from NF54 Plasmodium, the resulting parasites cannot complete their development in mosquitoes.
Malaria is still one of the most important global infectious diseases. Emergence of drug resistance and a shortage of new efficient antimalarials continue to hamper a malaria eradication agenda. Malaria parasites are highly sensitive to changes in the redox environment. Understanding the mechanisms regulating parasite redox could contribute to the design of new drugs. Malaria parasites have a complex network of redox regulatory systems housed in their cytosol, in their mitochondrion and in their plastid (apicoplast). While the roles of enzymes of the thioredoxin and glutathione pathways in parasite survival have been explored, the antioxidant role of α-lipoic acid (LA) produced in the apicoplast has not been tested. To take a first step in teasing a putative role of LA in redox regulation, we analysed a mutant Plasmodium falciparum (3D7 strain) lacking the apicoplast lipoic acid protein ligase B (lipB) known to be depleted of LA. Our results showed a change in expression of redox regulators in the apicoplast and the cytosol. We further detected a change in parasite central carbon metabolism, with lipB deletion resulting in changes to glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle activity. Further, in another Plasmodium cell line (NF54), deletion of lipB impacted development in the mosquito, preventing the detection of infectious sporozoite stages. While it is not clear at this point if the observed phenotypes are linked, these findings flag LA biosynthesis as an important subject for further study in the context of redox regulation in asexual stages, and point to LipB as a potential target for the development of new transmission drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Biddau
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
| | - T R Santha Kumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Philipp Henrich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Larissa M Laine
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin J Blackburn
- Glasgow Polyomics, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Tao Li
- Sanaria Inc., Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | | | - Lewis King
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Michael P Barrett
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Glasgow Polyomics, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Graham H Coombs
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Sylke Müller
- Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Lilach Sheiner
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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13
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Ghilas S, Enders MH, May R, Holz LE, Fernandez-Ruiz D, Cozijnsen A, Mollard V, Cockburn IA, McFadden GI, Heath WR, Beattie L. Development of Plasmodium-specific liver-resident memory CD8 + T cells after heat-killed sporozoite immunization in mice. Eur J Immunol 2021; 51:1153-1165. [PMID: 33486759 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202048757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a major cause of mortality in the world and an efficient vaccine is the best chance of reducing the disease burden. Vaccination strategies for the liver stage of disease that utilise injection of live radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS) confer sterile immunity, which is mediated by CD8+ memory T cells, with liver-resident memory T cells (TRM ) being particularly important. We have previously described a TCR transgenic mouse, termed PbT-I, where all CD8+ T cells recognize a specific peptide from Plasmodium. PbT-I form liver TRM cells upon RAS injection and are capable of protecting mice against challenge infection. Here, we utilize this transgenic system to examine whether nonliving sporozoites, killed by heat treatment (HKS), could trigger the development of Plasmodium-specific liver TRM cells. We found that HKS vaccination induced the formation of memory CD8+ T cells in the spleen and liver, and importantly, liver TRM cells were fewer in number than that induced by RAS. Crucially, we showed the number of TRM cells was significantly higher when HKS were combined with the glycolipid α-galactosylceramide as an adjuvant. In the future, this work could lead to development of an antimalaria vaccination strategy that does not require live sporozoites, providing greater utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Ghilas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Matthias H Enders
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Rose May
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Lauren E Holz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Anton Cozijnsen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ian A Cockburn
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - William R Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Lynette Beattie
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
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14
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Holz LE, Chua YC, de Menezes MN, Anderson RJ, Draper SL, Compton BJ, Chan STS, Mathew J, Li J, Kedzierski L, Wang Z, Beattie L, Enders MH, Ghilas S, May R, Steiner TM, Lange J, Fernandez-Ruiz D, Valencia-Hernandez AM, Osmond TL, Farrand KJ, Seneviratna R, Almeida CF, Tullett KM, Bertolino P, Bowen DG, Cozijnsen A, Mollard V, McFadden GI, Caminschi I, Lahoud MH, Kedzierska K, Turner SJ, Godfrey DI, Hermans IF, Painter GF, Heath WR. Glycolipid-peptide vaccination induces liver-resident memory CD8 + T cells that protect against rodent malaria. Sci Immunol 2021; 5:5/48/eaaz8035. [PMID: 32591409 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aaz8035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Liver resident-memory CD8+ T cells (TRM cells) can kill liver-stage Plasmodium-infected cells and prevent malaria, but simple vaccines for generating this important immune population are lacking. Here, we report the development of a fully synthetic self-adjuvanting glycolipid-peptide conjugate vaccine designed to efficiently induce liver TRM cells. Upon cleavage in vivo, the glycolipid-peptide conjugate vaccine releases an MHC I-restricted peptide epitope (to stimulate Plasmodium-specific CD8+ T cells) and an adjuvant component, the NKT cell agonist α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer). A single dose of this vaccine in mice induced substantial numbers of intrahepatic malaria-specific CD8+ T cells expressing canonical markers of liver TRM cells (CD69, CXCR6, and CD101), and these cells could be further increased in number upon vaccine boosting. We show that modifications to the peptide, such as addition of proteasomal-cleavage sequences or epitope-flanking sequences, or the use of alternative conjugation methods to link the peptide to the glycolipid improved liver TRM cell generation and led to the development of a vaccine able to induce sterile protection in C57BL/6 mice against Plasmodium berghei sporozoite challenge after a single dose. Furthermore, this vaccine induced endogenous liver TRM cells that were long-lived (half-life of ~425 days) and were able to maintain >90% sterile protection to day 200. Our findings describe an ideal synthetic vaccine platform for generating large numbers of liver TRM cells for effective control of liver-stage malaria and, potentially, a variety of other hepatotropic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Holz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Yu Cheng Chua
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Maria N de Menezes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Regan J Anderson
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Sarah L Draper
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Benjamin J Compton
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Susanna T S Chan
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Juby Mathew
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - Jasmine Li
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedical Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Lukasz Kedzierski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Zhongfang Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Lynette Beattie
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthias H Enders
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sonia Ghilas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rose May
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Thiago M Steiner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Joshua Lange
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ana Maria Valencia-Hernandez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Taryn L Osmond
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand.,Avalia Immunotherapies Limited, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | | | - Rebecca Seneviratna
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Catarina F Almeida
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kirsteen M Tullett
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Patrick Bertolino
- Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney and AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Liver Immunology Program, Newtown, NSW, Australia
| | - David G Bowen
- Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney and AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Liver Immunology Program, Newtown, NSW, Australia
| | - Anton Cozijnsen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Irina Caminschi
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Mireille H Lahoud
- Infection and Immunity Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Katherine Kedzierska
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephen J Turner
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedical Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Dale I Godfrey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian F Hermans
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand. .,Avalia Immunotherapies Limited, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.,Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Gavin F Painter
- Ferrier Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. .,Avalia Immunotherapies Limited, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
| | - William R Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. .,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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15
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Enders MH, Bayarsaikhan G, Ghilas S, Chua YC, May R, de Menezes MN, Ge Z, Tan PS, Cozijnsen A, Mollard V, Yui K, McFadden GI, Lahoud MH, Caminschi I, Purcell AW, Schittenhelm RB, Beattie L, Heath WR, Fernandez-Ruiz D. Plasmodium berghei Hsp90 contains a natural immunogenic I-Ab-restricted antigen common to rodent and human Plasmodium species. Current Research in Immunology 2021; 2:79-92. [PMID: 35492393 PMCID: PMC9040146 DOI: 10.1016/j.crimmu.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Thorough understanding of the role of CD4 T cells in immunity can be greatly assisted by the study of responses to defined specificities. This requires knowledge of Plasmodium-derived immunogenic epitopes, of which only a few have been identified, especially for the mouse C57BL/6 background. We recently developed a TCR transgenic mouse line, termed PbT-II, that produces CD4+ T cells specific for an MHC class II (I-Ab)-restricted Plasmodium epitope and is responsive to both sporozoites and blood-stage P. berghei. Here, we identify a peptide within the P. berghei heat shock protein 90 as the cognate epitope recognised by PbT-II cells. We show that C57BL/6 mice infected with P. berghei blood-stage induce an endogenous CD4 T cell response specific for this epitope, indicating cells of similar specificity to PbT-II cells are present in the naïve repertoire. Adoptive transfer of in vitro activated TH1-, or particularly TH2-polarised PbT-II cells improved control of P. berghei parasitemia in C57BL/6 mice and drastically reduced the onset of experimental cerebral malaria. Our results identify a versatile, potentially protective MHC-II restricted epitope useful for exploration of CD4 T cell-mediated immunity and vaccination strategies against malaria. Identification of a novel MHC-II-restricted epitope in P. berghei Hsp90 that is the cognate antigen of PbT-II CD4+ T cells. This epitope is conserved among mouse malaria parasites and in Plasmodium falciparum, which causes human malaria. Exposure to liver or blood stage P. berghei infection expands a population of endogenous Hsp90-specific CD4+ T cells. Dendritic cell-targeted vaccination generates memory PbT-II cells and endogenous Hsp90-specific CD4+ T cells. TH1- and TH2-polarised PbT-II cells reduce P. berghei parasitaemia and mitigate development of experimental cerebral malaria.
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16
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Burns AL, Sleebs BE, Siddiqui G, De Paoli AE, Anderson D, Liffner B, Harvey R, Beeson JG, Creek DJ, Goodman CD, McFadden GI, Wilson DW. Retargeting azithromycin analogues to have dual-modality antimalarial activity. BMC Biol 2020; 18:133. [PMID: 32993629 PMCID: PMC7526119 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00859-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resistance to front-line antimalarials (artemisinin combination therapies) is spreading, and development of new drug treatment strategies to rapidly kill Plasmodium spp. malaria parasites is urgently needed. Azithromycin is a clinically used macrolide antibiotic proposed as a partner drug for combination therapy in malaria, which has also been tested as monotherapy. However, its slow-killing 'delayed-death' activity against the parasite's apicoplast organelle and suboptimal activity as monotherapy limit its application as a potential malaria treatment. Here, we explore a panel of azithromycin analogues and demonstrate that chemical modifications can be used to greatly improve the speed and potency of antimalarial action. RESULTS Investigation of 84 azithromycin analogues revealed nanomolar quick-killing potency directed against the very earliest stage of parasite development within red blood cells. Indeed, the best analogue exhibited 1600-fold higher potency than azithromycin with less than 48 hrs treatment in vitro. Analogues were effective against zoonotic Plasmodium knowlesi malaria parasites and against both multi-drug and artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum lines. Metabolomic profiles of azithromycin analogue-treated parasites suggested activity in the parasite food vacuole and mitochondria were disrupted. Moreover, unlike the food vacuole-targeting drug chloroquine, azithromycin and analogues were active across blood-stage development, including merozoite invasion, suggesting that these macrolides have a multi-factorial mechanism of quick-killing activity. The positioning of functional groups added to azithromycin and its quick-killing analogues altered their activity against bacterial-like ribosomes but had minimal change on 'quick-killing' activity. Apicoplast minus parasites remained susceptible to both azithromycin and its analogues, further demonstrating that quick-killing is independent of apicoplast-targeting, delayed-death activity. CONCLUSION We show that azithromycin and analogues can rapidly kill malaria parasite asexual blood stages via a fast action mechanism. Development of azithromycin and analogues as antimalarials offers the possibility of targeting parasites through both a quick-killing and delayed-death mechanism of action in a single, multifactorial chemotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Burns
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, 3050, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3050, Australia
| | - Ghizal Siddiqui
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Amanda E De Paoli
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Dovile Anderson
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Benjamin Liffner
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Richard Harvey
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Central Clinical School and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Darren J Creek
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Christopher D Goodman
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, 5005, Australia.
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.
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17
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Goodman CD, Uddin T, Spillman NJ, McFadden GI. A single point mutation in the Plasmodium falciparum FtsH1 metalloprotease confers actinonin resistance. eLife 2020; 9:58629. [PMID: 32678064 PMCID: PMC7386903 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The antibiotic actinonin kills malaria parasites (Plasmodium falciparum) by interfering with apicoplast function. Early evidence suggested that actinonin inhibited prokaryote-like post-translational modification in the apicoplast; mimicking its activity against bacteria. However, Amberg Johnson et al. (2017) identified the metalloprotease TgFtsH1 as the target of actinonin in the related parasite Toxoplasma gondii and implicated P. falciparum FtsH1 as a likely target in malaria parasites. The authors were not, however, able to recover actinonin resistant malaria parasites, leaving the specific target of actinonin uncertain. We generated actinonin resistant P. falciparum by in vitro selection and identified a specific sequence change in PfFtsH1 associated with resistance. Introduction of this point mutation using CRISPr-Cas9 allelic replacement was sufficient to confer actinonin resistance in P. falciparum. Our data unequivocally identify PfFtsH1 as the target of actinonin and suggests that actinonin should not be included in the highly valuable collection of ‘irresistible’ drugs for combatting malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Taher Uddin
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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18
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Tjhin ET, Hayward JA, McFadden GI, van Dooren GG. Characterization of the apicoplast-localized enzyme TgUroD in Toxoplasma gondii reveals a key role of the apicoplast in heme biosynthesis. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:1539-1550. [PMID: 31914409 PMCID: PMC7008375 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii possess an unusual heme biosynthesis pathway whose enzymes localize to the mitochondrion, cytosol, or apicoplast, a nonphotosynthetic plastid present in most apicomplexans. To characterize the involvement of the apicoplast in the T. gondii heme biosynthesis pathway, we investigated the role of the apicoplast-localized enzyme uroporphyrinogen III decarboxylase (TgUroD). We found that TgUroD knockdown impaired parasite proliferation, decreased free heme levels in the parasite, and decreased the abundance of heme-containing c-type cytochrome proteins in the parasite mitochondrion. We validated the effects of heme loss on mitochondrial cytochromes by knocking down cytochrome c/c1 heme lyase 1 (TgCCHL1), a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the covalent attachment of heme to c-type cytochromes. TgCCHL1 depletion reduced parasite proliferation and decreased the abundance of c-type cytochromes. We further sought to characterize the overall importance of TgUroD and TgCCHL1 for both mitochondrial and general parasite metabolism. TgUroD depletion decreased cellular ATP levels, mitochondrial oxygen consumption, and extracellular acidification rates. By contrast, depletion of TgCCHL1 neither diminished ATP levels in the parasite nor impaired extracellular acidification rate, but resulted in specific defects in mitochondrial oxygen consumption. Together, our results indicate that the apicoplast has a key role in heme biology in T. gondii and is important for both mitochondrial and general parasite metabolism. Our study highlights the importance of heme and its synthesis in these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin T Tjhin
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Jenni A Hayward
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Giel G van Dooren
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
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19
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Maor‐Landaw K, van Oppen MJH, McFadden GI. Symbiotic lifestyle triggers drastic changes in the gene expression of the algal endosymbiont Breviolum minutum (Symbiodiniaceae). Ecol Evol 2020; 10:451-466. [PMID: 31993121 PMCID: PMC6972872 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis underpins the evolutionary success of corals reefs. Successful exchange of molecules between the cnidarian host and the Symbiodiniaceae algae enables the mutualistic partnership. The algae translocate photosynthate to their host in exchange for nutrients and shelter. The photosynthate must traverse multiple membranes, most likely facilitated by transporters. Here, we compared gene expression profiles of cultured, free-living Breviolum minutum with those of the homologous symbionts freshly isolated from the sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana, a widely used model for coral hosts. Additionally, we assessed expression levels of a list of candidate host transporters of interest in anemones with and without symbionts. Our transcriptome analyses highlight the distinctive nature of the two algal life stages, with many gene expression level changes correlating to the different morphologies, cell cycles, and metabolisms adopted in hospite versus free-living. Morphogenesis-related genes that likely underpin the metamorphosis process observed when symbionts enter a host cell were up-regulated. Conversely, many down-regulated genes appear to be indicative of the protective and confined nature of the symbiosome. Our results emphasize the significance of transmembrane transport to the symbiosis, and in particular of ammonium and sugar transport. Further, we pinpoint and characterize candidate transporters-predicted to be localized variously to the algal plasma membrane, the host plasma membrane, and the symbiosome membrane-that likely serve pivotal roles in the interchange of material during symbiosis. Our study provides new insights that expand our understanding of the molecular exchanges that underpin the cnidarian-algal symbiotic relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keren Maor‐Landaw
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVic.Australia
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVic.Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQldAustralia
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20
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Wetherbee R, Rossetto Marcelino V, Costa JF, Grant B, Crawford S, Waller RF, Andersen RA, Berry D, McFadden GI, Verbruggen H. A new marine prasinophyte genus alternates between a flagellate and a dominant benthic stage with microrhizoids for adhesion. J Phycol 2019; 55:1210-1225. [PMID: 31393007 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Prasinophytes (Chlorophyta) are a diverse, paraphyletic group of planktonic microalgae for which benthic species are largely unknown. Here, we report a sand-dwelling, marine prasinophyte with several novel features observed in clonal cultures established from numerous locations around Australia. The new genus and species, which we name Microrhizoidea pickettheapsiorum (Mamiellophyceae), alternates between a benthic palmelloid colony, where cell division occurs, and a planktonic flagellate. Flagellates are short lived, settle and quickly resorb their flagella, the basal bodies then nucleate novel tubular appendages, termed "microrhizoids", that lack an axoneme and function to anchor benthic cells to the substratum. To our knowledge, microrhizoids have not been observed in any other green alga or protist, are slightly smaller in diameter than flagella, generally contain nine microtubules, are long (3-5 times the length of flagella) and are not encased in scales. Following settlement, cell divisions result in a loose, palmelloid colony, each cell connected to the substratum by two microrhizoids. Flagellates are round to bean-shaped with two long, slightly uneven flagella. Both benthic cells and flagellates, along with their flagella, are encased in thin scales. Phylogenies based on the complete chloroplast genome of Microrhizoidea show that it is clearly a member of the Mamiellophyceae, most closely related to Dolichomastix tenuilepsis. More taxon-rich phylogenetic analyses of the 18S rRNA gene, including metabarcodes from the Tara Oceans and Ocean Sampling Day projects, confidently show the distinctive nature of Microrhizoidea, and that the described biodiversity of the Mamiellophyceae is a fraction of its real biodiversity. The discovery of a largely benthic prasinophyte changes our perspective on this group of algae and, along with the observation of other potential benthic lineages in environmental sequences, illustrates that benthic habitats can be a rich ground for algal biodiscovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Wetherbee
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Vanessa Rossetto Marcelino
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, 2145, Australia
| | - Joana F Costa
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Brenna Grant
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Simon Crawford
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Ross F Waller
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robert A Andersen
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Drew Berry
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Heroen Verbruggen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
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21
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Fernandez-Ruiz D, Ng WY, Holz LE, Ma JZ, Zaid A, Wong YC, Lau LS, Mollard V, Cozijnsen A, Collins N, Li J, Davey GM, Kato Y, Devi S, Skandari R, Pauley M, Manton JH, Godfrey DI, Braun A, Tay SS, Tan PS, Bowen DG, Koch-Nolte F, Rissiek B, Carbone FR, Crabb BS, Lahoud M, Cockburn IA, Mueller SN, Bertolino P, McFadden GI, Caminschi I, Heath WR. Liver-Resident Memory CD8 + T Cells Form a Front-Line Defense against Malaria Liver-Stage Infection. Immunity 2019; 51:780. [PMID: 31618655 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2019.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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22
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Goodman CD, Hoang AT, Diallo D, Malterud KE, McFadden GI, Wangensteen H. Anti-plasmodial Effects of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides. Planta Med 2019; 85:1073-1079. [PMID: 31365939 DOI: 10.1055/a-0973-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides, syn. Fagara zanthoxyloides, is a tree growing in West Africa and is used in traditional medicine against a variety of diseases, including malaria. In the work reported here, root bark and stem bark extracts of this tree, as well as compounds isolated from the extracts, have been investigated for activity in vitro against chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. In addition, toxicity against nauplii of the brine shrimp Artemia salina has been studied. Dichloromethane extracts of the root bark and stem bark, and a methanol extract of the stem bark, showed anti-parasitic activity towards chloroquine-sensitive as well as chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum, with IC50 values between 1 and 10 µg/mL. Among the isolated compounds, bis-dihydrochelerythrinyl ether, buesgenine, chelerythrine, γ-fagarine, skimmianine, and pellitorine were the most active, with IC50 values of less than 5 µg/mL. The dichloromethane extracts were toxic to brine shrimp nauplii, with LC50 values of less than 1 µg/mL. Methanol extracts were much less toxic (LC50 between 50 and 100 µg/mL). Among the isolated substances, bis-dihydrochelethrinyl ether was the most toxic (LC50 ca. 2 µg/mL).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - An Thuy Hoang
- Section for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Karl Egil Malterud
- Section for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Helle Wangensteen
- Section for Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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23
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Katris NJ, Ke H, McFadden GI, van Dooren GG, Waller RF. Calcium negatively regulates secretion from dense granules in Toxoplasma gondii. Cell Microbiol 2019; 21:e13011. [PMID: 30673152 PMCID: PMC6563121 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites including Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp. manufacture a complex arsenal of secreted proteins used to interact with and manipulate their host environment. These proteins are organised into three principle exocytotic compartment types according to their functions: micronemes for extracellular attachment and motility, rhoptries for host cell penetration, and dense granules for subsequent manipulation of the host intracellular environment. The order and timing of these events during the parasite's invasion cycle dictates when exocytosis from each compartment occurs. Tight control of compartment secretion is, therefore, an integral part of apicomplexan biology. Control of microneme exocytosis is best understood, where cytosolic intermediate molecular messengers cGMP and Ca2+ act as positive signals. The mechanisms for controlling secretion from rhoptries and dense granules, however, are virtually unknown. Here, we present evidence that dense granule exocytosis is negatively regulated by cytosolic Ca2+, and we show that this Ca2+‐mediated response is contingent on the function of calcium‐dependent protein kinases TgCDPK1 and TgCDPK3. Reciprocal control of micronemes and dense granules provides an elegant solution to the mutually exclusive functions of these exocytotic compartments in parasite invasion cycles and further demonstrates the central role that Ca2+ signalling plays in the invasion biology of apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Katris
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Huiling Ke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Giel G van Dooren
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Ross F Waller
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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24
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Andreadaki M, Hanssen E, Deligianni E, Claudet C, Wengelnik K, Mollard V, McFadden GI, Abkarian M, Braun-Breton C, Siden-Kiamos I. Sequential Membrane Rupture and Vesiculation during Plasmodium berghei Gametocyte Egress from the Red Blood Cell. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3543. [PMID: 29476099 PMCID: PMC5824807 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21801-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites alternate between intracellular and extracellular stages and successful egress from the host cell is crucial for continuation of the life cycle. We investigated egress of Plasmodium berghei gametocytes, an essential process taking place within a few minutes after uptake of a blood meal by the mosquito. Egress entails the rupture of two membranes surrounding the parasite: the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM), and the red blood cell membrane (RBCM). High-speed video microscopy of 56 events revealed that egress in both genders comprises four well-defined phases, although each event is slightly different. The first phase is swelling of the host cell, followed by rupture and immediate vesiculation of the PVM. These vesicles are extruded through a single stabilized pore of the RBCM, and the latter is subsequently vesiculated releasing the free gametes. The time from PVM vesiculation to completion of egress varies between events. These observations were supported by immunofluorescence microscopy using antibodies against proteins of the RBCM and PVM. The combined results reveal dynamic re-organization of the membranes and the cortical cytoskeleton of the erythrocyte during egress.
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25
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Sayers CP, Mollard V, Buchanan HD, McFadden GI, Goodman CD. A genetic screen in rodent malaria parasites identifies five new apicoplast putative membrane transporters, one of which is essential in human malaria parasites. Cell Microbiol 2017; 20. [DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire P. Sayers
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Hayley D. Buchanan
- School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
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26
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Fernandez-Ruiz D, Lau LS, Ghazanfari N, Jones CM, Ng WY, Davey GM, Berthold D, Holz L, Kato Y, Enders MH, Bayarsaikhan G, Hendriks SH, Lansink LIM, Engel JA, Soon MSF, James KR, Cozijnsen A, Mollard V, Uboldi AD, Tonkin CJ, de Koning-Ward TF, Gilson PR, Kaisho T, Haque A, Crabb BS, Carbone FR, McFadden GI, Heath WR. Development of a Novel CD4 + TCR Transgenic Line That Reveals a Dominant Role for CD8 + Dendritic Cells and CD40 Signaling in the Generation of Helper and CTL Responses to Blood-Stage Malaria. J Immunol 2017; 199:4165-4179. [PMID: 29084838 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1700186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
We describe an MHC class II (I-Ab)-restricted TCR transgenic mouse line that produces CD4+ T cells specific for Plasmodium species. This line, termed PbT-II, was derived from a CD4+ T cell hybridoma generated to blood-stage Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA). PbT-II cells responded to all Plasmodium species and stages tested so far, including rodent (PbA, P. berghei NK65, Plasmodium chabaudi AS, and Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL) and human (Plasmodium falciparum) blood-stage parasites as well as irradiated PbA sporozoites. PbT-II cells can provide help for generation of Ab to P. chabaudi infection and can control this otherwise lethal infection in CD40L-deficient mice. PbT-II cells can also provide help for development of CD8+ T cell-mediated experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) during PbA infection. Using PbT-II CD4+ T cells and the previously described PbT-I CD8+ T cells, we determined the dendritic cell (DC) subsets responsible for immunity to PbA blood-stage infection. CD8+ DC (a subset of XCR1+ DC) were the major APC responsible for activation of both T cell subsets, although other DC also contributed to CD4+ T cell responses. Depletion of CD8+ DC at the beginning of infection prevented ECM development and impaired both Th1 and follicular Th cell responses; in contrast, late depletion did not affect ECM. This study describes a novel and versatile tool for examining CD4+ T cell immunity during malaria and provides evidence that CD4+ T cell help, acting via CD40L signaling, can promote immunity or pathology to blood-stage malaria largely through Ag presentation by CD8+ DC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Lei Shong Lau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Nazanin Ghazanfari
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Claerwen M Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Wei Yi Ng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Gayle M Davey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Dorothee Berthold
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Lauren Holz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Yu Kato
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Matthias H Enders
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Ganchimeg Bayarsaikhan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Division of Immunology, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Sanne H Hendriks
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Lianne I M Lansink
- Malaria Immunology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Jessica A Engel
- Malaria Immunology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Megan S F Soon
- Malaria Immunology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Kylie R James
- Malaria Immunology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Anton Cozijnsen
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Alessandro D Uboldi
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Christopher J Tonkin
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | | | - Paul R Gilson
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia; and
| | - Tsuneyasu Kaisho
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Advanced Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 641-8509, Japan
| | - Ashraful Haque
- Malaria Immunology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Brendan S Crabb
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia; and
| | - Francis R Carbone
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - William R Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia; .,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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27
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Yeoh LM, Goodman CD, Mollard V, McFadden GI, Ralph SA. Comparative transcriptomics of female and male gametocytes in Plasmodium berghei and the evolution of sex in alveolates. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:734. [PMID: 28923023 PMCID: PMC5604118 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4100-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical symptoms of malaria are caused by the asexual replication of Plasmodium parasites in the blood of the vertebrate host. To spread to new hosts, however, the malaria parasite must differentiate into sexual forms, termed gametocytes, which are ingested by a mosquito vector. Sexual differentiation produces either female or male gametocytes, and involves significant morphological and biochemical changes. These transformations prepare gametocytes for the rapid progression to gamete formation and fertilisation, which occur within 20 min of ingestion. Here we present the transcriptomes of asexual, female, and male gametocytes in P. berghei, and a comprehensive statistically-based differential-expression analysis of the transcriptional changes that underpin this sexual differentiation. RESULTS RNA-seq analysis revealed numerous differences in the transcriptomes of female and male gametocytes compared to asexual stages. Overall, there is net downregulation of transcripts in gametocytes compared to asexual stages, with this trend more marked in female gametocytes. Our analysis identified transcriptional changes in previously-characterised gametocyte-specific pathways, which validated our approach. We also detected many previously-unreported female- and male-specific pathways and genes. Transcriptional biases in stage and gender were then used to investigate sex-specificity and sexual dimorphism of Plasmodium in an evolutionary context. Sex-related gene expression is well conserved between Plasmodium species, but relatively poorly conserved in related organisms outside this genus. This pattern of conservation is most evident in genes necessary for both male and female gametocyte formation. However, this trend is less pronounced for male-specific genes, which are more highly conserved outside the genus than genes specific to female development. CONCLUSIONS We characterised the transcriptional changes that are integral to the development of the female and male sexual forms of Plasmodium. These differential-expression patterns provide a vital insight into understanding the gender-specific characteristics of this essential stage that is the primary target for treatments that block parasite transmission. Our results also offer insight into the evolution of sex genes through Alveolata, and suggest that many Plasmodium sex genes evolved within the genus. We further hypothesise that male gametocytes co-opted pre-existing cellular machinery in their evolutionary history, whereas female gametocytes evolved more through the development of novel, parasite-specific pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee M Yeoh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia.,School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | | | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia.
| | - Stuart A Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia.
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28
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Abstract
The cryptomonad nucleomorph is a vestigial nucleus of a eukaryotic red alga engulfed by a phagotrophic protist and retained as a photosynthetic endosymbiont. This review recounts the initial discovery and subsequent characterisation of the cryptomonad nucleomorph focusing on the key role of Peter Sitte and his protégés in our understanding of secondary endosymbiosis to create complex plastids, one of the major transition events in the evolution of life on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
- Botany School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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29
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Bushell E, Gomes AR, Sanderson T, Anar B, Girling G, Herd C, Metcalf T, Modrzynska K, Schwach F, Martin RE, Mather MW, McFadden GI, Parts L, Rutledge GG, Vaidya AB, Wengelnik K, Rayner JC, Billker O. Functional Profiling of a Plasmodium Genome Reveals an Abundance of Essential Genes. Cell 2017; 170:260-272.e8. [PMID: 28708996 PMCID: PMC5509546 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 340] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The genomes of malaria parasites contain many genes of unknown function. To assist drug development through the identification of essential genes and pathways, we have measured competitive growth rates in mice of 2,578 barcoded Plasmodium berghei knockout mutants, representing >50% of the genome, and created a phenotype database. At a single stage of its complex life cycle, P. berghei requires two-thirds of genes for optimal growth, the highest proportion reported from any organism and a probable consequence of functional optimization necessitated by genomic reductions during the evolution of parasitism. In contrast, extreme functional redundancy has evolved among expanded gene families operating at the parasite-host interface. The level of genetic redundancy in a single-celled organism may thus reflect the degree of environmental variation it experiences. In the case of Plasmodium parasites, this helps rationalize both the relative successes of drugs and the greater difficulty of making an effective vaccine. Two-thirds of Plasmodium berghei genes contribute to normal blood stage growth The core genome of malaria parasites is highly optimized for rapid host colonization Essential parasite genes and pathways are identified for drug target prioritization Low functional redundancy reflects the constant environment encountered by a parasite
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Bushell
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Ana Rita Gomes
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Theo Sanderson
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Burcu Anar
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Gareth Girling
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Colin Herd
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Tom Metcalf
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Katarzyna Modrzynska
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Frank Schwach
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Rowena E Martin
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | | | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Royal Parade, Parkville, Australia
| | - Leopold Parts
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Gavin G Rutledge
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Akhil B Vaidya
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kai Wengelnik
- DIMNP, CNRS, INSERM, University Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Julian C Rayner
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK.
| | - Oliver Billker
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK.
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30
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McFadden GI, Later N. Evolution: Of X-Cells and X-Men. Curr Biol 2017; 27:R408-R409. [PMID: 28586662 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Humans are obsessed with labels, constantly seeking to name and categorise unknowns, or 'X-things'. DNA sequencing has finally solved the identity of mysterious X-cells associated with tumours in marine fish, but how should we approach X in people?
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Naja Later
- School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
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31
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Goodman CD, Austarheim I, Mollard V, Mikolo B, Malterud KE, McFadden GI, Wangensteen H. Erratum to: Natural products from Zanthoxylum heitzii with potent activity against the malaria parasite. Malar J 2016; 15:560. [PMID: 27855676 PMCID: PMC5114736 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1608-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ingvild Austarheim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Bertin Mikolo
- National Polytechnic High School, Marien Ngouabi University, BP 69, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Karl Egil Malterud
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Helle Wangensteen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
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32
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Goodman CD, Austarheim I, Mollard V, Mikolo B, Malterud KE, McFadden GI, Wangensteen H. Natural products from Zanthoxylum heitzii with potent activity against the malaria parasite. Malar J 2016; 15:481. [PMID: 27649682 PMCID: PMC5029023 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1533-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Zanthoxylum heitzii (Rutaceae) (olon) is used in traditional medicine in Central and West Africa to treat malaria. To identify novel compounds with anti-parasitic activity and validate medicinal usage, extracts and compounds isolated from this tree were tested against the erythrocytic stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and for inhibition of transmission in rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. Results Hexane bark extract showed activity against P. falciparum (IC50 0.050 μg/ml), while leaf and seed extracts were inactive. Fractionation of the hexane bark extract led to the identification of three active constituents; dihydronitidine, pellitories and heitziquinone. Dihydronitidine was the most active compound with an IC50 value of 0.0089 µg/ml (25 nM). This compound was slow acting, requiring 50 % longer exposure time than standard anti-malarials to reach full efficacy. Heitziquinone and pellitorine were less potent, with IC50 values of 3.55 μg/ml and 1.96 µg/ml, but were fast-acting. Plasmodium berghei ookinete conversion was also inhibited by the hexane extract (IC50 1.75 µg/ml), dihydronitidine (0.59 µg/ml) and heitziquinone (6.2 µg/ml). Water extracts of Z. heitzii bark contain only low levels of dihydronitidine and show modest anti-parasitic activity. Conclusions Three compounds with anti-parasitic activity were identified in Z. heitzii bark extract. The alkaloid dihydronitidine is the most effective of these, accounting for the bulk of activity in both erythrocytic and transmission-blocking assays. These compounds may present good leads for development of novel anti-malarials and add to the understanding of the chemical basis of the anti-parasitic activity in these classes of natural product. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1533-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ingvild Austarheim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Bertin Mikolo
- National Polytechnic High School, Marien Ngouabi University, BP 69, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Karl Egil Malterud
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Helle Wangensteen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1068, Blindern, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
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33
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Shears MJ, MacRae JI, Mollard V, Goodman CD, Sturm A, Orchard LM, Llinás M, McConville MJ, Botté CY, McFadden GI. Characterization of the Plasmodium falciparum and P. berghei glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase involved in FASII fatty acid utilization in the malaria parasite apicoplast. Cell Microbiol 2016; 19. [PMID: 27324409 PMCID: PMC5213128 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2016] [Revised: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasites can synthesize fatty acids via a type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) pathway located in their apicoplast. The FASII pathway has been pursued as an anti‐malarial drug target, but surprisingly little is known about its role in lipid metabolism. Here we characterize the apicoplast glycerol 3‐phosphate acyltransferase that acts immediately downstream of FASII in human (Plasmodium falciparum) and rodent (Plasmodium berghei) malaria parasites and investigate how this enzyme contributes to incorporating FASII fatty acids into precursors for membrane lipid synthesis. Apicoplast targeting of the P. falciparum and P. berghei enzymes are confirmed by fusion of the N‐terminal targeting sequence to GFP and 3′ tagging of the full length protein. Activity of the P. falciparum enzyme is demonstrated by complementation in mutant bacteria, and critical residues in the putative active site identified by site‐directed mutagenesis. Genetic disruption of the P. falciparum enzyme demonstrates it is dispensable in blood stage parasites, even in conditions known to induce FASII activity. Disruption of the P. berghei enzyme demonstrates it is dispensable in blood and mosquito stage parasites, and only essential for development in the late liver stage, consistent with the requirement for FASII in rodent malaria models. However, the P. berghei mutant liver stage phenotype is found to only partially phenocopy loss of FASII, suggesting newly made fatty acids can take multiple pathways out of the apicoplast and so giving new insight into the role of FASII and apicoplast glycerol 3‐phosphate acyltransferase in malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie J Shears
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.,Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, United States
| | - James I MacRae
- The Francis Crick Institute, Metabolomics, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | | | - Angelika Sturm
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Lindsey M Orchard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry and Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, State College, University Park, PA, 16802, United States
| | - Manuel Llinás
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Chemistry and Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, State College, University Park, PA, 16802, United States
| | - Malcolm J McConville
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Cyrille Y Botté
- Apicolipid team, Institute for Advanced Biosciences UMR CNRS5309 INSMERM U1209, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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34
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Amiar S, MacRae JI, Callahan DL, Dubois D, van Dooren GG, Shears MJ, Cesbron-Delauw MF, Maréchal E, McConville MJ, McFadden GI, Yamaryo-Botté Y, Botté CY. Apicoplast-Localized Lysophosphatidic Acid Precursor Assembly Is Required for Bulk Phospholipid Synthesis in Toxoplasma gondii and Relies on an Algal/Plant-Like Glycerol 3-Phosphate Acyltransferase. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005765. [PMID: 27490259 PMCID: PMC4973916 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Most apicomplexan parasites possess a non-photosynthetic plastid (the apicoplast), which harbors enzymes for a number of metabolic pathways, including a prokaryotic type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) pathway. In Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, the FASII pathway is essential for parasite growth and infectivity. However, little is known about the fate of fatty acids synthesized by FASII. In this study, we have investigated the function of a plant-like glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase (TgATS1) that localizes to the T. gondii apicoplast. Knock-down of TgATS1 resulted in significantly reduced incorporation of FASII-synthesized fatty acids into phosphatidic acid and downstream phospholipids and a severe defect in intracellular parasite replication and survival. Lipidomic analysis demonstrated that lipid precursors are made in, and exported from, the apicoplast for de novo biosynthesis of bulk phospholipids. This study reveals that the apicoplast-located FASII and ATS1, which are primarily used to generate plastid galactolipids in plants and algae, instead generate bulk phospholipids for membrane biogenesis in T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souad Amiar
- ApicoLipid group, Institute for Advanced Biosciences UMR5309, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, Grenoble, France
| | - James I. MacRae
- The Francis Crick Institute, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Damien L. Callahan
- Centre for Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Dubois
- ApicoLipid group, Institute for Advanced Biosciences UMR5309, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, Grenoble, France
| | - Giel G. van Dooren
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Melanie J. Shears
- ApicoLipid group, Institute for Advanced Biosciences UMR5309, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, Grenoble, France
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Eric Maréchal
- Unité de recherche (UMR) 5168, CNRS, CEA, INRA, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Malcolm J. McConville
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Yoshiki Yamaryo-Botté
- ApicoLipid group, Institute for Advanced Biosciences UMR5309, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, Grenoble, France
| | - Cyrille Y. Botté
- ApicoLipid group, Institute for Advanced Biosciences UMR5309, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, Grenoble, France
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35
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van Dooren GG, Yeoh LM, Striepen B, McFadden GI. The Import of Proteins into the Mitochondrion of Toxoplasma gondii. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:19335-50. [PMID: 27458014 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.725069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Outside of well characterized model eukaryotes, relatively little is known about the translocons that transport proteins across the two membranes that surround the mitochondrion. Apicomplexans are a phylum of intracellular parasites that cause major diseases in humans and animals and are evolutionarily distant from model eukaryotes such as yeast. Apicomplexans harbor a mitochondrion that is essential for parasite survival and is a validated drug target. Here, we demonstrate that the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii harbors homologues of proteins from all the major mitochondrial protein translocons present in yeast, suggesting these arose early in eukaryotic evolution. We demonstrate that a T. gondii homologue of Tom22 (TgTom22), a central component of the translocon of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM) complex, is essential for parasite survival, mitochondrial protein import, and assembly of the TOM complex. We also identify and characterize a T. gondii homologue of Tom7 (TgTom7) that is important for parasite survival and mitochondrial protein import. Contrary to the role of Tom7 in yeast, TgTom7 is important for TOM complex stability, suggesting the role of this protein has diverged during eukaryotic evolution. Together, our study identifies conserved and modified features of mitochondrial protein import in apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giel G van Dooren
- From the Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia,
| | - Lee M Yeoh
- the School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia, and
| | - Boris Striepen
- the Department of Cellular Biology and Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- the School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia, and
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36
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Lim L, Sayers CP, Goodman CD, McFadden GI. Targeting of a Transporter to the Outer Apicoplast Membrane in the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159603. [PMID: 27442138 PMCID: PMC4956234 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicoplasts are vestigial plastids in apicomplexan parasites like Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria. Apicomplexan parasites are dependant on their apicoplasts for synthesis of various molecules that they are unable to scavenge in sufficient quantity from their host, which makes apicoplasts attractive drug targets. Proteins known as plastid phosphate translocators (pPTs) are embedded in the outer apicoplast membrane and are responsible for the import of carbon, energy and reducing power to drive anabolic synthesis in the organelle. We investigated how a pPT is targeted into the outer apicoplast membrane of the human malaria parasite P. falciparum. We showed that a transmembrane domain is likely to act as a recessed signal anchor to direct the protein into the endomembrane system, and that a tyrosine in the cytosolic N-terminus of the protein is essential for targeting, but one or more, as yet unidentified, factors are also essential to direct the protein into the outer apicoplast membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liting Lim
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claire P. Sayers
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Geoffrey I. McFadden
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
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37
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Abstract
Over-expression of a GFP-PfRab1A fusion protein in Plasmodium falciparum schizonts produces a punctate pattern of fluorescence typical of rhoptries, secretory organelles involved in host cell invasion. The GFP-positive bodies were purified by a combination of differential and density gradient centrifugation and their protein content determined by MS/MS sequencing. Consistent with the GFP rhoptry-like pattern of transgenic parasites, four of the 19 proteins identified have been previously described to be rhoptry-associated and another four are ER or ER-associated proteins. Confirmation that GFP-PfRab1A decorates rhoptries was obtained by its co-localization with Rap1 and Ron4 in late phase schizonts. We conclude that PfRab1A potentially regulates vesicular traffic from the endoplasmic reticulum to the rhoptries in Apicomplexa parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Morse
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Wesley Webster
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ming Kalanon
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Gordon Langsley
- Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire Comparative des Apicomplexes, Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université Paris Descartes, 75014, Paris, France
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38
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Goodman CD, Siregar JE, Mollard V, Vega-Rodríguez J, Syafruddin D, Matsuoka H, Matsuzaki M, Toyama T, Sturm A, Cozijnsen A, Jacobs-Lorena M, Kita K, Marzuki S, McFadden GI. Parasites resistant to the antimalarial atovaquone fail to transmit by mosquitoes. Science 2016; 352:349-53. [PMID: 27081071 DOI: 10.1126/science.aad9279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Drug resistance compromises control of malaria. Here, we show that resistance to a commonly used antimalarial medication, atovaquone, is apparently unable to spread. Atovaquone pressure selects parasites with mutations in cytochrome b, a respiratory protein with low but essential activity in the mammalian blood phase of the parasite life cycle. Resistance mutations rescue parasites from the drug but later prove lethal in the mosquito phase, where parasites require full respiration. Unable to respire efficiently, resistant parasites fail to complete mosquito development, arresting their life cycle. Because cytochrome b is encoded by the maternally inherited parasite mitochondrion, even outcrossing with wild-type strains cannot facilitate spread of resistance. Lack of transmission suggests that resistance will be unable to spread in the field, greatly enhancing the utility of atovaquone in malaria control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Josephine E Siregar
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, JI Diponegoro no. 69, Jakarta, 10430, Indonesia. Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Joel Vega-Rodríguez
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Din Syafruddin
- Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, JI Diponegoro no. 69, Jakarta, 10430, Indonesia. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan Km10, Makassar 90245, Indonesia
| | - Hiroyuki Matsuoka
- Division of Medical Zoology, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Motomichi Matsuzaki
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Tomoko Toyama
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Angelika Sturm
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Anton Cozijnsen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Kiyoshi Kita
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Sangkot Marzuki
- Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, JI Diponegoro no. 69, Jakarta, 10430, Indonesia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
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Kalanon M, Bargieri D, Sturm A, Matthews K, Ghosh S, Goodman CD, Thiberge S, Mollard V, McFadden GI, Ménard R, Koning‐Ward TF. The
Plasmodium
translocon of exported proteins component EXP2 is critical for establishing a patent malaria infection in mice. Cell Microbiol 2015; 18:399-412. [DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Revised: 08/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ming Kalanon
- Molecular and Medical Research Unit, School of MedicineDeakin University Waurn Ponds Geelong Victoria 3216 Australia
| | - Daniel Bargieri
- Unité de Biologie et Génétique du PaludismeInstitut Pasteur Paris France
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical SciencesUniversity of São Paulo São Paulo SP Brazil
| | - Angelika Sturm
- School of BioSciencesThe University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Kathryn Matthews
- Molecular and Medical Research Unit, School of MedicineDeakin University Waurn Ponds Geelong Victoria 3216 Australia
| | - Sreejoyee Ghosh
- Molecular and Medical Research Unit, School of MedicineDeakin University Waurn Ponds Geelong Victoria 3216 Australia
| | | | - Sabine Thiberge
- Unité de Biologie et Génétique du PaludismeInstitut Pasteur Paris France
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- School of BioSciencesThe University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Geoffrey I. McFadden
- School of BioSciencesThe University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Robert Ménard
- Unité de Biologie et Génétique du PaludismeInstitut Pasteur Paris France
| | - Tania F. Koning‐Ward
- Molecular and Medical Research Unit, School of MedicineDeakin University Waurn Ponds Geelong Victoria 3216 Australia
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Wilson DW, Goodman CD, Sleebs BE, Weiss GE, de Jong NW, Angrisano F, Langer C, Baum J, Crabb BS, Gilson PR, McFadden GI, Beeson JG. Macrolides rapidly inhibit red blood cell invasion by the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. BMC Biol 2015; 13:52. [PMID: 26187647 PMCID: PMC4506589 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-015-0162-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria invasion of red blood cells involves multiple parasite-specific targets that are easily accessible to inhibitory compounds, making it an attractive target for antimalarial development. However, no current antimalarial agents act against host cell invasion. RESULTS Here, we demonstrate that the clinically used macrolide antibiotic azithromycin, which is known to kill human malaria asexual blood-stage parasites by blocking protein synthesis in their apicoplast, is also a rapid inhibitor of red blood cell invasion in human (Plasmodium falciparum) and rodent (P. berghei) malarias. Multiple lines of evidence demonstrate that the action of azithromycin in inhibiting parasite invasion of red blood cells is independent of its inhibition of protein synthesis in the parasite apicoplast, opening up a new strategy to develop a single drug with multiple parasite targets. We identified derivatives of azithromycin and erythromycin that are better invasion inhibitors than parent compounds, offering promise for development of this novel antimalarial strategy. CONCLUSIONS Safe and effective macrolide antibiotics with dual modalities could be developed to combat malaria and reduce the parasite's options for resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia. .,Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.
| | - Christopher D Goodman
- Plant Cell Biology Research Centre, School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia.
| | - Greta E Weiss
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.
| | - Nienke Wm de Jong
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.
| | - Fiona Angrisano
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Christine Langer
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia.
| | - Jake Baum
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Brendan S Crabb
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia. .,Department of Immunology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
| | - Paul R Gilson
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia. .,Department of Immunology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- Plant Cell Biology Research Centre, School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
| | - James G Beeson
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia. .,Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia. .,Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia.
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41
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Yeoh LM, Goodman CD, Hall NE, van Dooren GG, McFadden GI, Ralph SA. A serine-arginine-rich (SR) splicing factor modulates alternative splicing of over a thousand genes in Toxoplasma gondii. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:4661-75. [PMID: 25870410 PMCID: PMC4482073 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Single genes are often subject to alternative splicing, which generates alternative mature mRNAs. This phenomenon is widespread in animals, and observed in over 90% of human genes. Recent data suggest it may also be common in Apicomplexa. These parasites have small genomes, and economy of DNA is evolutionarily favoured in this phylum. We investigated the mechanism of alternative splicing in Toxoplasma gondii, and have identified and localized TgSR3, a homologue of ASF/SF2 (alternative-splicing factor/splicing factor 2, a serine-arginine–rich, or SR protein) to a subnuclear compartment. In addition, we conditionally overexpressed this protein, which was deleterious to growth. qRT-PCR was used to confirm perturbation of splicing in a known alternatively-spliced gene. We performed high-throughput RNA-seq to determine the extent of splicing modulated by this protein. Current RNA-seq algorithms are poorly suited to compact parasite genomes, and hence we complemented existing tools by writing a new program, GeneGuillotine, that addresses this deficiency by segregating overlapping reads into distinct genes. In order to identify the extent of alternative splicing, we released another program, JunctionJuror, that detects changes in intron junctions. Using this program, we identified about 2000 genes that were constitutively alternatively spliced in T. gondii. Overexpressing the splice regulator TgSR3 perturbed alternative splicing in over 1000 genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee M Yeoh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Christopher D Goodman
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nathan E Hall
- Department of Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia Life Sciences Computation Centre, Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative, Carlton, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Giel G van Dooren
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Stuart A Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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42
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43
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Fernandez Ruiz D, Ma J, Mollard V, Sturm A, Cozijnsen A, Lau LS, McFadden GI, Carbone FR, Crabb BS, Heath WR. 52. Cytokine 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2014.07.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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44
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Webster WAJ, McFadden GI. From the genome to the phenome: tools to understand the basic biology of Plasmodium falciparum. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2014; 61:655-71. [PMID: 25227912 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2014] [Revised: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Malaria plagues one out of every 30 humans and contributes to almost a million deaths, and the problem could worsen. Our current therapeutic options are compromised by emerging resistance by the parasite to our front line drugs. It is thus imperative to better understand the basic biology of the parasite and develop novel drugs to stem this disease. The most facile approach to analyse a gene's function is to remove it from the genome or inhibit its activity. Although genetic manipulation of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is a relatively standard procedure, there is no optimal method to perturb genes essential to the intraerythrocytic development cycle--the part of the life cycle that produces the clinical manifestation of malaria. This is a severe impediment to progress because the phenotype we wish to study is exactly the one that is so elusive. In the absence of any utilitarian way to conditionally delete essential genes, we are prevented from investigating the parasite's most vulnerable points. This review aims to focus on the development of tools identifying essential genes of P. falciparum and our ability to elicit phenotypic mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley A J Webster
- Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, 3125, Victoria, Australia; Plant Cell Biology Research Centre, School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia
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45
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Lau LS, Fernandez-Ruiz D, Mollard V, Sturm A, Neller MA, Cozijnsen A, Gregory JL, Davey GM, Jones CM, Lin YH, Haque A, Engwerda CR, Nie CQ, Hansen DS, Murphy KM, Papenfuss AT, Miles JJ, Burrows SR, de Koning-Ward T, McFadden GI, Carbone FR, Crabb BS, Heath WR. CD8+ T cells from a novel T cell receptor transgenic mouse induce liver-stage immunity that can be boosted by blood-stage infection in rodent malaria. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004135. [PMID: 24854165 PMCID: PMC4031232 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2013] [Accepted: 04/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
To follow the fate of CD8+ T cells responsive to Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) infection, we generated an MHC I-restricted TCR transgenic mouse line against this pathogen. T cells from this line, termed PbT-I T cells, were able to respond to blood-stage infection by PbA and two other rodent malaria species, P. yoelii XNL and P. chabaudi AS. These PbT-I T cells were also able to respond to sporozoites and to protect mice from liver-stage infection. Examination of the requirements for priming after intravenous administration of irradiated sporozoites, an effective vaccination approach, showed that the spleen rather than the liver was the main site of priming and that responses depended on CD8α+ dendritic cells. Importantly, sequential exposure to irradiated sporozoites followed two days later by blood-stage infection led to augmented PbT-I T cell expansion. These findings indicate that PbT-I T cells are a highly versatile tool for studying multiple stages and species of rodent malaria and suggest that cross-stage reactive CD8+ T cells may be utilized in liver-stage vaccine design to enable boosting by blood-stage infections. Malaria is a disease caused by Plasmodium species, which have a highly complex life cycle involving both liver and blood stages of mammalian infection. To prevent disease, one strategy has been to induce CD8+ T cells against liver-stage parasites, usually by immunization with stage-specific antigens. Here we describe a T cell receptor specificity that recognizes an antigen expressed in both the liver and blood stages of several rodent Plasmodium species. We generated a T cell receptor transgenic mouse with this specificity and showed that T cells from this line could protect against liver-stage infection. We used this novel tool to identify the site and cell-type involved in priming to a recently developed intravenous attenuated sporozoite vaccine shown to have efficacy in humans. We showed that CD8+ T cells with this specificity could protect against liver-stage infection while causing pathology to the blood stage. Finally, we provided evidence that T cells with cross-stage specificity can be primed and boosted on alternative stages, raising the possibility that antigens expressed in multiple stages might be ideal vaccine candidates for generating strong immunity to liver-stage parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Shong Lau
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel Fernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vanessa Mollard
- The School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Angelika Sturm
- The School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michelle A. Neller
- The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anton Cozijnsen
- The School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julia L. Gregory
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gayle M. Davey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claerwen M. Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yi-Hsuan Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ashraful Haque
- The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Catherine Q. Nie
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research & Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Diana S. Hansen
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kenneth M. Murphy
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Anthony T. Papenfuss
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - John J. Miles
- The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Scott R. Burrows
- The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | | | - Francis R. Carbone
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brendan S. Crabb
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research & Public Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail: (BSC); (WRH)
| | - William R. Heath
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- The ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- * E-mail: (BSC); (WRH)
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Goodman CD, McFadden GI. Ycf93 (Orf105), a small apicoplast-encoded membrane protein in the relict plastid of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum that is conserved in Apicomplexa. PLoS One 2014; 9:e91178. [PMID: 24705170 PMCID: PMC3976246 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0091178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites retain a relict plastid (apicoplast) from a photosynthetic ancestor shared with dinoflagellate algae. The apicoplast is a useful drug target; blocking housekeeping pathways such as genome replication and translation in the organelle kills parasites and protects against malaria. The apicoplast of Plasmodium falciparum encodes 30 proteins and a suite of rRNAs and tRNAs that facilitate their expression. orf105 is a hypothetical apicoplast gene that would encode a small protein (PfOrf105) with a predicted C-terminal transmembrane domain. We produced antisera to a predicted peptide within PfOrf105. Western blot analysis confirmed expression of orf105 and immunofluorescence localised the gene product to the apicoplast. Pforf105 encodes a membrane protein that has an apparent mass of 17.5 kDa and undergoes substantial turnover during the 48-hour asexual life cycle of the parasite in blood stages. The effect of actinonin, an antimalarial with a putative impact on post-translational modification of apicoplast proteins like PfOrf105, was examined. Unlike other drugs perturbing apicoplast housekeeping that induce delayed death, actinonin kills parasites immediately and has an identical drug exposure phenotype to the isopentenyl diphosphate synthesis blocker fosmidomycin. Open reading frames of similar size to PfOrf105, which also have predicted C-terminal trans membrane domains, occur in syntenic positions in all sequenced apicoplast genomes from Phylum Apicomplexa. We therefore propose to name these genes ycf93 (hypothetical chloroplast reading frame 93) according to plastid gene nomenclature convention for conserved proteins of unknown function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Geoffrey I. McFadden
- School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
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47
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Goodman CD, Mollard V, Louie T, Holloway GA, Watson KG, McFadden GI. Apicoplast acetyl Co-A carboxylase of the human malaria parasite is not targeted by cyclohexanedione herbicides. Int J Parasitol 2014; 44:285-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 12/22/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Abstract
Recent progress in understanding the origins of plastids from endosymbiotic cyanobacteria is reviewed. Establishing when during geological time the endosymbiosis occurred remains elusive, but progress has been made in defining the cyanobacterial lineage most closely related to plastids, and some mechanistic insight into the possible existence of cryptic endosymbioses perhaps involving Chlamydia-like infections of the host have also been presented. The phylogenetic affinities of the host remain obscure. The existence of a second lineage of primary plastids in euglyphid amoebae has now been confirmed, but the quasipermanent acquisition of plastids by animals has been shown to be more ephemeral than initially suspected. A new understanding of how plastids have been integrated into their hosts by transfer of photosynthate, by endosymbiotic gene transfer and repatriation of gene products back to the endosymbiont, and by regulation of endosymbiont division is presented in context.
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49
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Petroutsos D, Amiar S, Abida H, Dolch LJ, Bastien O, Rébeillé F, Jouhet J, Falconet D, Block MA, McFadden GI, Bowler C, Botté C, Maréchal E. Evolution of galactoglycerolipid biosynthetic pathways – From cyanobacteria to primary plastids and from primary to secondary plastids. Prog Lipid Res 2014; 54:68-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2014.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Kan A, Tan YH, Angrisano F, Hanssen E, Rogers KL, Whitehead L, Mollard VP, Cozijnsen A, Delves MJ, Crawford S, Sinden RE, McFadden GI, Leckie C, Bailey J, Baum J. Quantitative analysis of Plasmodium ookinete motion in three dimensions suggests a critical role for cell shape in the biomechanics of malaria parasite gliding motility. Cell Microbiol 2014; 16:734-50. [PMID: 24612056 PMCID: PMC4286792 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2013] [Revised: 01/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Motility is a fundamental part of cellular life and survival, including for Plasmodium parasites--single-celled protozoan pathogens responsible for human malaria. The motile life cycle forms achieve motility, called gliding, via the activity of an internal actomyosin motor. Although gliding is based on the well-studied system of actin and myosin, its core biomechanics are not completely understood. Currently accepted models suggest it results from a specifically organized cellular motor that produces a rearward directional force. When linked to surface-bound adhesins, this force is passaged to the cell posterior, propelling the parasite forwards. Gliding motility is observed in all three life cycle stages of Plasmodium: sporozoites, merozoites and ookinetes. However, it is only the ookinetes--formed inside the midgut of infected mosquitoes--that display continuous gliding without the necessity of host cell entry. This makes them ideal candidates for invasion-free biomechanical analysis. Here we apply a plate-based imaging approach to study ookinete motion in three-dimensional (3D) space to understand Plasmodium cell motility and how movement facilitates midgut colonization. Using single-cell tracking and numerical analysis of parasite motion in 3D, our analysis demonstrates that ookinetes move with a conserved left-handed helical trajectory. Investigation of cell morphology suggests this trajectory may be based on the ookinete subpellicular cytoskeleton, with complementary whole and subcellular electron microscopy showing that, like their motion paths, ookinetes share a conserved left-handed corkscrew shape and underlying twisted microtubular architecture. Through comparisons of 3D movement between wild-type ookinetes and a cytoskeleton-knockout mutant we demonstrate that perturbation of cell shape changes motion from helical to broadly linear. Therefore, while the precise linkages between cellular architecture and actomyosin motor organization remain unknown, our analysis suggests that the molecular basis of cell shape may, in addition to motor force, be a key adaptive strategy for malaria parasite dissemination and, as such, transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Kan
- Victoria Research Laboratory, National ICT Australia (NICTA), Department of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., 3010, Australia
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