151
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Protein trafficking in apicomplexan parasites: crossing the vacuolar Rubicon. Curr Opin Microbiol 2016; 32:38-45. [PMID: 27155394 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2016.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Although apicomplexans like the blood stages of Plasmodium and the actively replicating 'tachyzoite' stage of Toxoplasma infect very dissimilar host cells, recent studies suggest they share molecular commonalities amongst differences at the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) surrounding these intracellular parasites. A protein translocation export (PTEX) complex in the PVM of Plasmodium, is functionally informed by findings in Toxoplasma. Lipids play a role in trafficking to and across the PVM. Toxoplasma exploit an orthologue of a plasmodial secretory aspartyl protease but substrate cleavage yields a signal for targeting to the PVM, rather than directly to the host cell. The studies significantly advance understanding of how trafficking to and across the host-pathogen PVM boundary induces virulence and disease in different host milieu.
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152
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Elsworth B, Sanders PR, Nebl T, Batinovic S, Kalanon M, Nie CQ, Charnaud SC, Bullen HE, de Koning Ward TF, Tilley L, Crabb BS, Gilson PR. Proteomic analysis reveals novel proteins associated with the Plasmodium protein exporter PTEX and a loss of complex stability upon truncation of the core PTEX component, PTEX150. Cell Microbiol 2016; 18:1551-1569. [PMID: 27019089 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The Plasmodium translocon for exported proteins (PTEX) has been established as the machinery responsible for the translocation of all classes of exported proteins beyond the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane of the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite. Protein export, particularly in the asexual blood stage, is crucial for parasite survival as exported proteins are involved in remodelling the host cell, an essential process for nutrient uptake, waste removal and immune evasion. Here, we have truncated the conserved C-terminus of one of the essential PTEX components, PTEX150, in Plasmodium falciparum in an attempt to create mutants of reduced functionality. Parasites tolerated C-terminal truncations of up to 125 amino acids with no reduction in growth, protein export or the establishment of new permeability pathways. Quantitative proteomic approaches however revealed a decrease in other PTEX subunits associating with PTEX150 in truncation mutants, suggesting a role for the C-terminus of PTEX150 in regulating PTEX stability. Our analyses also reveal three previously unreported PTEX-associated proteins, namely PV1, Pf113 and Hsp70-x (respective PlasmoDB numbers; PF3D7_1129100, PF3D7_1420700 and PF3D7_0831700) and demonstrate that core PTEX proteins exist in various distinct multimeric forms outside the major complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan Elsworth
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Paul R Sanders
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Thomas Nebl
- Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Steven Batinovic
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-ray Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Catherine Q Nie
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Sarah C Charnaud
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Hayley E Bullen
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | | | - Leann Tilley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coherent X-ray Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Brendan S Crabb
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.,Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Paul R Gilson
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. .,Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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153
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154
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Role of the ER and Golgi in protein export by Apicomplexa. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2016; 41:18-24. [PMID: 27019341 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2016.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites cause diseases of medical and agricultural importance linked to dramatic changes they impart upon infected host cells. Following invasion, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum renovates the host erythrocyte using mechanisms previously believed to be malaria-specific. This involves proteolytic cleavage of effectors in the endoplasmic reticulum that licences proteins for translocation into the host cell. Recently, it was demonstrated that the related parasite Toxoplasma gondii, responsible for disease in immunocompromised individuals and congenital birth defects, has an analogous pathway with some differences, including proteolytic processing in the Golgi. Here we review the similarities and distinctions in export mechanisms between these and other Apicomplexan parasites to reconcile how this group of pathogens modify their host cells to survive and proliferate.
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155
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Soni R, Sharma D, Bhatt TK. Plasmodium falciparum Secretome in Erythrocyte and Beyond. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:194. [PMID: 26925057 PMCID: PMC4759260 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of deadly malaria disease. It is an intracellular eukaryote and completes its multi-stage life cycle spanning the two hosts viz, mosquito and human. In order to habituate within host environment, parasite conform several strategies to evade host immune responses such as surface antigen polymorphism or modulation of host immune system and it is mediated by secretion of proteins from parasite to the host erythrocyte and beyond, collectively known as, malaria secretome. In this review, we will discuss about the deployment of parasitic secretory protein in mechanism implicated for immune evasion, protein trafficking, providing virulence, changing permeability and cyto-adherence of infected erythrocyte. We will be covering the possibilities of developing malaria secretome as a drug/vaccine target. This gathered information will be worthwhile in depicting a well-organized picture for host-pathogen interplay during the malaria infection and may also provide some clues for the development of novel anti-malarial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rani Soni
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan Rajasthan, India
| | - Drista Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan Rajasthan, India
| | - Tarun K Bhatt
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan Rajasthan, India
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156
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Chisholm SA, McHugh E, Lundie R, Dixon MWA, Ghosh S, O’Keefe M, Tilley L, Kalanon M, de Koning-Ward TF. Contrasting Inducible Knockdown of the Auxiliary PTEX Component PTEX88 in P. falciparum and P. berghei Unmasks a Role in Parasite Virulence. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149296. [PMID: 26886275 PMCID: PMC4757573 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenesis of malaria infections is linked to remodeling of erythrocytes, a process dependent on the trafficking of hundreds of parasite-derived proteins into the host erythrocyte. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Plasmodium translocon of exported proteins (PTEX) serves as the central gateway for trafficking of these proteins, as inducible knockdown of the core PTEX constituents blocked the trafficking of all classes of cargo into the erythrocyte. However, the role of the auxiliary component PTEX88 in protein export remains less clear. Here we have used inducible knockdown technologies in P. falciparum and P. berghei to assess the role of PTEX88 in parasite development and protein export, which reveal that the in vivo growth of PTEX88-deficient parasites is hindered. Interestingly, we were unable to link this observation to a general defect in export of a variety of known parasite proteins, suggesting that PTEX88 functions in a different fashion to the core PTEX components. Strikingly, PTEX88-deficient P. berghei were incapable of causing cerebral malaria despite a robust pro-inflammatory response from the host. These parasites also exhibited a reduced ability to sequester in peripheral tissues and were removed more readily from the circulation by the spleen. In keeping with these findings, PTEX88-deficient P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes displayed reduced binding to the endothelial cell receptor, CD36. This suggests that PTEX88 likely plays a specific direct or indirect role in mediating parasite sequestration rather than making a universal contribution to the trafficking of all exported proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A. Chisholm
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emma McHugh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rachel Lundie
- The Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Matthew W. A. Dixon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sreejoyee Ghosh
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Leann Tilley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ming Kalanon
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia
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157
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Pain M, Fuller AW, Basore K, Pillai AD, Solomon T, Bokhari AAB, Desai SA. Synergistic Malaria Parasite Killing by Two Types of Plasmodial Surface Anion Channel Inhibitors. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149214. [PMID: 26866812 PMCID: PMC4750852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites increase their host erythrocyte's permeability to a broad range of ions and organic solutes. The plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC) mediates this uptake and is an established drug target. Development of therapies targeting this channel is limited by several problems including interactions between known inhibitors and permeating solutes that lead to incomplete channel block. Here, we designed and executed a high-throughput screen to identify a novel class of PSAC inhibitors that overcome this solute-inhibitor interaction. These new inhibitors differ from existing blockers and have distinct effects on channel-mediated transport, supporting a model of two separate routes for solute permeation though PSAC. Combinations of inhibitors specific for the two routes had strong synergistic action against in vitro parasite propagation, whereas combinations acting on a single route produced only additive effects. The magnitude of synergism depended on external nutrient concentrations, consistent with an essential role of the channel in parasite nutrient acquisition. The identified inhibitors will enable a better understanding of the channel's structure-function and may be starting points for novel combination therapies that produce synergistic parasite killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Pain
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alexandra W Fuller
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Katherine Basore
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ajay D Pillai
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tsione Solomon
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Abdullah A B Bokhari
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sanjay A Desai
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
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158
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Abstract
The intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii dramatically reprograms the transcriptome of host cells it infects, including substantially up-regulating the host oncogene c-myc. By applying a flow cytometry-based selection to infected mouse cells expressing green fluorescent protein fused to c-Myc (c-Myc–GFP), we isolated mutant tachyzoites defective in this host c-Myc up-regulation. Whole-genome sequencing of three such mutants led to the identification of MYR1 (Myc regulation 1; TGGT1_254470) as essential for c-Myc induction. MYR1 is a secreted protein that requires TgASP5 to be cleaved into two stable portions, both of which are ultimately found within the parasitophorous vacuole and at the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. Deletion of MYR1 revealed that in addition to its requirement for c-Myc up-regulation, the MYR1 protein is needed for the ability of Toxoplasma tachyzoites to modulate several other important host pathways, including those mediated by the dense granule effectors GRA16 and GRA24. This result, combined with its location at the parasitophorous vacuole membrane, suggested that MYR1 might be a component of the machinery that translocates Toxoplasma effectors from the parasitophorous vacuole into the host cytosol. Support for this possibility was obtained by showing that transit of GRA24 to the host nucleus is indeed MYR1-dependent. As predicted by this pleiotropic phenotype, parasites deficient in MYR1 were found to be severely attenuated in a mouse model of infection. We conclude, therefore, that MYR1 is a novel protein that plays a critical role in how Toxoplasma delivers effector proteins to the infected host cell and that this is crucial to virulence. Toxoplasma gondii is an important human pathogen and a model for the study of intracellular parasitism. Infection of the host cell with Toxoplasma tachyzoites involves the introduction of protein effectors, including many that are initially secreted into the parasitophorous vacuole but must ultimately translocate to the host cell cytosol to function. The work reported here identified a novel protein that is required for this translocation. These results give new insight into a very unusual cell biology process as well as providing a potential handle on a pathway that is necessary for virulence and, therefore, a new potential target for chemotherapy.
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159
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Export of malaria proteins requires co-translational processing of the PEXEL motif independent of phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate binding. Nat Commun 2016; 7:10470. [PMID: 26832821 PMCID: PMC4740378 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum exports proteins into erythrocytes using the Plasmodium export element (PEXEL) motif, which is cleaved in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by plasmepsin V (PMV). A recent study reported that phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI(3)P) concentrated in the ER binds to PEXEL motifs and is required for export independent of PMV, and that PEXEL motifs are functionally interchangeable with RxLR motifs of oomycete effectors. Here we show that the PEXEL does not bind PI(3)P, and that this lipid is not concentrated in the ER. We find that RxLR motifs cannot mediate export in P. falciparum. Parasites expressing a mutated version of KAHRP, with the PEXEL motif repositioned near the signal sequence, prevented PMV cleavage. This mutant possessed the putative PI(3)P-binding residues but is not exported. Reinstatement of PEXEL to its original location restores processing by PMV and export. These results challenge the PI(3)P hypothesis and provide evidence that PEXEL position is conserved for co-translational processing and export.
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160
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Gold DA, Kaplan AD, Lis A, Bett GCL, Rosowski EE, Cirelli KM, Bougdour A, Sidik SM, Beck JR, Lourido S, Egea PF, Bradley PJ, Hakimi MA, Rasmusson RL, Saeij JPJ. The Toxoplasma Dense Granule Proteins GRA17 and GRA23 Mediate the Movement of Small Molecules between the Host and the Parasitophorous Vacuole. Cell Host Microbe 2016; 17:642-52. [PMID: 25974303 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Revised: 02/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan pathogen in the phylum Apicomplexa that resides within an intracellular parasitophorous vacuole (PV) that is selectively permeable to small molecules through unidentified mechanisms. We have identified GRA17 as a Toxoplasma-secreted protein that localizes to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) and mediates passive transport of small molecules across the PVM. GRA17 is related to the putative Plasmodium translocon protein EXP2 and conserved across PV-residing Apicomplexa. The PVs of GRA17-deficient parasites have aberrant morphology, reduced permeability to small molecules, and structural instability. GRA17-deficient parasites proliferate slowly and are avirulent in mice. These GRA17-deficient phenotypes are rescued by complementation with Plasmodium EXP2. GRA17 functions synergistically with a related protein, GRA23. Exogenous expression of GRA17 or GRA23 alters the membrane conductance properties of Xenopus oocytes in a manner consistent with a large non-selective pore. Thus, GRA17 and GRA23 provide a molecular basis for PVM permeability and nutrient access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Gold
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Aaron D Kaplan
- Physiology and Biophysics, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; Center for Cellular and Systems Electrophysiology, School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Agnieszka Lis
- Physiology and Biophysics, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; Center for Cellular and Systems Electrophysiology, School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Glenna C L Bett
- Physiology and Biophysics, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; Center for Cellular and Systems Electrophysiology, School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynocology, School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Emily E Rosowski
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Kimberly M Cirelli
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Alexandre Bougdour
- UMR5163, LAPM, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 38041 Grenoble, France; Université Joseph Fourier, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Saima M Sidik
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Josh R Beck
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | | | - Pascal F Egea
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Peter J Bradley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- UMR5163, LAPM, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 38041 Grenoble, France; Université Joseph Fourier, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Randall L Rasmusson
- Physiology and Biophysics, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; Center for Cellular and Systems Electrophysiology, School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, The State University of New York, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
| | - Jeroen P J Saeij
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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161
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Malaria Parasite Proteins and Their Role in Alteration of the Structure and Function of Red Blood Cells. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2015; 91:1-86. [PMID: 27015947 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Malaria, caused by Plasmodium spp., continues to be a major threat to human health and a significant cause of socioeconomic hardship in many countries. Almost half of the world's population live in malaria-endemic regions and many of them suffer one or more, often life-threatening episodes of malaria every year, the symptoms of which are attributable to replication of the parasite within red blood cells (RBCs). In the case of Plasmodium falciparum, the species responsible for most malaria-related deaths, parasite replication within RBCs is accompanied by striking alterations to the morphological, biochemical and biophysical properties of the host cell that are essential for the parasites' survival. To achieve this, the parasite establishes a unique and extensive protein export network in the infected RBC, dedicating at least 6% of its genome to the process. Understanding the full gamut of proteins involved in this process and the mechanisms by which P. falciparum alters the structure and function of RBCs is important both for a more complete understanding of the pathogenesis of malaria and for development of new therapeutic strategies to prevent or treat this devastating disease. This review focuses on what is currently known about exported parasite proteins, their interactions with the RBC and their likely pathophysiological consequences.
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162
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Coffey MJ, Sleebs BE, Uboldi AD, Garnham A, Franco M, Marino ND, Panas MW, Ferguson DJP, Enciso M, O'Neill MT, Lopaticki S, Stewart RJ, Dewson G, Smyth GK, Smith BJ, Masters SL, Boothroyd JC, Boddey JA, Tonkin CJ. An aspartyl protease defines a novel pathway for export of Toxoplasma proteins into the host cell. eLife 2015; 4:e10809. [PMID: 26576949 PMCID: PMC4764566 DOI: 10.7554/elife.10809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection by Toxoplasma gondii leads to massive changes to the host cell. Here, we identify a novel host cell effector export pathway that requires the Golgi-resident aspartyl protease 5 (ASP5). We demonstrate that ASP5 cleaves a highly constrained amino acid motif that has similarity to the PEXEL-motif of Plasmodium parasites. We show that ASP5 matures substrates at both the N- and C-terminal ends of proteins and also controls trafficking of effectors without this motif. Furthermore, ASP5 controls establishment of the nanotubular network and is required for the efficient recruitment of host mitochondria to the vacuole. Assessment of host gene expression reveals that the ASP5-dependent pathway influences thousands of the transcriptional changes that Toxoplasma imparts on its host cell. All these changes result in attenuation of virulence of Δasp5 tachyzoites in vivo. This work characterizes the first identified machinery required for export of Toxoplasma effectors into the infected host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Coffey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alessandro D Uboldi
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alexandra Garnham
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Magdalena Franco
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Nicole D Marino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Michael W Panas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - David JP Ferguson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Oxford University, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Enciso
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Matthew T O'Neill
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sash Lopaticki
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rebecca J Stewart
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Grant Dewson
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Gordon K Smyth
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Brian J Smith
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Seth L Masters
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - John C Boothroyd
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, United States
| | - Justin A Boddey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christopher J Tonkin
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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163
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Gambini L, Rizzi L, Pedretti A, Taglialatela-Scafati O, Carucci M, Pancotti A, Galli C, Read M, Giurisato E, Romeo S, Russo I. Picomolar Inhibition of Plasmepsin V, an Essential Malaria Protease, Achieved Exploiting the Prime Region. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142509. [PMID: 26566224 PMCID: PMC4643876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. It results in an annual death-toll of ~ 600,000. Resistance to all medications currently in use exists, and novel antimalarial drugs are urgently needed. Plasmepsin V (PmV) is an essential Plasmodium protease and a highly promising antimalarial target, which still lacks molecular characterization and drug-like inhibitors. PmV, cleaving the PExEl motif, is the key enzyme for PExEl-secretion, an indispensable parasitic process for virulence and infection. Here, we describe the accessibility of PmV catalytic pockets to inhibitors and propose a novel strategy for PmV inhibition. We also provide molecular and structural data suitable for future drug development. Using high-throughput platforms, we identified a novel scaffold that interferes with PmV in-vitro at picomolar ranges (~ 1,000-fold more active than available compounds). Via systematic replacement of P and P' regions, we assayed the physico-chemical requirements for PmV inhibition, achieving an unprecedented IC50 of ~20 pM. The hydroxyethylamine moiety, the hydrogen acceptor group in P2', the lipophilic groups upstream to P3, the arginine and other possible substitutions in position P3 proved to be critically important elements in achieving potent inhibition. In-silico analyses provided essential QSAR information and model validation. Our inhibitors act ‘on-target’, confirmed by cellular interference of PmV function and biochemical interaction with inhibitors. Our inhibitors are poorly performing against parasite growth, possibly due to poor stability of their peptidic component and trans-membrane permeability. The lowest IC50 for parasite growth inhibition was ~ 15μM. Analysis of inhibitor internalization revealed important pharmacokinetic features for PExEl-based molecules. Our work disclosed novel pursuable drug design strategies for highly efficient PmV inhibition highlighting novel molecular elements necessary for picomolar activity against PmV. All the presented data are discussed in respect to human aspartic proteases and previously reported inhibitors, highlighting differences and proposing new strategies for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Gambini
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Rizzi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Pedretti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Orazio Taglialatela-Scafati
- Department of Chemistry of Natural Substances, Faculty of Pharmacy, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Mario Carucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea Pancotti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Corinna Galli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Martin Read
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Emanuele Giurisato
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sergio Romeo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Russo
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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164
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Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum is the protozoan parasite that causes most malaria-associated morbidity and mortality in humans with over 500,000 deaths annually. The disease symptoms are associated with repeated cycles of invasion and asexual multiplication inside red blood cells of the parasite. Partial, non-sterile immunity to P. falciparum malaria develops only after repeated infections and continuous exposure. The successful evasion of the human immune system relies on the large repertoire of antigenically diverse parasite proteins displayed on the red blood cell surface and on the merozoite membrane where they are exposed to the human immune system. Expression switching of these polymorphic proteins between asexual parasite generations provides an efficient mechanism to adapt to the changing environment in the host and to maintain chronic infection. This chapter discusses antigenic diversity and variation in the malaria parasite and our current understanding of the molecular mechanisms that direct the expression of these proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Petter
- Department of Medicine Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, 792 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| | - Michael F Duffy
- Department of Medicine Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, 792 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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165
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Kagaya W, Miyazaki S, Yahata K, Ohta N, Kaneko O. The Cytoplasmic Region of Plasmodium falciparum SURFIN4.2 Is Required for Transport from Maurer's Clefts to the Red Blood Cell Surface. Trop Med Health 2015; 43:265-72. [PMID: 26865830 PMCID: PMC4689606 DOI: 10.2149/tmh.2015-38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, exports many proteins to the surface of the infected red blood cell (iRBC) in order to modify it toward a structure more suitable for parasite development and survival. One such exported protein, SURFIN4.2, from the parasite of human malignant malaria, P. falciparum, was identified in the trypsin-cleaved protein fraction from the iRBC surface, and is thereby inferred to be exposed on the iRBC surface. SURFIN4.2 also localize to Maurer’s clefts—parasite-derived membranous structures established in the RBC cytoplasm and tethered to the RBC membrane—and their role in trafficking suggests that they are a pathway for SURFIN4.2 transport to the iRBC surface. It has not been determined the participation of protein domains and motifs within SURFIN4.2 in transport from Maurer’s clefts to the iRBC surface; and herein we examined if the SURFIN4.2 intracellular region containing tryptophan-rich (WR) domain is required for its exposure on the iRBC surface. Results: We generated two transgenic parasite lines which express modified SURFIN4.2, with or without a part of the intracellular region. Both recombinant SURFIN4.2 proteins were exported to Maurer’s clefts. However, only SURFIN4.2 possessing the intracellular region was efficiently cleaved by surface treatment of iRBC with proteinase K. Conclusions: These results indicate that SURFIN4.2 is exposed on the iRBC surface and that the intracellular region containing WR domain plays a role on the transport from Maurer’s clefts to the iRBC membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Kagaya
- Section of Environmental Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0034, Japan; Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Shinya Miyazaki
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , Nagasaki, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Kazuhide Yahata
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , Nagasaki, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Nobuo Ohta
- Section of Environmental Parasitology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University , 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0034, Japan
| | - Osamu Kaneko
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University , Nagasaki, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
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166
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Shaw PJ, Chaotheing S, Kaewprommal P, Piriyapongsa J, Wongsombat C, Suwannakitti N, Koonyosying P, Uthaipibull C, Yuthavong Y, Kamchonwongpaisan S. Plasmodium parasites mount an arrest response to dihydroartemisinin, as revealed by whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing (RNA-seq) and microarray study. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:830. [PMID: 26490244 PMCID: PMC4618149 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-2040-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Control of malaria is threatened by emerging parasite resistance to artemisinin and derivative drug (ART) therapies. The molecular detail of how Plasmodium malaria parasites respond to ART and how this could contribute to resistance are not well understood. To address this question, we performed a transcriptomic study of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) response in P. falciparum K1 strain and in P. berghei ANKA strain using microarray and RNA-seq technology. Results Microarray data from DHA-treated P. falciparum trophozoite stage parasites revealed a response pattern that is overall less trophozoite-like and more like the other stages of asexual development. A meta-analysis of these data with previously published data from other ART treatments revealed a set of common differentially expressed genes. Notably, ribosomal protein genes are down-regulated in response to ART. A similar pattern of trophozoite transcriptomic change was observed from RNA-seq data. RNA-seq data from DHA-treated P. falciparum rings reveal a more muted response, although there is considerable overlap of differentially expressed genes with DHA-treated trophozoites. No genes are differentially expressed in DHA-treated P. falciparum schizonts. The transcriptional response of P. berghei to DHA treatment in vivo in infected mice is similar to the P. falciparum in vitro culture ring and trophozoite responses, in which ribosomal protein genes are notably down-regulated. Conclusions Ring and trophozoite stage Plasmodium respond to ART by arresting metabolic processes such as protein synthesis and glycolysis. This response can be protective in rings, as shown by the phenomenon of dormancy. In contrast, this response is not as protective in trophozoites owing to their commitment to a highly active and vulnerable metabolic state. The lower metabolic demands of schizonts could explain why they are less sensitive and unresponsive to ART. The ART response pattern is revealed clearly from RNA-seq data, suggesting that this technology is of great utility for studying drug response in Plasmodium. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2040-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Shaw
- Protein-Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Sastra Chaotheing
- Protein-Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Pavita Kaewprommal
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Genome Technology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Jittima Piriyapongsa
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Genome Technology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Chayaphat Wongsombat
- Protein-Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Nattida Suwannakitti
- Protein-Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Pongpisid Koonyosying
- Protein-Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Chairat Uthaipibull
- Protein-Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Yongyuth Yuthavong
- Protein-Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
| | - Sumalee Kamchonwongpaisan
- Protein-Ligand Engineering and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Medical Molecular Biology Research Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), 113 Thailand Science Park, Thanon Phahonyothin, Tambon Khlong Neung, Amphoe, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, 12120, Thailand.
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167
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Hammoudi PM, Jacot D, Mueller C, Di Cristina M, Dogga SK, Marq JB, Romano J, Tosetti N, Dubrot J, Emre Y, Lunghi M, Coppens I, Yamamoto M, Sojka D, Pino P, Soldati-Favre D. Fundamental Roles of the Golgi-Associated Toxoplasma Aspartyl Protease, ASP5, at the Host-Parasite Interface. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005211. [PMID: 26473595 PMCID: PMC4608785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii possesses sets of dense granule proteins (GRAs) that either assemble at, or cross the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) and exhibit motifs resembling the HT/PEXEL previously identified in a repertoire of exported Plasmodium proteins. Within Plasmodium spp., cleavage of the HT/PEXEL motif by the endoplasmic reticulum-resident protease Plasmepsin V precedes trafficking to and export across the PVM of proteins involved in pathogenicity and host cell remodelling. Here, we have functionally characterized the T. gondii aspartyl protease 5 (ASP5), a Golgi-resident protease that is phylogenetically related to Plasmepsin V. We show that deletion of ASP5 causes a significant loss in parasite fitness in vitro and an altered virulence in vivo. Furthermore, we reveal that ASP5 is necessary for the cleavage of GRA16, GRA19 and GRA20 at the PEXEL-like motif. In the absence of ASP5, the intravacuolar nanotubular network disappears and several GRAs fail to localize to the PVM, while GRA16 and GRA24, both known to be targeted to the host cell nucleus, are retained within the vacuolar space. Additionally, hypermigration of dendritic cells and bradyzoite cyst wall formation are impaired, critically impacting on parasite dissemination and persistence. Overall, the absence of ASP5 dramatically compromises the parasite’s ability to modulate host signalling pathways and immune responses. The opportunistic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii infects a large range of nucleated cells where it replicates intracellularly within a parasitophorous vacuole (PV) surrounded by a membrane (PVM). Parasites constitutively secrete dense-granule proteins (GRAs) both into and beyond the PV which participate in remodelling of the PVM, recruitment of host organelles, neutralization of the host cellular defences, and subversion of host cell functioning. In addition, the GRAs critically contribute to cyst wall formation, a process that critically ensures parasite persistence and transmission. To act as effector molecules, some of the GRAs must be translocated across the PVM. Within the related apicomplexan parasite P. falciparum, a repertoire of proteins exported beyond the PVM contain a motif cleaved by a specific protease, Plasmepsin V. Examination of the repertoire of GRAs in T. gondii revealed that some proteins exhibit such export-like motifs suggestive of protease involvement. In this study, we have functionally characterized the related aspartyl protease 5 (TgASP5) in both virulent and persistent T. gondii strains, and have investigated the phenotypic consequences of its deletion in the context of overall parasite biology, its intracellular niche, the infected host cells and the murine model. Our findings revealed fundamental roles of TgASP5 at the host-parasite interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Mehdi Hammoudi
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Damien Jacot
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christina Mueller
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Manlio Di Cristina
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Sunil Kumar Dogga
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Baptiste Marq
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julia Romano
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Nicolò Tosetti
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Juan Dubrot
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yalin Emre
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Lunghi
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Masahiro Yamamoto
- Department of Immunoparasitology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Daniel Sojka
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Paco Pino
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Soldati-Favre
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Centre Médical Universitaire, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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168
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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] [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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169
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Spielmann T, Gilberger TW. Critical Steps in Protein Export of Plasmodium falciparum Blood Stages. Trends Parasitol 2015; 31:514-525. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2015.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Revised: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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170
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Hallée S, Richard D. Evidence that the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum Putative Rhoptry Protein 2 Localizes to the Golgi Apparatus throughout the Erythrocytic Cycle. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138626. [PMID: 26375591 PMCID: PMC4574476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasion of a red blood cell by Plasmodium falciparum merozoites is an essential step in the malaria lifecycle. Several of the proteins involved in this process are stored in the apical complex of the merozoite, a structure containing secretory organelles that are released at specific times during invasion. The molecular players involved in erythrocyte invasion thus represent potential key targets for both therapeutic and vaccine-based strategies to block parasite development. In our quest to identify and characterize new effectors of invasion, we investigated the P. falciparum homologue of a P. berghei protein putatively localized to the rhoptries, the Putative rhoptry protein 2 (PbPRP2). We show that in P. falciparum, the protein colocalizes extensively with the Golgi apparatus across the asexual erythrocytic cycle. Furthermore, imaging of merozoites caught at different times during invasion show that PfPRP2 is not secreted during the process instead staying associated with the Golgi apparatus. Our evidence therefore suggests that PfPRP2 is a Golgi protein and that it is likely not a direct effector in the process of merozoite invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Hallée
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie, CHU-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Dave Richard
- Centre de recherche en infectiologie, CHU-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
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171
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Curt-Varesano A, Braun L, Ranquet C, Hakimi MA, Bougdour A. The aspartyl protease TgASP5 mediates the export of the Toxoplasma GRA16 and GRA24 effectors into host cells. Cell Microbiol 2015; 18:151-67. [PMID: 26270241 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium species are obligatory intracellular parasites that export proteins into the infected cells in order to interfere with host-signalling pathways, acquire nutrients or evade host defense mechanisms. With regard to export mechanism, a wealth of information in Plasmodium spp. is available, while the mechanisms operating in T. gondii remain uncertain. The recent discovery of exported proteins in T. gondii, mainly represented by dense granule resident proteins, might explain this discrepancy and offers a unique opportunity to study the export mechanism in T. gondii. Here, we report that GRA16 export is mediated by two protein elements present in its N-terminal region. Because the first element contains a putative Plasmodium export element linear motif (RRLAE), we hypothesized that GRA16 export depended on a maturation process involving protein cleavage. Using both N- and C-terminal epitope tags, we provide evidence for protein proteolysis occurring in the N-terminus of GRA16. We show that TgASP5, the T. gondii homolog of Plasmodium plasmepsin V, is essential for GRA16 export and is directly responsible for its maturation in a Plasmodium export element-dependent manner. Interestingly, TgASP5 is also involved in GRA24 export, although the GRA24 maturation mechanism is TgASP5-independent. Our data reveal different modus operandi for protein export, in which TgASP5 should play multiple functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Curt-Varesano
- Laboratoire Adaptation et Pathogénie des Microorganismes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR5163, F-38041, Grenoble, France.,Université Joseph Fourier, F-38000, Grenoble Cedex 09, France
| | - Laurence Braun
- Laboratoire Adaptation et Pathogénie des Microorganismes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR5163, F-38041, Grenoble, France.,Université Joseph Fourier, F-38000, Grenoble Cedex 09, France
| | - Caroline Ranquet
- Bâtiment B - Biologie, BGene Genetics SAS, 2280 rue de la Piscine, 38400, Saint Martin d'Hères, France
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- Laboratoire Adaptation et Pathogénie des Microorganismes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR5163, F-38041, Grenoble, France.,Université Joseph Fourier, F-38000, Grenoble Cedex 09, France
| | - Alexandre Bougdour
- Laboratoire Adaptation et Pathogénie des Microorganismes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR5163, F-38041, Grenoble, France.,Université Joseph Fourier, F-38000, Grenoble Cedex 09, France
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172
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Miyazaki Y, Chen LC, Chu BW, Swigut T, Wandless TJ. Distinct transcriptional responses elicited by unfolded nuclear or cytoplasmic protein in mammalian cells. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 26314864 PMCID: PMC4566031 DOI: 10.7554/elife.07687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells possess a variety of signaling pathways that prevent accumulation of unfolded and misfolded proteins. Chief among these is the heat shock response (HSR), which is assumed to respond to unfolded proteins in the cytosol and nucleus alike. In this study, we probe this axiom further using engineered proteins called 'destabilizing domains', whose folding state we control with a small molecule. The sudden appearance of unfolded protein in mammalian cells elicits a robust transcriptional response, which is distinct from the HSR and other known pathways that respond to unfolded proteins. The cellular response to unfolded protein is strikingly different in the nucleus and the cytosol, although unfolded protein in either compartment engages the p53 network. This response provides cross-protection during subsequent proteotoxic stress, suggesting that it is a central component of protein quality control networks, and like the HSR, is likely to influence the initiation and progression of human pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Miyazaki
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Ling-chun Chen
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Bernard W Chu
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Tomek Swigut
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Thomas J Wandless
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
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173
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The Plasmodium berghei translocon of exported proteins reveals spatiotemporal dynamics of tubular extensions. Sci Rep 2015. [PMID: 26219962 PMCID: PMC4518229 DOI: 10.1038/srep12532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The erythrocyte is an extraordinary host cell for intracellular pathogens and requires extensive remodelling to become permissive for infection. Malaria parasites modify their host red blood cells through protein export to acquire nutrients and evade immune responses. Endogenous fluorescent tagging of three signature proteins of the Plasmodium berghei translocon of exported proteins (PTEX), heat shock protein 101, exported protein 2 (EXP2), and PTEX88, revealed motile, tubular extensions of the parasitophorous vacuole that protrude from the parasite far into the red blood cell. EXP2 displays a more prominent presence at the periphery of the parasite, consistent with its proposed role in pore formation. The tubular compartment is most prominent during trophozoite growth. Distinct spatiotemporal expression of individual PTEX components during sporogony and liver-stage development indicates additional functions and tight regulation of the PTEX translocon during parasite life cycle progression. Together, live cell imaging and correlative light and electron microscopy permitted previously unrecognized spatiotemporal and subcellular resolution of PTEX-containing tubules in murine malaria parasites. These findings further refine current models for Plasmodium-induced erythrocyte makeover.
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174
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Structural basis for plasmepsin V inhibition that blocks export of malaria proteins to human erythrocytes. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2015. [PMID: 26214367 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.3061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Plasmepsin V, an essential aspartyl protease of malaria parasites, has a key role in the export of effector proteins to parasite-infected erythrocytes. Consequently, it is an important drug target for the two most virulent malaria parasites of humans, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. We developed a potent inhibitor of plasmepsin V, called WEHI-842, which directly mimics the Plasmodium export element (PEXEL). WEHI-842 inhibits recombinant plasmepsin V with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.2 nM, efficiently blocks protein export and inhibits parasite growth. We obtained the structure of P. vivax plasmepsin V in complex with WEHI-842 to 2.4-Å resolution, which provides an explanation for the strict requirements for substrate and inhibitor binding. The structure characterizes both a plant-like fold and a malaria-specific helix-turn-helix motif that are likely to be important in cleavage of effector substrates for export.
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175
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AhYoung AP, Koehl A, Cascio D, Egea PF. Structural mapping of the ClpB ATPases of Plasmodium falciparum: Targeting protein folding and secretion for antimalarial drug design. Protein Sci 2015; 24:1508-20. [PMID: 26130467 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2015] [Revised: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Caseinolytic chaperones and proteases (Clp) belong to the AAA+ protein superfamily and are part of the protein quality control machinery in cells. The eukaryotic parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, has evolved an elaborate network of Clp proteins including two distinct ClpB ATPases. ClpB1 and ClpB2 are involved in different aspects of parasitic proteostasis. ClpB1 is present in the apicoplast, a parasite-specific and plastid-like organelle hosting various metabolic pathways necessary for parasite growth. ClpB2 localizes to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane where it drives protein export as core subunit of a parasite-derived protein secretion complex, the Plasmodium Translocon of Exported proteins (PTEX); this process is central to parasite virulence and survival in the human host. The functional associations of these two chaperones with parasite-specific metabolism and protein secretion make them prime drug targets. ClpB proteins function as unfoldases and disaggregases and share a common architecture consisting of four domains-a variable N-terminal domain that binds different protein substrates, followed by two highly conserved catalytic ATPase domains, and a C-terminal domain. Here, we report and compare the first crystal structures of the N terminal domains of ClpB1 and ClpB2 from Plasmodium and analyze their molecular surfaces. Solution scattering analysis of the N domain of ClpB2 shows that the average solution conformation is similar to the crystalline structure. These structures represent the first step towards the characterization of these two malarial chaperones and the reconstitution of the entire PTEX to aid structure-based design of novel anti-malarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P AhYoung
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Antoine Koehl
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Duilio Cascio
- Department of Energy Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
| | - Pascal F Egea
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California.,Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
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176
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Sigala PA, Crowley JR, Henderson JP, Goldberg DE. Deconvoluting heme biosynthesis to target blood-stage malaria parasites. eLife 2015; 4. [PMID: 26173178 PMCID: PMC4532139 DOI: 10.7554/elife.09143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Heme metabolism is central to blood-stage infection by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Parasites retain a heme biosynthesis pathway but do not require its activity during infection of heme-rich erythrocytes, where they can scavenge host heme to meet metabolic needs. Nevertheless, heme biosynthesis in parasite-infected erythrocytes can be potently stimulated by exogenous 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), resulting in accumulation of the phototoxic intermediate protoporphyrin IX (PPIX). Here we use photodynamic imaging, mass spectrometry, parasite gene disruption, and chemical probes to reveal that vestigial host enzymes in the cytoplasm of Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes contribute to ALA-stimulated heme biosynthesis and that ALA uptake depends on parasite-established permeability pathways. We show that PPIX accumulation in infected erythrocytes can be harnessed for antimalarial chemotherapy using luminol-based chemiluminescence and combinatorial stimulation by low-dose artemisinin to photoactivate PPIX to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen. This photodynamic strategy has the advantage of exploiting host enzymes refractory to resistance-conferring mutations. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09143.001 Malaria is a devastating infectious disease that is caused by single-celled parasites called Plasmodium that can live inside red blood cells. Several important proteins from these parasites require a small molecule called heme in order to work. The parasites have enzymes that make heme via a series of intermediate steps. However, it remains unclear exactly how important this ‘pathway’ of enzymes is for the parasite, and whether this pathway could be targeted by drugs to treat malaria. Now Sigala et al. have used a range of genetic and biochemical approaches to better understand the production of heme molecules in Plasmodium-infected red blood cells. First, several parasite genes that encode the enzymes used to make heme molecules were deleted. Unexpectedly, these gene deletions did not affect the ability of the infected blood cells to make heme. This result suggested that the parasites do not use their own pathway to produce heme while they are growing in the bloodstream. Sigala et al. then showed that human enzymes involved in making heme, most of which are also found within the infected red blood cells, are still active. These human enzymes provide a parallel pathway that can link up with the final parasite enzyme to generate heme. Further experiments revealed that the activity of the human enzymes could be strongly stimulated by providing the pathway with one of the building blocks used to make heme. This stimulation led to the build-up of an intermediate molecule called PPIX. This intermediate molecule can kill cells when it is exposed to light—a property that is called ‘phototoxicity’. Sigala et al. showed that treating infected red blood cells with a new combination of non-toxic chemicals that emit light can activate PPIX in the bloodstream and can selectively kill the malaria parasites while leaving uninfected cells intact. These findings suggest a new treatment that could be effective against blood-stage malaria. Furthermore, the parasite will be unable to easily mutate to avoid the effects of this treatment because it relies on human proteins that are already made. Future work is now needed to optimize the dosage and the combination of drugs that could provide such a treatment. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09143.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Sigala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
| | - Jan R Crowley
- Center for Women's Infectious Disease Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Jeffrey P Henderson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
| | - Daniel E Goldberg
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
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177
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Chaperone-assisted protein aggregate reactivation: Different solutions for the same problem. Arch Biochem Biophys 2015; 580:121-34. [PMID: 26159839 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2015.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The oligomeric AAA+ chaperones Hsp104 in yeast and ClpB in bacteria are responsible for the reactivation of aggregated proteins, an activity essential for cell survival during severe stress. The protein disaggregase activity of these members of the Hsp100 family is linked to the activity of chaperones from the Hsp70 and Hsp40 families. The precise mechanism by which these proteins untangle protein aggregates remains unclear. Strikingly, Hsp100 proteins are not present in metazoans. This does not mean that animal cells do not have a disaggregase activity, but that this activity is performed by the Hsp70 system and a representative of the Hsp110 family instead of a Hsp100 protein. This review describes the actual view of Hsp100-mediated aggregate reactivation, including the ATP-induced conformational changes associated with their disaggregase activity, the dynamics of the oligomeric assembly that is regulated by its ATPase cycle and the DnaK system, and the tight allosteric coupling between the ATPase domains within the hexameric ring complexes. The lack of homologs of these disaggregases in metazoans has suggested that they might be used as potential targets to develop antimicrobials. The current knowledge of the human disaggregase machinery and the role of Hsp110 are also discussed.
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178
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Przyborski JM, Diehl M, Blatch GL. Plasmodial HSP70s are functionally adapted to the malaria parasite life cycle. Front Mol Biosci 2015; 2:34. [PMID: 26167469 PMCID: PMC4481151 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2015.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, encodes a minimal complement of six heat shock protein 70s (PfHSP70s), some of which are highly expressed and are thought to play an important role in the survival and pathology of the parasite. In addition to canonical features of molecular chaperones, these HSP70s possess properties that reflect functional adaptation to a parasitic life style, including resistance to thermal insult during fever periods and host–parasite interactions. The parasite even exports an HSP70 to the host cell where it is likely to be involved in host cell modification. This review focuses on the features of the PfHSP70s, particularly with respect to their adaptation to the malaria parasite life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mathias Diehl
- Parasitology, Philipps University Marburg Marburg, Germany
| | - Gregory L Blatch
- Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University Grahamstown, South Africa
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179
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Chen Y, Xu R. Network-based gene prediction for Plasmodium falciparum malaria towards genetics-based drug discovery. BMC Genomics 2015; 16 Suppl 7:S9. [PMID: 26099491 PMCID: PMC4474419 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-16-s7-s9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria is the most deadly parasitic infectious disease. Existing drug treatments have limited efficacy in malaria elimination, and the complex pathogenesis of the disease is not fully understood. Detecting novel malaria-associated genes not only contributes in revealing the disease pathogenesis, but also facilitates discovering new targets for anti-malaria drugs. METHODS In this study, we developed a network-based approach to predict malaria-associated genes. We constructed a cross-species network to integrate human-human, parasite-parasite and human-parasite protein interactions. Then we extended the random walk algorithm on this network, and used known malaria genes as the seeds to find novel candidate genes for malaria. RESULTS We validated our algorithms using 77 known malaria genes: 14 human genes and 63 parasite genes were ranked averagely within top 2% and top 4%, respectively among human and parasite genomes. We also evaluated our method for predicting novel malaria genes using a set of 27 genes with literature supporting evidence. Our approach ranked 12 genes within top 1% and 24 genes within top 5%. In addition, we demonstrated that top-ranked candied genes were enriched for drug targets, and identified commonalities underlying top-ranked malaria genes through pathway analysis. In summary, the candidate malaria-associated genes predicted by our data-driven approach have the potential to guide genetics-based anti-malaria drug discovery.
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180
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de Koning-Ward TF, Gilson PR, Crabb BS. Advances in molecular genetic systems in malaria. Nat Rev Microbiol 2015; 13:373-87. [DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro3450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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181
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Schulze J, Kwiatkowski M, Borner J, Schlüter H, Bruchhaus I, Burmester T, Spielmann T, Pick C. The Plasmodium falciparum exportome contains non-canonical PEXEL/HT proteins. Mol Microbiol 2015; 97:301-14. [PMID: 25850860 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The pathogenicity of Plasmodium falciparum is partly due to parasite-induced host cell modifications. These modifications are facilitated by exported P. falciparum proteins, collectively referred to as the exportome. Export of several hundred proteins is mediated by the PEXEL/HT, a protease cleavage site. The PEXEL/HT is usually comprised of five amino acids, of which R at position 1, L at position 3 and E, D or Q at position 5 are conserved and important for export. Non-canonical PEXEL/HTs with K or H at position 1 and/or I at position 3 are presently considered non-functional. Here, we show that non-canonical PEXEL/HT proteins are overrepresented in P. falciparum and other Plasmodium species. Furthermore, we show that non-canonical PEXEL/HTs can be cleaved and can promote export in both a REX3 and a GBP reporter, but not in a KAHRP reporter, indicating that non-canonical PEXEL/HTs are functional in concert with a supportive sequence environment. We then selected P. falciparum proteins with a non-canonical PEXEL/HT and show that some of these proteins are exported and that their export depends on non-canonical PEXEL/HTs. We conclude that PEXEL/HT plasticity is higher than appreciated and that non-canonical PEXEL/HT proteins cannot categorically be excluded from Plasmodium exportome predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Schulze
- University of Hamburg, Institute of Zoology, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marcel Kwiatkowski
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Janus Borner
- University of Hamburg, Institute of Zoology, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schlüter
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Iris Bruchhaus
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, D-20359, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Burmester
- University of Hamburg, Institute of Zoology, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Spielmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 74, D-20359, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Pick
- University of Hamburg, Institute of Zoology, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
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182
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Basore K, Cheng Y, Kushwaha AK, Nguyen ST, Desai SA. How do antimalarial drugs reach their intracellular targets? Front Pharmacol 2015; 6:91. [PMID: 25999857 PMCID: PMC4419668 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2015.00091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Drugs represent the primary treatment available for human malaria, as caused by Plasmodium spp. Currently approved drugs and antimalarial drug leads generally work against parasite enzymes or activities within infected erythrocytes. To reach their specific targets, these chemicals must cross at least three membranes beginning with the host cell membrane. Uptake at each membrane may involve partitioning and diffusion through the lipid bilayer or facilitated transport through channels or carriers. Here, we review the features of available antimalarials and examine whether transporters may be required for their uptake. Our computational analysis suggests that most antimalarials have high intrinsic membrane permeability, obviating the need for uptake via transporters; a subset of compounds appear to require facilitated uptake. We also review parasite and host transporters that may contribute to drug uptake. Broad permeability channels at the erythrocyte and parasitophorous vacuolar membranes of infected cells relax permeability constraints on antimalarial drug design; however, this uptake mechanism is prone to acquired resistance as the parasite may alter channel activity to reduce drug uptake. A better understanding of how antimalarial drugs reach their intracellular targets is critical to prioritizing drug leads for antimalarial development and may reveal new targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Basore
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Yang Cheng
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ambuj K Kushwaha
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Sanjay A Desai
- The Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health , Rockville, MD, USA
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183
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Dent AE, Nakajima R, Liang L, Baum E, Moormann AM, Sumba PO, Vulule J, Babineau D, Randall A, Davies DH, Felgner PL, Kazura JW. Plasmodium falciparum Protein Microarray Antibody Profiles Correlate With Protection From Symptomatic Malaria in Kenya. J Infect Dis 2015; 212:1429-38. [PMID: 25883384 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiv224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunoglobulin G antibodies (Abs) to Plasmodium falciparum antigens have been associated with naturally acquired immunity to symptomatic malaria. METHODS We probed protein microarrays covering 824 unique P. falciparum protein features with plasma from residents of a community in Kenya monitored for 12 weeks for (re)infection and symptomatic malaria after administration of antimalarial drugs. P. falciparum proteins recognized by Abs from 88 children (aged 1-14 years) and 86 adults (aged ≥ 18 years), measured at the beginning of the observation period, were ranked by Ab signal intensity. RESULTS Abs from immune adults reacted with a total 163 of 824 P. falciparum proteins. Children gradually acquired Abs to the full repertoire of antigens recognized by adults. Abs to some antigens showed high seroconversion rates, reaching maximal levels early in childhood, whereas others did not reach adult levels until adolescence. No correlation between Ab signal intensity and time to (re)infection was observed. In contrast, Ab levels to 106 antigens were significantly higher in children who were protected from symptomatic malaria compared with those who were not. Abs to antigens predictive of protection included P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1, merozoite surface protein (MSP) 10, MSP2, liver-stage antigen 3, PF70, MSP7, and Plasmodium helical interspersed subtelomeric domain protein. CONCLUSIONS Protein microarrays may be useful in the search for malaria antigens associated with protective immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlene E Dent
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | - Li Liang
- University of California, Irvine
| | | | - Ann M Moormann
- Center for Global Health Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - James W Kazura
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University
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184
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A CLAG3 mutation in an amphipathic transmembrane domain alters malaria parasite nutrient channels and confers leupeptin resistance. Infect Immun 2015; 83:2566-74. [PMID: 25870226 DOI: 10.1128/iai.02966-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Erythrocytes infected with malaria parasites have increased permeability to ions and nutrients, as mediated by the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC) and recently linked to parasite clag3 genes. Although the encoded protein is integral to the host membrane, its precise contribution to solute transport remains unclear because it lacks conventional transmembrane domains and does not have homology to ion channel proteins in other organisms. Here, we identified a probable CLAG3 transmembrane domain adjacent to a variant extracellular motif. Helical-wheel analysis revealed strict segregation of polar and hydrophobic residues to opposite faces of a predicted α-helical transmembrane domain, suggesting that the domain lines a water-filled pore. A single CLAG3 mutation (A1210T) in a leupeptin-resistant PSAC mutant falls within this transmembrane domain and may affect pore structure. Allelic-exchange transfection and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that this mutation alters solute selectivity in the channel. The A1210T mutation also reduces the blocking affinity of PSAC inhibitors that bind on opposite channel faces, consistent with global changes in channel structure. Transfected parasites carrying this mutation survived a leupeptin challenge significantly better than a transfection control did. Thus, the A1210T mutation contributes directly to both altered PSAC activity and leupeptin resistance. These findings reveal the molecular basis of a novel antimalarial drug resistance mechanism, provide a framework for determining the channel's composition and structure, and should guide the development of therapies targeting the PSAC.
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185
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Tarr SJ, Osborne AR. Experimental determination of the membrane topology of the Plasmodium protease Plasmepsin V. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121786. [PMID: 25849462 PMCID: PMC4388684 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite exports hundreds of proteins into its host cell. The majority of exported proteins contain a Host-Targeting motif (also known as a Plasmodium export element) that directs them for export. Prior to export, the Host-Targeting motif is cleaved by the endoplasmic reticulum-resident protease Plasmepsin V and the newly generated N-terminus is N-α-acetylated by an unidentified enzyme. The cleaved, N-α-acetylated protein is trafficked to the parasitophorous vacuole, where it is translocated across the vacuole membrane. It is clear that cleavage and N-α-acetylation of the Host-Targeting motif occur at the endoplasmic reticulum, and it has been proposed that Host-Targeting motif cleavage and N-α-acetylation occur either on the luminal or cytosolic side of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Here, we use self-associating ‘split’ fragments of GFP to determine the topology of Plasmepsin V in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane; we show that the catalytic protease domain of Plasmepsin V faces the endoplasmic reticulum lumen. These data support a model in which the Host-Targeting motif is cleaved and N-α-acetylated in the endoplasmic reticulum lumen. Furthermore, these findings suggest that cytosolic N-α-acetyltransferases are unlikely to be candidates for the N-α-acetyltransferase of Host-Targeting motif-containing exported proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Tarr
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, Birkbeck and University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew R. Osborne
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, Birkbeck and University College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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186
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In Vivo Function of PTEX88 in Malaria Parasite Sequestration and Virulence. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2015; 14:528-34. [PMID: 25820521 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00276-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Malaria pathology is linked to remodeling of red blood cells by eukaryotic Plasmodium parasites. Central to host cell refurbishment is the trafficking of parasite-encoded virulence factors through the Plasmodium translocon of exported proteins (PTEX). Much of our understanding of its function is based on experimental work with cultured Plasmodium falciparum, yet direct consequences of PTEX impairment during an infection remain poorly defined. Using the murine malaria model parasite Plasmodium berghei, it is shown here that efficient sequestration to the pulmonary, adipose, and brain tissue vasculature is dependent on the PTEX components thioredoxin 2 (TRX2) and PTEX88. While TRX2-deficient parasites remain virulent, PTEX88-deficient parasites no longer sequester in the brain, correlating with abolishment of cerebral complications in infected mice. However, an apparent trade-off for virulence attenuation was spleen enlargement, which correlates with a strongly reduced schizont-to-ring-stage transition. Strikingly, general protein export is unaffected in PTEX88-deficient mutants that mature normally in vitro. Thus, PTEX88 is pivotal for tissue sequestration in vivo, parasite virulence, and preventing exacerbation of spleen pathology, but these functions do not correlate with general protein export to the host erythrocyte. The presented data suggest that the protein export machinery of Plasmodium parasites and their underlying mechanistic features are considerably more complex than previously anticipated and indicate challenges for targeted intervention strategies.
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187
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Nacer A, Claes A, Roberts A, Scheidig-Benatar C, Sakamoto H, Ghorbal M, Lopez-Rubio JJ, Mattei D. Discovery of a novel and conserved Plasmodium falciparum exported protein that is important for adhesion of PfEMP1 at the surface of infected erythrocytes. Cell Microbiol 2015; 17:1205-16. [PMID: 25703704 PMCID: PMC4654329 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Revised: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum virulence is linked to its ability to sequester in post-capillary venules in the human host. Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) is the main variant surface antigen implicated in this process. Complete loss of parasite adhesion is linked to a large subtelomeric deletion on chromosome 9 in a number of laboratory strains such as D10 and T9-96. Similar to the cytoadherent reference line FCR3, D10 strain expresses PfEMP1 on the surface of parasitized erythrocytes, however without any detectable cytoadhesion. To investigate which of the deleted subtelomeric genes may be implicated in parasite adhesion, we selected 12 genes for D10 complementation studies that are predicted to code for proteins exported to the red blood cell. We identified a novel single copy gene (PF3D7_0936500) restricted to P. falciparum that restores adhesion to CD36, termed here virulence-associated protein 1 (Pfvap1). Protein knockdown and gene knockout experiments confirmed a role of PfVAP1 in the adhesion process in FCR3 parasites. PfVAP1 is co-exported with PfEMP1 into the host cell via vesicle-like structures called Maurer's clefts. This study identifies a novel highly conserved parasite molecule that contributes to parasite virulence possibly by assisting PfEMP1 to establish functional adhesion at the host cell surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adéla Nacer
- Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,INSERM U1201, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,CNRS ERL9195, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Aurélie Claes
- Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,INSERM U1201, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,CNRS ERL9195, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Amy Roberts
- Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,INSERM U1201, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,CNRS ERL9195, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Christine Scheidig-Benatar
- Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,INSERM U1201, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,CNRS ERL9195, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Hiroshi Sakamoto
- Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,INSERM U1201, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,CNRS ERL9195, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Mehdi Ghorbal
- Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,INSERM U1201, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Jose-Juan Lopez-Rubio
- Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,INSERM U1201, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Denise Mattei
- Biology of Parasite-Host Interactions Unit, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,INSERM U1201, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France.,CNRS ERL9195, 25, Rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, F-75015, France
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188
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Kilian N, Srismith S, Dittmer M, Ouermi D, Bisseye C, Simpore J, Cyrklaff M, Sanchez CP, Lanzer M. Hemoglobin S and C affect protein export in Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. Biol Open 2015; 4:400-10. [PMID: 25701664 PMCID: PMC4359745 DOI: 10.1242/bio.201410942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a potentially deadly disease. However, not every infected person develops severe symptoms. Some people are protected by naturally occurring mechanisms that frequently involve inheritable modifications in their hemoglobin. The best studied protective hemoglobins are the sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS) and hemoglobin C (HbC) which both result from a single amino acid substitution in β-globin: glutamic acid at position 6 is replaced by valine or lysine, respectively. How these hemoglobinopathies protect from severe malaria is only partly understood. Models currently proposed in the literature include reduced disease-mediating cytoadherence of parasitized hemoglobinopathic erythrocytes, impaired intraerythrocytic development of the parasite, dampened inflammatory responses, or a combination thereof. Using a conditional protein export system and tightly synchronized Plasmodium falciparum cultures, we now show that export of parasite-encoded proteins across the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane is delayed, slower, and reduced in amount in hemoglobinopathic erythrocytes as compared to parasitized wild type red blood cells. Impaired protein export affects proteins targeted to the host cell cytoplasm, Maurer's clefts, and the host cell plasma membrane. Impaired protein export into the host cell compartment provides a mechanistic explanation for the reduced cytoadherence phenotype associated with parasitized hemoglobinopathic erythrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Kilian
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sirikamol Srismith
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Dittmer
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Djeneba Ouermi
- Biomolecular Research Center Pietro Annigoni, University of Ouagadougou, 01 BP 364 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Cyrille Bisseye
- Biomolecular Research Center Pietro Annigoni, University of Ouagadougou, 01 BP 364 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Jacques Simpore
- Biomolecular Research Center Pietro Annigoni, University of Ouagadougou, 01 BP 364 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Marek Cyrklaff
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cecilia P Sanchez
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Lanzer
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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189
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Host erythrocyte environment influences the localization of exported protein 2, an essential component of the Plasmodium translocon. EUKARYOTIC CELL 2015; 14:371-84. [PMID: 25662767 DOI: 10.1128/ec.00228-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasites replicating inside red blood cells (RBCs) export a large subset of proteins into the erythrocyte cytoplasm to facilitate parasite growth and survival. PTEX, the parasite-encoded translocon, mediates protein transport across the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) in Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. Proteins exported into the erythrocyte cytoplasm have been localized to membranous structures, such as Maurer's clefts, small vesicles, and a tubovesicular network. Comparable studies of protein trafficking in Plasmodium vivax-infected reticulocytes are limited. With Plasmodium yoelii-infected reticulocytes, we identified exported protein 2 (Exp2) in a proteomic screen of proteins putatively transported across the PVM. Immunofluorescence studies showed that P. yoelii Exp2 (PyExp2) was primarily localized to the PVM. Unexpectedly, PyExp2 was also associated with distinct, membrane-bound vesicles in the reticulocyte cytoplasm. This is in contrast to P. falciparum in mature RBCs, where P. falciparum Exp2 (PfExp2) is exclusively localized to the PVM. Two P. yoelii-exported proteins, PY04481 (encoded by a pyst-a gene) and PY06203 (PypAg-1), partially colocalized with these PyExp2-positive vesicles. Further analysis revealed that with P. yoelii, Plasmodium berghei, and P. falciparum, cytoplasmic Exp2-positive vesicles were primarily observed in CD71(+) reticulocytes versus mature RBCs. In transgenic P. yoelii 17X parasites, the association of hemagglutinin-tagged PyExp2 with the PVM and cytoplasmic vesicles was retained, but the pyexp2 gene was refractory to deletion. These data suggest that the localization of Exp2 in mouse and human RBCs can be influenced by the host cell environment. Exp2 may function at multiple points in the pathway by which parasites traffic proteins into and through the reticulocyte cytoplasm.
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190
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Spillman NJ, Beck JR, Goldberg DE. Protein export into malaria parasite-infected erythrocytes: mechanisms and functional consequences. Annu Rev Biochem 2015; 84:813-41. [PMID: 25621510 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-060614-034157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Phylum Apicomplexa comprises a large group of obligate intracellular parasites of high medical and veterinary importance. These organisms succeed intracellularly by effecting remarkable changes in a broad range of diverse host cells. The transformation of the host erythrocyte is particularly striking in the case of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. P. falciparum exports hundreds of proteins that mediate a complex cellular renovation marked by changes in the permeability, rigidity, and cytoadherence properties of the host erythrocyte. The past decade has seen enormous progress in understanding the identity and function of these exported effectors, as well as the mechanisms by which they are trafficked into the host cell. Here we review these advances, place them in the context of host manipulation by related apicomplexans, and propose key directions for future research.
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191
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Gazdik M, O'Neill MT, Lopaticki S, Lowes KN, Smith BJ, Cowman AF, Boddey JA, Sleebs BE. The effect of N-methylation on transition state mimetic inhibitors of the Plasmodium protease, plasmepsin V. MEDCHEMCOMM 2015. [DOI: 10.1039/c4md00409d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
An N-methylation strategy has been applied to transition state mimetics that are potent inhibitors of plasmepsin V to improve their physical characteristics and their ability to reduce the viability of Plasmodium parasites in culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Gazdik
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Parkville
- Australia
- Department of Medical Biology
- The University of Melbourne
| | - Matthew T. O'Neill
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Parkville
- Australia
- Department of Medical Biology
- The University of Melbourne
| | - Sash Lopaticki
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Parkville
- Australia
- Department of Medical Biology
- The University of Melbourne
| | - Kym N. Lowes
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Parkville
- Australia
- Department of Medical Biology
- The University of Melbourne
| | | | - Alan F. Cowman
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Parkville
- Australia
- Department of Medical Biology
- The University of Melbourne
| | - Justin A. Boddey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Parkville
- Australia
- Department of Medical Biology
- The University of Melbourne
| | - Brad E. Sleebs
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Parkville
- Australia
- Department of Medical Biology
- The University of Melbourne
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192
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Peng M, Cascio D, Egea PF. Crystal structure and solution characterization of the thioredoxin-2 from Plasmodium falciparum, a constituent of an essential parasitic protein export complex. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 456:403-9. [PMID: 25475729 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.11.096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Survival of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum when it infects red blood cells depends upon its ability to export hundreds of its proteins beyond an encasing vacuole. Protein export is mediated by a parasite-derived protein complex, the Plasmodium translocon of exported proteins (PTEX), and requires unfolding of the different cargos prior to their translocation across the vacuolar membrane. Unfolding is performed by the AAA+protein unfoldase HSP101/ClpB2 and the thioredoxin-2 enzyme (TRX2). Protein trafficking is dramatically impaired in parasites with defective HSP101 or lacking TRX2. These two PTEX subunits drive export and are targets for the design of a novel class of antimalarials: protein export inhibitors. To rationalize inhibitor design, we solved the crystal structure of Pfal-TRX2 at 2.2-Å resolution. Within the asymmetric unit, the three different copies of this protein disulfide reductase sample its two redox catalytic states. Size exclusion chromatography and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analyses demonstrate that Pfal-TRX2 is monomeric in solution. A non-conserved N-terminal extension precedes the canonical thioredoxin-fold; although it is not observed in our structure, our solution analysis suggests it is flexible in contrast to Plasmodium thioredoxin-1. This represents a first step towards the reconstitution of the entire PTEX for mechanistic and structural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindy Peng
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Duilio Cascio
- Department of Energy Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Pascal F Egea
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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193
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Plasmodium falciparum transfected with ultra bright NanoLuc luciferase offers high sensitivity detection for the screening of growth and cellular trafficking inhibitors. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112571. [PMID: 25392998 PMCID: PMC4231029 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug discovery is a key part of malaria control and eradication strategies, and could benefit from sensitive and affordable assays to quantify parasite growth and to help identify the targets of potential anti-malarial compounds. Bioluminescence, achieved through expression of exogenous luciferases, is a powerful tool that has been applied in studies of several aspects of parasite biology and high throughput growth assays. We have expressed the new reporter NanoLuc (Nluc) luciferase in Plasmodium falciparum and showed it is at least 100 times brighter than the commonly used firefly luciferase. Nluc brightness was explored as a means to achieve a growth assay with higher sensitivity and lower cost. In addition we attempted to develop other screening assays that may help interrogate libraries of inhibitory compounds for their mechanism of action. To this end parasites were engineered to express Nluc in the cytoplasm, the parasitophorous vacuole that surrounds the intraerythrocytic parasite or exported to the red blood cell cytosol. As proof-of-concept, these parasites were used to develop functional screening assays for quantifying the effects of Brefeldin A, an inhibitor of protein secretion, and Furosemide, an inhibitor of new permeation pathways used by parasites to acquire plasma nutrients.
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194
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The conserved clag multigene family of malaria parasites: essential roles in host-pathogen interaction. Drug Resist Updat 2014; 18:47-54. [PMID: 25467627 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The clag multigene family is strictly conserved in malaria parasites, but absent from neighboring genera of protozoan parasites. Early research pointed to roles in merozoite invasion and infected cell cytoadherence, but more recent studies have implicated channel-mediated uptake of ions and nutrients from host plasma. Here, we review the current understanding of this gene family, which appears to be central to host-parasite interactions and an important therapeutic target.
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195
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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] [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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196
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Torrente MP, Castellano LM, Shorter J. Suramin inhibits Hsp104 ATPase and disaggregase activity. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110115. [PMID: 25299406 PMCID: PMC4192545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hsp104 is a hexameric AAA+ protein that utilizes energy from ATP hydrolysis to dissolve disordered protein aggregates as well as amyloid fibers. Interestingly, Hsp104 orthologues are found in all kingdoms of life except animals. Thus, Hsp104 could represent an interesting drug target. Specific inhibition of Hsp104 activity might antagonize non-metazoan parasites that depend on a potent heat shock response, while producing little or no side effects to the host. However, no small molecule inhibitors of Hsp104 are known except guanidinium chloride. Here, we screen over 16,000 small molecules and identify 16 novel inhibitors of Hsp104 ATPase activity. Excluding compounds that inhibited Hsp104 activity by non-specific colloidal effects, we defined Suramin as an inhibitor of Hsp104 ATPase activity. Suramin is a polysulphonated naphthylurea and is used as an antiprotozoal drug for African Trypanosomiasis. Suramin also interfered with Hsp104 disaggregase, unfoldase, and translocase activities, and the inhibitory effect of Suramin was not rescued by Hsp70 and Hsp40. Suramin does not disrupt Hsp104 hexamers and does not effectively inhibit ClpB, the E. coli homolog of Hsp104, establishing yet another key difference between Hsp104 and ClpB behavior. Intriguingly, a potentiated Hsp104 variant, Hsp104A503V, is more sensitive to Suramin than wild-type Hsp104. By contrast, Hsp104 variants bearing inactivating sensor-1 mutations in nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) 1 or 2 are more resistant to Suramin. Thus, Suramin depends upon ATPase events at both NBDs to exert its maximal effect. Suramin could develop into an important mechanistic probe to study Hsp104 structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana P. Torrente
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Laura M. Castellano
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Pharmacology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - James Shorter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Pharmacology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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197
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Parasite physiology: PTEX in the spotlight. Nat Rev Microbiol 2014; 12:594. [PMID: 25088148 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro3334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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198
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