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Chawla J, Goldowitz I, Oberstaller J, Zhang M, Pires CV, Navarro F, Sollelis L, Wang CCQ, Seyfang A, Dvorin J, Otto TD, Rayner JC, Marti M, Adams JH. Phenotypic Screens Identify Genetic Factors Associated with Gametocyte Development in the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0416422. [PMID: 37154686 PMCID: PMC10269797 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04164-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmission of the deadly malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum from humans to mosquitoes is achieved by specialized intraerythrocytic sexual forms called gametocytes. Though the crucial regulatory mechanisms leading to gametocyte commitment have recently come to light, networks of genes that control sexual development remain to be elucidated. Here, we report a pooled-mutant screen to identify genes associated with gametocyte development in P. falciparum. Our results categorized genes that modulate gametocyte progression as hypoproducers or hyperproducers of gametocytes, and the in-depth analysis of individual clones confirmed phenotypes in sexual commitment rates and putative functions in gametocyte development. We present a new set of genes that have not been implicated in gametocytogenesis before and demonstrate the potential of forward genetic screens in isolating genes impacting parasite sexual biology, an exciting step toward the discovery of new antimalarials for a globally significant pathogen. IMPORTANCE Blocking human-to-vector transmission is an essential step toward malaria elimination. Gametocytes are solely responsible for achieving this transmission and represent an opportunity for therapeutic intervention. While these falciform-shaped parasite stages were first discovered in the 1880s, our understanding of the genetic determinants responsible for their formation and molecular mechanisms that drive their development is limited. In this work, we developed a scalable screening methodology with piggyBac mutants to identify genes that influence the development of gametocytes in the most lethal human malaria parasite, P. falciparum. By doing so, we lay the foundation for large-scale functional genomic studies specifically designed to address remaining questions about sexual commitment, maturation, and mosquito infection in P. falciparum. Such functional genetic screens will serve to expedite the identification of essential pathways and processes for the development of novel transmission-blocking agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyotsna Chawla
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Ilana Goldowitz
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jenna Oberstaller
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Camilla Valente Pires
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Francesca Navarro
- Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lauriane Sollelis
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Institute of Parasitology Zurich, VetSuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chengqi C. Q. Wang
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Andreas Seyfang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jeffrey Dvorin
- Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas D. Otto
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Julian C. Rayner
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias Marti
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Institute of Parasitology Zurich, VetSuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - John H. Adams
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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Portugaliza HP, Miyazaki S, Geurten FJ, Pell C, Rosanas-Urgell A, Janse CJ, Cortés A. Artemisinin exposure at the ring or trophozoite stage impacts Plasmodium falciparum sexual conversion differently. eLife 2020; 9:60058. [PMID: 33084568 PMCID: PMC7577739 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria transmission is dependent on the formation of gametocytes in the human blood. The sexual conversion rate, the proportion of asexual parasites that convert into gametocytes at each multiplication cycle, is variable and reflects the relative parasite investment between transmission and maintaining the infection. The impact of environmental factors such as drugs on sexual conversion rates is not well understood. We developed a robust assay using gametocyte-reporter parasite lines to accurately measure the impact of drugs on sexual conversion rates, independently from their gametocytocidal activity. We found that exposure to subcurative doses of the frontline antimalarial drug dihydroartemisinin (DHA) at the trophozoite stage resulted in a ~ fourfold increase in sexual conversion. In contrast, no increase was observed when ring stages were exposed or in cultures in which sexual conversion was stimulated by choline depletion. Our results reveal a complex relationship between antimalarial drugs and sexual conversion, with potential public health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harvie P Portugaliza
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clinic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Global Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Shinya Miyazaki
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Fiona Ja Geurten
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Christopher Pell
- Department of Global Health, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anna Rosanas-Urgell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Alfred Cortés
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clinic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
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