1
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Ferreira JL, Pražák V, Vasishtan D, Siggel M, Hentzschel F, Binder AM, Pietsch E, Kosinski J, Frischknecht F, Gilberger TW, Grünewald K. Variable microtubule architecture in the malaria parasite. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1216. [PMID: 36869034 PMCID: PMC9984467 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36627-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are a ubiquitous eukaryotic cytoskeletal element typically consisting of 13 protofilaments arranged in a hollow cylinder. This arrangement is considered the canonical form and is adopted by most organisms, with rare exceptions. Here, we use in situ electron cryo-tomography and subvolume averaging to analyse the changing microtubule cytoskeleton of Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, throughout its life cycle. Unexpectedly, different parasite forms have distinct microtubule structures coordinated by unique organising centres. In merozoites, the most widely studied form, we observe canonical microtubules. In migrating mosquito forms, the 13 protofilament structure is further reinforced by interrupted luminal helices. Surprisingly, gametocytes contain a wide distribution of microtubule structures ranging from 13 to 18 protofilaments, doublets and triplets. Such a diversity of microtubule structures has not been observed in any other organism to date and is likely evidence of a distinct role in each life cycle form. This data provides a unique view into an unusual microtubule cytoskeleton of a relevant human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie L Ferreira
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Vojtěch Pražák
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Daven Vasishtan
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marc Siggel
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Hentzschel
- Integrative Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annika M Binder
- Integrative Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Kosinski
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg, Germany
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim W Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kay Grünewald
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany.
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
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2
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Wang PP, Jiang X, Zhu L, Zhou D, Hong M, He L, Chen L, Yao S, Zhao Y, Chen G, Wang C, Cui L, Cao Y, Zhu X. A G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Modulates Gametogenesis via PKG-Mediated Signaling Cascade in Plasmodium berghei. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0015022. [PMID: 35404079 PMCID: PMC9045217 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00150-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gametogenesis is essential for malaria parasite transmission, but the molecular mechanism of this process remains to be refined. Here, we identified a G-protein-coupled receptor 180 (GPR180) that plays a critical role in signal transduction during gametogenesis in Plasmodium. The P. berghei GPR180 was predominantly expressed in gametocytes and ookinetes and associated with the plasma membrane in female gametes and ookinetes. Knockout of pbgpr180 (Δpbgpr180) had no noticeable effect on blood-stage development but impaired gamete formation and reduced transmission of the parasites to mosquitoes. Transcriptome analysis revealed that a large proportion of the dysregulated genes in the Δpbgpr180 gametocytes had assigned functions in cyclic nucleotide signal transduction. In the Δpbgpr180 gametocytes, the intracellular cGMP level was significantly reduced, and the cytosolic Ca2+ mobilization showed a delay and a reduction in the magnitude during gametocyte activation. These results suggest that PbGPR180 functions upstream of the cGMP-protein kinase G-Ca2+ signaling pathway. In line with this functional prediction, the PbGPR180 protein was found to interact with several transmembrane transporter proteins and the small GTPase Rab6 in activated gametocytes. Allele replacement of pbgpr180 with the P. vivax ortholog pvgpr180 showed equal competence of the transgenic parasite in sexual development, suggesting functional conservation of this gene in Plasmodium spp. Furthermore, an anti-PbGPR180 monoclonal antibody and the anti-PvGPR180 serum possessed robust transmission-blocking activities. These results indicate that GPR180 is involved in signal transduction during gametogenesis in malaria parasites and is a promising target for blocking parasite transmission. IMPORTANCE Environmental changes from humans to mosquitoes activate gametogenesis of the malaria parasite, an obligative process for parasite transmission, but how the signals are relayed remains poorly understood. Here, we show the identification of a Plasmodium G-protein-coupled receptor, GPR180, and the characterization of its function in gametogenesis. In P. berghei, GPR180 is dispensable for asexual development and gametocytogenesis, but its deletion impairs gametogenesis and reduces transmission to mosquitoes. GPR180 appears to function upstream of the cGMP-protein kinase G-Ca2+ signaling pathway and is required for the maximum activity of this pathway. Genetic complementation shows that the GPR180 ortholog from the human malaria parasite P. vivax was fully functional in P. berghei, indicating functional conservation of GPR180 in Plasmodium spp. With predominant expression and membrane association of GPR180 in sexual stages, GPR180 is a promising target for blocking transmission, and antibodies against GPR180 possess robust transmission-blocking activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-peng Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xuefeng Jiang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Liying Zhu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Dan Zhou
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Mingyang Hong
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lu He
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Lumeng Chen
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shijie Yao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Guang Chen
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Taizhou University Hospital, Taizhou University, Taizhou, China
| | - Chengqi Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiaotong Zhu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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3
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Tomasina R, González FC, Francia ME. Structural and Functional Insights into the Microtubule Organizing Centers of Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2503. [PMID: 34946106 PMCID: PMC8705618 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) perform critical cellular tasks by nucleating, stabilizing, and anchoring microtubule's minus ends. These capacities impact tremendously a wide array of cellular functions ranging from ascribing cell shape to orchestrating cell division and generating motile structures, among others. The phylum Apicomplexa comprises over 6000 single-celled obligate intracellular parasitic species. Many of the apicomplexan are well known pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii and the Plasmodium species, causative agents of toxoplasmosis and malaria, respectively. Microtubule organization in these parasites is critical for organizing the cortical cytoskeleton, enabling host cell penetration and the positioning of large organelles, driving cell division and directing the formation of flagella in sexual life stages. Apicomplexans are a prime example of MTOC diversity displaying multiple functional and structural MTOCs combinations within a single species. This diversity can only be fully understood in light of each organism's specific MT nucleation requirements and their evolutionary history. Insight into apicomplexan MTOCs had traditionally been limited to classical ultrastructural work by transmission electron microscopy. However, in the past few years, a large body of molecular insight has emerged. In this work we describe the latest insights into nuclear MTOC biology in two major human and animal disease causing Apicomplexans: Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramiro Tomasina
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay; (R.T.); (F.C.G.)
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Fabiana C. González
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay; (R.T.); (F.C.G.)
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Maria E. Francia
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay; (R.T.); (F.C.G.)
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
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4
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Simon CS, Funaya C, Bauer J, Voβ Y, Machado M, Penning A, Klaschka D, Cyrklaff M, Kim J, Ganter M, Guizetti J. An extended DNA-free intranuclear compartment organizes centrosome microtubules in malaria parasites. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:e202101199. [PMID: 34535568 PMCID: PMC8473725 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Proliferation of Plasmodium falciparum in red blood cells is the cause of malaria and is underpinned by an unconventional cell division mode, called schizogony. Contrary to model organisms, P. falciparum replicates by multiple rounds of nuclear divisions that are not interrupted by cytokinesis. Organization and dynamics of critical nuclear division factors remain poorly understood. Centriolar plaques, the centrosomes of P. falciparum, serve as microtubule organizing centers and have an acentriolar, amorphous structure. The small size of parasite nuclei has precluded detailed analysis of intranuclear microtubule organization by classical fluorescence microscopy. We apply recently developed super-resolution and time-lapse imaging protocols to describe microtubule reconfiguration during schizogony. Analysis of centrin, nuclear pore, and microtubule positioning reveals two distinct compartments of the centriolar plaque. Whereas centrin is extranuclear, we confirm by correlative light and electron tomography that microtubules are nucleated in a previously unknown and extended intranuclear compartment, which is devoid of chromatin but protein-dense. This study generates a working model for an unconventional centrosome and enables a better understanding about the diversity of eukaryotic cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Simon
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Charlotta Funaya
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johanna Bauer
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yannik Voβ
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marta Machado
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alexander Penning
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Darius Klaschka
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marek Cyrklaff
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Juyeop Kim
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Ganter
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julien Guizetti
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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5
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Chakrabarti M, Joshi N, Kumari G, Singh P, Shoaib R, Munjal A, Kumar V, Behl A, Abid M, Garg S, Gupta S, Singh S. Interaction of Plasmodium falciparum apicortin with α- and β-tubulin is critical for parasite growth and survival. Sci Rep 2021; 11:4688. [PMID: 33633135 PMCID: PMC7907060 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83513-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytoskeletal structures of Apicomplexan parasites are important for parasite replication, motility, invasion to the host cell and survival. Apicortin, an Apicomplexan specific protein appears to be a crucial factor in maintaining stability of the parasite cytoskeletal assemblies. However, the function of apicortin, in terms of interaction with microtubules still remains elusive. Herein, we have attempted to elucidate the function of Plasmodium falciparum apicortin by monitoring its interaction with two main components of parasite microtubular structure, α-tubulin-I and β-tubulin through in silico and in vitro studies. Further, a p25 domain binding generic drug Tamoxifen (TMX), was used to disrupt PfApicortin-tubulin interactions which led to the inhibition in growth and progression of blood stage life cycle of P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malabika Chakrabarti
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Nishant Joshi
- grid.410868.30000 0004 1781 342XDepartment of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida, 201314 UP India
| | - Geeta Kumari
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Preeti Singh
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Rumaisha Shoaib
- grid.411818.50000 0004 0498 8255Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025 India
| | - Akshay Munjal
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Vikash Kumar
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Ankita Behl
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Mohammad Abid
- grid.411818.50000 0004 0498 8255Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025 India
| | - Swati Garg
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Sonal Gupta
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India
| | - Shailja Singh
- grid.10706.300000 0004 0498 924XSpecial Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067 India ,grid.410868.30000 0004 1781 342XDepartment of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida, 201314 UP India
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6
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Florentin A, Cobb DW, Kudyba HM, Muralidharan V. Directing traffic: Chaperone-mediated protein transport in malaria parasites. Cell Microbiol 2020; 22:e13215. [PMID: 32388921 PMCID: PMC7282954 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The ability of eukaryotic parasites from the phylum Apicomplexa to cause devastating diseases is predicated upon their ability to maintain faithful and precise protein trafficking mechanisms. Their parasitic life cycle depends on the trafficking of effector proteins to the infected host cell, transport of proteins to several critical organelles required for survival, as well as transport of parasite and host proteins to the digestive organelles to generate the building blocks for parasite growth. Several recent studies have shed light on the molecular mechanisms parasites utilise to transform the infected host cells, transport proteins to essential metabolic organelles and for biogenesis of organelles required for continuation of their life cycle. Here, we review key pathways of protein transport originating and branching from the endoplasmic reticulum, focusing on the essential roles of chaperones in these processes. Further, we highlight key gaps in our knowledge that prevents us from building a holistic view of protein trafficking in these deadly human pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anat Florentin
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - David W Cobb
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Heather M Kudyba
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Vasant Muralidharan
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.,Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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7
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Casino AD, Lukinović V, Bhatt R, Randle LE, Dascombe MJ, Fennell DBJ, Drew MGB, Bell A, Fielding AJ, Ismail FMD. Synthesis, Structural Determination, and Pharmacology of Putative Dinitroaniline Antimalarials. ChemistrySelect 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.201801723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio del Casino
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular SciencesLiverpool John Moores University Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF United Kingdom
| | - Valentina Lukinović
- School of Chemistry and the Photon Science InstituteThe University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL United Kingdom
| | - Rakesh Bhatt
- Henkel Loctite Adhesives LtdKelsey House, Wood Lane End Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 4RQ United Kingdom
| | - Laura E. Randle
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular SciencesLiverpool John Moores University Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF United Kingdom
| | - Michael J. Dascombe
- Faculty of BiologyMedicine and HealthStopford Building The University of Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT United Kingdom
| | - Dr Brian J. Fennell
- School of Genetics and MicrobiologyMoyne InstituteTrinity College, Dublin 2 Ireland
| | - Michael G. B. Drew
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Reading, Reading, Berks, RG6 6AD United Kingdom
| | - Angus Bell
- School of Genetics and MicrobiologyMoyne InstituteTrinity College, Dublin 2 Ireland
| | - Alistair J. Fielding
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular SciencesLiverpool John Moores University Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF United Kingdom
| | - Fyaz M. D. Ismail
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular SciencesLiverpool John Moores University Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF United Kingdom
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8
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Skorokhod OA, Davalos-Schafler D, Gallo V, Valente E, Ulliers D, Notarpietro A, Mandili G, Novelli F, Persico M, Taglialatela-Scafati O, Arese P, Schwarzer E. Oxidative stress-mediated antimalarial activity of plakortin, a natural endoperoxide from the tropical sponge Plakortis simplex. Free Radic Biol Med 2015; 89:624-37. [PMID: 26459031 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2015.10.399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 09/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Plakortin, a polyketide endoperoxide from the sponge Plakortis simplex has antiparasitic activity against P. falciparum. Similar to artemisinin, its activity depends on the peroxide functionality. Plakortin induced stage-, dose- and time-dependent morphologic anomalies, early maturation delay, ROS generation and lipid peroxidation in the parasite. Ring damage by 1 and 10 µM plakortin led to parasite death before schizogony at 20 and 95%, respectively. Treatment of late schizonts with 1, 2, 5 and 10 µM plakortin resulted in decreased reinfection rates by 30, 50, 61 and 65%, respectively. In both rings and trophozoites, plakortin induced a dose- and time-dependent ROS production as well as a significant lipid peroxidation and up to 4-fold increase of the lipoperoxide breakdown product 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE). Antioxidants and the free radical scavengers trolox and N-acetylcysteine significantly attenuated the parasite damage. Plakortin generated 4-HNE conjugates with the P. falciparum proteins: heat shock protein Hsp70-1, endoplasmatic reticulum-standing Hsp70-2 (BiP analogue), V-type proton ATPase catalytic subunit A, enolase, the putative vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 11, and the dynein heavy chain-like protein, whose specific binding sites were identified by mass spectrometry. These proteins are crucially involved in protein trafficking, transmembrane and vesicular transport and parasite survival. We hypothesize that binding of 4-HNE to functionally relevant parasite proteins may explain the observed plakortin-induced morphologic aberrations and parasite death. The identification of 4-HNE-protein conjugates may generate a novel paradigm to explain the mechanism of action of pro-oxidant, peroxide-based antimalarials such as plakortin, artemisinins and synthetic endoperoxides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksii A Skorokhod
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | | | - Valentina Gallo
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Elena Valente
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Daniela Ulliers
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Agata Notarpietro
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Mandili
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino Medical School, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies (CeRMS), Città della Salute e della Scienza, Ospedale San Giovanni Battista, Via Cherasco 15, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Francesco Novelli
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino Medical School, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies (CeRMS), Città della Salute e della Scienza, Ospedale San Giovanni Battista, Via Cherasco 15, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Marco Persico
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli 'Federico II', Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy.
| | | | - Paolo Arese
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Evelin Schwarzer
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5bis, 10126 Torino, Italy.
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9
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Guttery DS, Poulin B, Ramaprasad A, Wall RJ, Ferguson DJP, Brady D, Patzewitz EM, Whipple S, Straschil U, Wright MH, Mohamed AMAH, Radhakrishnan A, Arold ST, Tate EW, Holder AA, Wickstead B, Pain A, Tewari R. Genome-wide functional analysis of Plasmodium protein phosphatases reveals key regulators of parasite development and differentiation. Cell Host Microbe 2015; 16:128-40. [PMID: 25011111 PMCID: PMC4094981 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2014.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Reversible protein phosphorylation regulated by kinases and phosphatases controls many cellular processes. Although essential functions for the malaria parasite kinome have been reported, the roles of most protein phosphatases (PPs) during Plasmodium development are unknown. We report a functional analysis of the Plasmodium berghei protein phosphatome, which exhibits high conservation with the P. falciparum phosphatome and comprises 30 predicted PPs with differential and distinct expression patterns during various stages of the life cycle. Gene disruption analysis of P. berghei PPs reveals that half of the genes are likely essential for asexual blood stage development, whereas six are required for sexual development/sporogony in mosquitoes. Phenotypic screening coupled with transcriptome sequencing unveiled morphological changes and altered gene expression in deletion mutants of two N-myristoylated PPs. These findings provide systematic functional analyses of PPs in Plasmodium, identify how phosphatases regulate parasite development and differentiation, and can inform the identification of drug targets for malaria. Phylogenetic analysis identifies 30 Plasmodium berghei protein phosphatases (PPs) Functional analysis reveals role for six PPs in sexual development/sporogony Two N-myristoylated PPs play key roles in sex allocation and parasite transmission RNA-Seq highlights significantly altered gene clusters in the N-myristoylated PP mutants
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Guttery
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - Benoit Poulin
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Richard J Wall
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - David J P Ferguson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Declan Brady
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - Eva-Maria Patzewitz
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - Sarah Whipple
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - Ursula Straschil
- Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Megan H Wright
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Alyaa M A H Mohamed
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Anand Radhakrishnan
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Stefan T Arold
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Edward W Tate
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Anthony A Holder
- Division of Parasitology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK.
| | - Bill Wickstead
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK
| | - Arnab Pain
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Rita Tewari
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, UK.
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10
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Yusuf NA, Green JL, Wall RJ, Knuepfer E, Moon RW, Schulte-Huxel C, Stanway RR, Martin SR, Howell SA, Douse CH, Cota E, Tate EW, Tewari R, Holder AA. The Plasmodium Class XIV Myosin, MyoB, Has a Distinct Subcellular Location in Invasive and Motile Stages of the Malaria Parasite and an Unusual Light Chain. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:12147-64. [PMID: 25802338 PMCID: PMC4424349 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.637694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Myosin B (MyoB) is one of the two short class XIV myosins encoded in the Plasmodium genome. Class XIV myosins are characterized by a catalytic "head," a modified "neck," and the absence of a "tail" region. Myosin A (MyoA), the other class XIV myosin in Plasmodium, has been established as a component of the glideosome complex important in motility and cell invasion, but MyoB is not well characterized. We analyzed the properties of MyoB using three parasite species as follows: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium berghei, and Plasmodium knowlesi. MyoB is expressed in all invasive stages (merozoites, ookinetes, and sporozoites) of the life cycle, and the protein is found in a discrete apical location in these polarized cells. In P. falciparum, MyoB is synthesized very late in schizogony/merogony, and its location in merozoites is distinct from, and anterior to, that of a range of known proteins present in the rhoptries, rhoptry neck or micronemes. Unlike MyoA, MyoB is not associated with glideosome complex proteins, including the MyoA light chain, myosin A tail domain-interacting protein (MTIP). A unique MyoB light chain (MLC-B) was identified that contains a calmodulin-like domain at the C terminus and an extended N-terminal region. MLC-B localizes to the same extreme apical pole in the cell as MyoB, and the two proteins form a complex. We propose that MLC-B is a MyoB-specific light chain, and for the short class XIV myosins that lack a tail region, the atypical myosin light chains may fulfill that role.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Richard J Wall
- the School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Rebecca R Stanway
- the Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland, and
| | | | - Steven A Howell
- Molecular Structure, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher H Douse
- the Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ernesto Cota
- the Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Edward W Tate
- the Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Rita Tewari
- the School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG2 7UH, United Kingdom
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11
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Gómez de León CT, Díaz Martín RD, Mendoza Hernández G, González Pozos S, Ambrosio JR, Mondragón Flores R. Proteomic characterization of the subpellicular cytoskeleton of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. J Proteomics 2014; 111:86-99. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2014.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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12
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Dahan-Pasternak N, Nasereddin A, Kolevzon N, Pe'er M, Wong W, Shinder V, Turnbull L, Whitchurch CB, Elbaum M, Gilberger TW, Yavin E, Baum J, Dzikowski R. PfSec13 is an unusual chromatin-associated nucleoporin of Plasmodium falciparum that is essential for parasite proliferation in human erythrocytes. J Cell Sci 2013; 126:3055-69. [PMID: 23687383 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.122119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest form of human malaria, the nuclear periphery has drawn much attention due to its role as a sub-nuclear compartment involved in virulence gene expression. Recent data have implicated components of the nuclear envelope in regulating gene expression in several eukaryotes. Special attention has been given to nucleoporins that compose the nuclear pore complex (NPC). However, very little is known about components of the nuclear envelope in Plasmodium parasites. Here we characterize PfSec13, an unusual nucleoporin of P. falciparum, which shows unique structural similarities suggesting that it is a fusion between Sec13 and Nup145C of yeast. Using super resolution fluorescence microscopy (3D-SIM) and in vivo imaging, we show that the dynamic localization of PfSec13 during parasites' intra-erythrocytic development corresponds with that of the NPCs and that these dynamics are associated with microtubules rather than with F-actin. In addition, PfSec13 does not co-localize with the heterochormatin markers HP1 and H3K9me3, suggesting euchromatic location of the NPCs. The proteins associated with PfSec13 indicate that this unusual Nup is involved in several cellular processes. Indeed, ultrastructural and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that, in addition to the NPCs, PfSec13 is found in the nucleoplasm where it is associated with chromatin. Finally, we used peptide nucleic acids (PNA) to downregulate PfSec13 and show that it is essential for parasite proliferation in human erythrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Dahan-Pasternak
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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13
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Deponte M, Hoppe HC, Lee MC, Maier AG, Richard D, Rug M, Spielmann T, Przyborski JM. Wherever I may roam: Protein and membrane trafficking in P. falciparum-infected red blood cells. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2012; 186:95-116. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2012.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2012] [Revised: 09/21/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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14
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Reininger L, Wilkes JM, Bourgade H, Miranda-Saavedra D, Doerig C. An essential Aurora-related kinase transiently associates with spindle pole bodies during Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic schizogony. Mol Microbiol 2010; 79:205-21. [PMID: 21166904 PMCID: PMC3025120 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07442.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Aurora kinases compose a family of conserved Ser/Thr protein kinases playing essential roles in eukaryotic cell division. To date, Aurora homologues remain uncharacterized in the protozoan phylum Apicomplexa. In malaria parasites, the characterization of Aurora kinases may help understand the cell cycle control during erythrocytic schizogony where asynchronous nuclear divisions occur. In this study, we revisited the kinome of Plasmodium falciparum and identified three Aurora-related kinases, Pfark-1, -2, -3. Among these, Pfark-1 is highly conserved in malaria parasites and also appears to be conserved across Apicomplexa. By tagging the endogenous Pfark-1 gene with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in live parasites, we show that the Pfark-1–GFP protein forms paired dots associated with only a subset of nuclei within individual schizonts. Immunofluorescence analysis using an anti-α-tubulin antibody strongly suggests a recruitment of Pfark-1 at duplicated spindle pole bodies at the entry of the M phase of the cell cycle. Unsuccessful attempts at disrupting the Pfark-1 gene with a knockout construct further indicate that Pfark-1 is required for parasite growth in red blood cells. Our study provides new insights into the cell cycle control of malaria parasites and reports the importance of Aurora kinases as potential targets for new antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Reininger
- INSERM-EPFL Joint Laboratory, Global Health Institute, EPFL-SV-GHI, Station 19, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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15
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Arnot DE, Ronander E, Bengtsson DC. The progression of the intra-erythrocytic cell cycle of Plasmodium falciparum and the role of the centriolar plaques in asynchronous mitotic division during schizogony. Int J Parasitol 2010; 41:71-80. [PMID: 20816844 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2010.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2010] [Revised: 07/22/2010] [Accepted: 07/23/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The cell division cycle and mitosis of intra-erythrocytic (IE) Plasmodium falciparum are poorly understood aspects of parasite development which affect malaria molecular pathogenesis. Specifically, the timing of the multiple gap (G), DNA synthesis (S) and chromosome separation (M) phases of parasite mitosis are not well defined, nor whether genome divisions are immediately followed by cleavage of the nuclear envelope. Curiously, daughter merozoite numbers do not follow the geometric expansion expected from equal numbers of binary divisions, an outcome difficult to explain using the standard model of cell cycle regulation. Using controlled synchronisation techniques, confocal microscopy to visualise key organelles and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to follow the movements and replication of genes and telomeres, we have re-analysed the timing and progression of mitotic events. The asynchronous duplications of the P. falciparum centrosome equivalents, the centriolar plaques, are established and these are correlated with chromosome and nuclear divisions in a new model of P. falciparum schizogony. Our results improve the resolution of the cell cycle and its phases during P. falciparum IE development, showing that asynchronous, independent nuclear division occurs during schizogony, with the centriolar plaques playing a major role in regulating mitotic progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Arnot
- Centre for Medical Parasitology, Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1014 København K, Denmark.
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16
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Daher W, Pierrot C, Kalamou H, Pinder JC, Margos G, Dive D, Franke-Fayard B, Janse CJ, Khalife J. Plasmodium falciparum dynein light chain 1 interacts with actin/myosin during blood stage development. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:20180-91. [PMID: 20421304 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.102806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Dynein light chain 1 (LC1), a member of the leucine-rich repeat protein family, has been shown to be engaged in controlling flagellar motility in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Trypanosoma brucei via its interaction with the dynein gamma heavy chain. In Plasmodium falciparum, we have identified the LC1 ortholog, designated Pfdlc1. Negative attempts to disrupt the dlc1 gene by reverse genetic approaches in both P. falciparum and P. berghei suggest either its essentiality for parasite survival or the inaccessibility of its locus. Expression studies revealed high levels of DLC1 protein in late trophozoites and schizonts, pointing to an unexpected role of this protein in blood-stage parasites as they do not have flagella. Interactions studies and co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that PfDLC1 was able to bind to P. falciparum myosin A and actin 1. The PfDLC1 interacting domains present in P. falciparum myosin A and actin 1 were mapped to sequences containing SDIE and/or EEMKT motifs present in the upper 50-kDa segment of the myosin A head domain and in the subdomain IV of actin 1, respectively. Detection of PfDLC1 by fluorescence tagging and immunofluorescence staining using specific antibodies showed a cytoplasmic location similar to actin and immunofluorescence studies showed a co-localization of PfDLC1 and myosin A. Taken together, these findings suggest that PfDLC1 might play an important role in P. falciparum erythrocytic stages by its interaction with myosin A and actin 1, known to be essential for parasite development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wassim Daher
- Unité INSERM 547 and Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille INSERM U1019, CNRS UMR 8204, Université Lille Nord de France, Institut Pasteur de Lille, 1 rue du Prof. Calmette, 59019 Lille, France
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17
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18
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Fennell BJ, Naughton JA, Barlow J, Brennan G, Fairweather I, Hoey E, McFerran N, Trudgett A, Bell A. Microtubules as antiparasitic drug targets. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2008; 3:501-18. [DOI: 10.1517/17460441.3.5.501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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19
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Isotype expression, post-translational modification and stage-dependent production of tubulins in erythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum. Int J Parasitol 2008; 38:527-39. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2007.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2007] [Revised: 08/02/2007] [Accepted: 09/17/2007] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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20
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Githui EK, De Villiers EP, McArthur AG. Plasmodium possesses dynein light chain classes that are unique and conserved across species. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2008; 9:337-43. [PMID: 18467191 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2008.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2007] [Revised: 03/09/2008] [Accepted: 03/16/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa. Within the Apicomplexa, Plasmodium, Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium are parasites of considerable medical importance while Theileria and Eimeria are animal pathogens. P. falciparum is particularly important as it causes malaria, resulting in more than 1 million deaths each year. The malaria parasite actively invades the host cell in which it propagates and several proteins associated with the apical organelles have been implicated to be crucial in the invasion process. The biogenesis of the apical organelles is not well understood, but several studies indicate that microtubule-based vesicular transport is involved. Vesicular transport proteins are also present in Plasmodium and are presumed to be involved in transcellular transport in infected erythrocytes. Dynein is a multi-subunit motor protein involved in microtubule-based vesicular transport. In this study, we analyzed the cytoplasmic dynein light chains (Dlcs) of P. falciparum since they provide adaptor surface to the cargoes and are likely to be involved in differential transport. Dlcs consist of three different families: TcTex1/2, LC8 and LC7/roadblock. The data presented demonstrate that P. falciparum Dlcs sequences and functional domains show high sequence similarity within the species, but that only the Dlc group 1 (LC8) has a high similarity to human orthologues. TcTex1 and LC7/roadblock have low similarity to human orthologues. This sequence variation could be targeted for vaccine or drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elijah K Githui
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Museums of Kenya, P.O. Box 40658, Nairobi, Kenya.
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21
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Garcia CRS, de Azevedo MF, Wunderlich G, Budu A, Young JA, Bannister L. Plasmodium in the postgenomic era: new insights into the molecular cell biology of malaria parasites. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2008; 266:85-156. [PMID: 18544493 DOI: 10.1016/s1937-6448(07)66003-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we bring together some of the approaches toward understanding the cellular and molecular biology of Plasmodium species and their interaction with their host red blood cells. Considerable impetus has come from the development of new methods of molecular genetics and bioinformatics, and it is important to evaluate the wealth of these novel data in the context of basic cell biology. We describe how these approaches are gaining valuable insights into the parasite-host cell interaction, including (1) the multistep process of red blood cell invasion by the merozoite; (2) the mechanisms by which the intracellular parasite feeds on the red blood cell and exports parasite proteins to modify its cytoadherent properties; (3) the modulation of the cell cycle by sensing the environmental tryptophan-related molecules; (4) the mechanism used to survive in a low Ca(2+) concentration inside red blood cells; (5) the activation of signal transduction machinery and the regulation of intracellular calcium; (6) transfection technology; and (7) transcriptional regulation and genome-wide mRNA studies in Plasmodium falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia R S Garcia
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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22
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Cyrklaff M, Kudryashev M, Leis A, Leonard K, Baumeister W, Menard R, Meissner M, Frischknecht F. Cryoelectron tomography reveals periodic material at the inner side of subpellicular microtubules in apicomplexan parasites. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 204:1281-7. [PMID: 17562819 PMCID: PMC2118598 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20062405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are dynamic cytoskeletal structures important for cell division, polarity, and motility and are therefore major targets for anticancer and antiparasite drugs. In the invasive forms of apicomplexan parasites, which are highly polarized and often motile cells, exceptionally stable subpellicular microtubules determine the shape of the parasite, and serve as tracks for vesicle transport. We used cryoelectron tomography to image cytoplasmic structures in three dimensions within intact, rapidly frozen Plasmodium sporozoites. This approach revealed microtubule walls that are extended at the luminal side by an additional 3 nm compared to microtubules of mammalian cells. Fourier analysis revealed an 8-nm longitudinal periodicity of the luminal constituent, suggesting the presence of a molecule interacting with tubulin dimers. In silico generation and analysis of microtubule models confirmed this unexpected topology. Microtubules from extracted sporozoites and Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites showed a similar density distribution, suggesting that the putative protein is conserved among Apicomplexa and serves to stabilize microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Cyrklaff
- Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
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23
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Kumar R, Adams B, Musiyenko A, Shulyayeva O, Barik S. The FK506-binding protein of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is a FK506-sensitive chaperone with FK506-independent calcineurin-inhibitory activity. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2005; 141:163-73. [PMID: 15850699 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2005.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2004] [Revised: 12/17/2004] [Accepted: 02/17/2005] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We have identified an immunophilin of the FKBP family in Plasmodium falciparum that contains a conserved peptidyl prolyl isomerase (PPIase) and tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domains. The 35 kDa protein was named FKBP35 and expressed in bacteria. Recombinant FKBP35 exhibited potent PPIase and protein folding activities against defined substrates in vitro, suggesting that it is a parasitic chaperone. Both activities were inhibited by macrolide immunosuppressant drugs, ascomycin (a FK506 derivative) and rapamycin, but not by cyclosporin A, providing biochemical evidence of its inclusion in the FKBP family. Interestingly, FKBP35 inhibited purified plasmodial calcineurin (protein phosphatase 2B) in the absence of any drug. In the parasite's cell, FKBP35 exhibited a stage-specific nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and did not co-localize with calcineurin. FKBP35 associated with plasmodial heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), another member of the chaperone superfamily, via the TPR domain. Geldanamycin, a Hsp90 inhibitor, and ascomycin inhibited P. falciparum growth in a synergistic fashion. Extensive search of the P. falciparum genome revealed no other FKBP sequence, implicating PfFKBP35 as a highly significant antimalarial drug target. Thus, the single FKBP of Plasmodium is an essential parasitic chaperone with a novel drug-independent calcineurin-inhibitory activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajinder Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, 307 University Blvd., Mobile, AL 36688-0002, USA
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Margos G, Bannister LH, Dluzewski AR, Hopkins J, Williams IT, Mitchell GH. Correlation of structural development and differential expression of invasion-related molecules in schizonts ofPlasmodium falciparum. Parasitology 2004; 129:273-87. [PMID: 15471003 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182004005657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
During asexual developmentPlasmodiumschizonts undergo a series of complex biochemical and structural changes. Using tightly synchronized cultures of 2P. falciparumlines (clone C10 and strain ITO4) for light microscopy and fluorescence imaging we monitored the timing and sequence of expression of proteins associated with invasion-related organelles. Antibodies to rhoptry, micronemal and dense granule proteins (Rhoptry Associated Protein 1, Apical Membrane Antigen 1, Erythrocyte Binding Antigen 175, Ring-infected Erythrocyte Surface Antigen) and to pellicle-associated proteins (Merozoite Surface Protein 1, PfMyosin-A) were used. Clone C10 developed faster than ITO4; this difference was also found in the timing of protein expression seen by immunofluorescence. Light microscopic data were combined with transmission electron microscopic analysis using serial sectioning of ITO4 schizonts to determine nuclear number and organellar development. Thus a timetable of schizont structural maturation was established. Generally, the timing of organelle-specific antigen expression correlates well with the ultrastructural data. Rhoptries are formed mainly between second and fourth nuclear divisions, micronemes between the end of the fourth nuclear division and merozoite separation from the residual body, while dense granules are generated mainly after the micronemes. PfAMA-1 appears in micronemes before EBA-175, suggesting micronemal heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Margos
- Department of Immunobiology, Guy's, Kings, and St Thomas' Schools of Medicine, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK.
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25
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Bannister LH, Hopkins JM, Dluzewski AR, Margos G, Williams IT, Blackman MJ, Kocken CH, Thomas AW, Mitchell GH. Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA-1) is translocated within micronemes along subpellicular microtubules during merozoite development. J Cell Sci 2003; 116:3825-34. [PMID: 12902400 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.00665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During the assembly of Plasmodium falciparum merozoites within the schizont stage, the parasite synthesizes and positions three sets of secretory vesicles (rhoptries, micronemes and dense granules) that are active during red cell invasion. There are up to 40 micronemes per merozoite, shaped like long-necked bottles, about 160 nm long and 65 nm at their widest diameter. On their external surfaces, they bear bristle-like filaments, each 3-4 nm thick and 25 nm long. Micronemes are translocated from a single Golgi-like cisterna near the nucleus along a band of two or three subpellicular microtubules to the merozoite apex, where they dock with the rhoptry tips. Dense granules are also formed around the periphery of the Golgi cisternae but their distribution is unrelated to microtubules. Three polyclonal antibodies raised against the recombinant PfAMA-1 ectodomain sequence recognizing both the 83 kDa and processed 66 kDa molecules label the peripheries of translocating and mature micronemes but do not label rhoptries significantly at any stage of merozoite development within schizonts. This result confirms that PfAMA-1 is a micronemal protein, and indicates that within the microneme it is located near or inserted into this organelle's boundary membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence H Bannister
- Department of Anatomy, Cell and Human Biology, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Biomedical Science, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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26
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Howell SA, Well I, Fleck SL, Kettleborough C, Collins CR, Blackman MJ. A single malaria merozoite serine protease mediates shedding of multiple surface proteins by juxtamembrane cleavage. J Biol Chem 2003; 278:23890-8. [PMID: 12686561 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m302160200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Erythrocyte invasion by the malaria merozoite is accompanied by the regulated discharge of apically located secretory organelles called micronemes. Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen-1 (PfAMA-1), which plays an indispensable role in invasion, translocates from micronemes onto the parasite surface and is proteolytically shed in a soluble form during invasion. We have previously proposed, on the basis of incomplete mass spectrometric mapping data, that PfAMA-1 shedding results from cleavage at two alternative positions. We now show conclusively that the PfAMA-1 ectodomain is shed from the merozoite solely as a result of cleavage at a single site, just 29 residues away from the predicted transmembrane-spanning sequence. Remarkably, this cleavage is mediated by the same membrane-bound parasite serine protease as that responsible for shedding of the merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1) complex, an abundant, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored multiprotein complex. Processing of MSP-1 is essential for invasion. Our results indicate the presence on the merozoite surface of a multifunctional serine sheddase with a broad substrate specificity. We further demonstrate that translocation and shedding of PfAMA-1 is an actin-independent process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Howell
- Division of Protein Structure, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom
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Chaparro-Olaya J, Dluzewski AR, Margos G, Wasserman MM, Mitchell GH, Bannister LH, Pinder JC. The multiple myosins of malaria: The smallest malaria myosin, Plasmodium falciparum myosin-B (Pfmyo-B) is expressed in mature schizonts and merozoites. Eur J Protistol 2003. [DOI: 10.1078/0932-4739-00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Lasonder E, Ishihama Y, Andersen JS, Vermunt AMW, Pain A, Sauerwein RW, Eling WMC, Hall N, Waters AP, Stunnenberg HG, Mann M. Analysis of the Plasmodium falciparum proteome by high-accuracy mass spectrometry. Nature 2002; 419:537-42. [PMID: 12368870 DOI: 10.1038/nature01111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 480] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2002] [Accepted: 09/09/2002] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The annotated genomes of organisms define a 'blueprint' of their possible gene products. Post-genome analyses attempt to confirm and modify the annotation and impose a sense of the spatial, temporal and developmental usage of genetic information by the organism. Here we describe a large-scale, high-accuracy (average deviation less than 0.02 Da at 1,000 Da) mass spectrometric proteome analysis of selected stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The analysis revealed 1,289 proteins of which 714 proteins were identified in asexual blood stages, 931 in gametocytes and 645 in gametes. The last two groups provide insights into the biology of the sexual stages of the parasite, and include conserved, stage-specific, secreted and membrane-associated proteins. A subset of these proteins contain domains that indicate a role in cell-cell interactions, and therefore can be evaluated as potential components of a malaria vaccine formulation. We also report a set of peptides with significant matches in the parasite genome but not in the protein set predicted by computational methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin Lasonder
- Center for Experimental BioInformatics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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