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Sattler JM, Keiber L, Abdelrahim A, Zheng X, Jäcklin M, Zechel L, Moreau CA, Steinbrück S, Fischer M, Janse CJ, Hoffmann A, Hentzschel F, Frischknecht F. Experimental vaccination by single dose sporozoite injection of blood-stage attenuated malaria parasites. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:2060-2079. [PMID: 39103697 PMCID: PMC11392930 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00101-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria vaccination approaches using live Plasmodium parasites are currently explored, with either attenuated mosquito-derived sporozoites or attenuated blood-stage parasites. Both approaches would profit from the availability of attenuated and avirulent parasites with a reduced blood-stage multiplication rate. Here we screened gene-deletion mutants of the rodent parasite P. berghei and the human parasite P. falciparum for slow growth. Furthermore, we tested the P. berghei mutants for avirulence and resolving blood-stage infections, while preserving sporozoite formation and liver infection. Targeting 51 genes yielded 18 P. berghei gene-deletion mutants with several mutants causing mild infections. Infections with the two most attenuated mutants either by blood stages or by sporozoites were cleared by the immune response. Immunization of mice led to protection from disease after challenge with wild-type sporozoites. Two of six generated P. falciparum gene-deletion mutants showed a slow growth rate. Slow-growing, avirulent P. falciparum mutants will constitute valuable tools to inform on the induction of immune responses and will aid in developing new as well as safeguarding existing attenuated parasite vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Sattler
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lukas Keiber
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aiman Abdelrahim
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Xinyu Zheng
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Jäcklin
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Luisa Zechel
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Catherine A Moreau
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Smilla Steinbrück
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manuel Fischer
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Chris J Janse
- Leiden Malaria Research Group, Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Angelika Hoffmann
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Franziska Hentzschel
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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2
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Yalley AK, Ocran J, Cobbinah JE, Obodai E, Yankson IK, Kafintu-Kwashie AA, Amegatcher G, Anim-Baidoo I, Nii-Trebi NI, Prah DA. Advances in Malaria Diagnostic Methods in Resource-Limited Settings: A Systematic Review. Trop Med Infect Dis 2024; 9:190. [PMID: 39330879 PMCID: PMC11435979 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9090190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria continues to pose a health challenge globally, and its elimination has remained a major topic of public health discussions. A key factor in eliminating malaria is the early and accurate detection of the parasite, especially in asymptomatic individuals, and so the importance of enhanced diagnostic methods cannot be overemphasized. This paper reviewed the advances in malaria diagnostic tools and detection methods over recent years. The use of these advanced diagnostics in lower and lower-middle-income countries as compared to advanced economies has been highlighted. Scientific databases such as Google Scholar, PUBMED, and Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), among others, were reviewed. The findings suggest important advancements in malaria detection, ranging from the use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and molecular-based technologies to advanced non-invasive detection methods and computerized technologies. Molecular tests, RDTs, and computerized tests were also seen to be in use in resource-limited settings. In all, only twenty-one out of a total of eighty (26%) low and lower-middle-income countries showed evidence of the use of modern malaria diagnostic methods. It is imperative for governments and other agencies to direct efforts toward malaria research to upscale progress towards malaria elimination globally, especially in endemic regions, which usually happen to be resource-limited regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akua K. Yalley
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra P.O. Box KB 143, Ghana; (A.K.Y.); (A.A.K.-K.); (G.A.); (I.A.-B.)
| | - Joyous Ocran
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, PMB, Cape Coast, Ghana; (J.O.); (J.E.C.)
| | - Jacob E. Cobbinah
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cape Coast, PMB, Cape Coast, Ghana; (J.O.); (J.E.C.)
| | - Evangeline Obodai
- Department of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 581, Ghana;
| | - Isaac K. Yankson
- CSIR-Building and Road Research Institute, Kumasi P.O. Box UP40, Kumasi, Ghana;
| | - Anna A. Kafintu-Kwashie
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra P.O. Box KB 143, Ghana; (A.K.Y.); (A.A.K.-K.); (G.A.); (I.A.-B.)
| | - Gloria Amegatcher
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra P.O. Box KB 143, Ghana; (A.K.Y.); (A.A.K.-K.); (G.A.); (I.A.-B.)
| | - Isaac Anim-Baidoo
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra P.O. Box KB 143, Ghana; (A.K.Y.); (A.A.K.-K.); (G.A.); (I.A.-B.)
| | - Nicholas I. Nii-Trebi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra P.O. Box KB 143, Ghana; (A.K.Y.); (A.A.K.-K.); (G.A.); (I.A.-B.)
| | - Diana A. Prah
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 54, Ghana
- Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Accra Technical University, Barnes Road, Accra P.O. Box GP 561, Ghana
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3
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Nagar R, Garcia Castillo SS, Pinzon-Ortiz M, Patray S, Coppi A, Kanatani S, Moritz RL, Swearingen KE, Ferguson MAJ, Sinnis P. The major surface protein of malaria sporozoites is GPI-anchored to the plasma membrane. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107557. [PMID: 39002668 PMCID: PMC11359735 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor protein modification in Plasmodium species is well known and represents the principal form of glycosylation in these organisms. The structure and biosynthesis of GPI anchors of Plasmodium spp. has been primarily studied in the asexual blood stage of Plasmodium falciparum and is known to contain the typical conserved GPI structure of EtN-P-Man3GlcN-PI. Here, we have investigated the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) for the presence of a GPI anchor. CSP is the major surface protein of Plasmodium sporozoites, the infective stage of the malaria parasite. While it is widely assumed that CSP is a GPI-anchored cell surface protein, compelling biochemical evidence for this supposition is absent. Here, we employed metabolic labeling and mass-spectrometry-based approaches to confirm the presence of a GPI anchor in CSP. Biosynthetic radiolabeling of CSP with [3H]-palmitic acid and [3H]-ethanolamine, with the former being base-labile and therefore ester-linked, provided strong evidence for the presence of a GPI anchor on CSP, but these data alone were not definitive. To provide further evidence, immunoprecipitated CSP was analyzed for the presence of myo-inositol (a characteristic component of GPI anchor) using strong acid hydrolysis and GC-MS for highly sensitive and quantitative detection. The single ion monitoring (SIM) method for GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of the myo-inositol component in CSP. Taken together, these data provide confidence that the long-assumed presence of a GPI anchor on this important parasite protein is correct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupa Nagar
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Stefano S Garcia Castillo
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Maria Pinzon-Ortiz
- Department of Medical Parsitology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sharon Patray
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alida Coppi
- Department of Medical Parsitology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sachie Kanatani
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Michael A J Ferguson
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
| | - Photini Sinnis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Johns Hopkins Malaria Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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4
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McConville R, Krol JMM, Steel RWJ, O’Neill MT, Davey BK, Hodder AN, Nebl T, Cowman AF, Kneteman N, Boddey JA. Flp/ FRT-mediated disruption of ptex150 and exp2 in Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites inhibits liver-stage development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2403442121. [PMID: 38968107 PMCID: PMC11252984 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403442121] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum causes severe malaria and assembles a protein translocon (PTEX) complex at the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) of infected erythrocytes, through which several hundred proteins are exported to facilitate growth. The preceding liver stage of infection involves growth in a hepatocyte-derived PVM; however, the importance of protein export during P. falciparum liver infection remains unexplored. Here, we use the FlpL/FRT system to conditionally excise genes in P. falciparum sporozoites for functional liver-stage studies. Disruption of PTEX members ptex150 and exp2 did not affect sporozoite development in mosquitoes or infectivity for hepatocytes but attenuated liver-stage growth in humanized mice. While PTEX150 deficiency reduced fitness on day 6 postinfection by 40%, EXP2 deficiency caused 100% loss of liver parasites, demonstrating that PTEX components are required for growth in hepatocytes to differing degrees. To characterize PTEX loss-of-function mutations, we localized four liver-stage Plasmodium export element (PEXEL) proteins. P. falciparum liver specific protein 2 (LISP2), liver-stage antigen 3 (LSA3), circumsporozoite protein (CSP), and a Plasmodium berghei LISP2 reporter all localized to the periphery of P. falciparum liver stages but were not exported beyond the PVM. Expression of LISP2 and CSP but not LSA3 was reduced in ptex150-FRT and exp2-FRT liver stages, suggesting that expression of some PEXEL proteins is affected directly or indirectly by PTEX disruption. These results show that PTEX150 and EXP2 are important for P. falciparum development in hepatocytes and emphasize the emerging complexity of PEXEL protein trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn McConville
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC3010, Australia
| | - Jelte M. M. Krol
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC3010, Australia
| | - Ryan W. J. Steel
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC3010, Australia
| | - Matthew T. O’Neill
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
| | - Bethany K. Davey
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC3010, Australia
| | - Anthony N. Hodder
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC3010, Australia
| | - Thomas Nebl
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC3010, Australia
| | - Alan F. Cowman
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC3010, Australia
| | - Norman Kneteman
- Departments of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, ABT6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Justin A. Boddey
- Division of Infectious Diseases & Immune Defence, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC3010, Australia
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5
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Dans MG, Boulet C, Watson GM, Nguyen W, Dziekan JM, Evelyn C, Reaksudsan K, Mehra S, Razook Z, Geoghegan ND, Mlodzianoski MJ, Goodman CD, Ling DB, Jonsdottir TK, Tong J, Famodimu MT, Kristan M, Pollard H, Stewart LB, Brandner-Garrod L, Sutherland CJ, Delves MJ, McFadden GI, Barry AE, Crabb BS, de Koning-Ward TF, Rogers KL, Cowman AF, Tham WH, Sleebs BE, Gilson PR. Aryl amino acetamides prevent Plasmodium falciparum ring development via targeting the lipid-transfer protein PfSTART1. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5219. [PMID: 38890312 PMCID: PMC11189555 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49491-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
With resistance to most antimalarials increasing, it is imperative that new drugs are developed. We previously identified an aryl acetamide compound, MMV006833 (M-833), that inhibited the ring-stage development of newly invaded merozoites. Here, we select parasites resistant to M-833 and identify mutations in the START lipid transfer protein (PF3D7_0104200, PfSTART1). Introducing PfSTART1 mutations into wildtype parasites reproduces resistance to M-833 as well as to more potent analogues. PfSTART1 binding to the analogues is validated using organic solvent-based Proteome Integral Solubility Alteration (Solvent PISA) assays. Imaging of invading merozoites shows the inhibitors prevent the development of ring-stage parasites potentially by inhibiting the expansion of the encasing parasitophorous vacuole membrane. The PfSTART1-targeting compounds also block transmission to mosquitoes and with multiple stages of the parasite's lifecycle being affected, PfSTART1 represents a drug target with a new mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline G Dans
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
- Institute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) and School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| | - Coralie Boulet
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, 1206, Switzerland
| | - Gabrielle M Watson
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - William Nguyen
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Jerzy M Dziekan
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Cindy Evelyn
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Kitsanapong Reaksudsan
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Somya Mehra
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Institute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) and School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
| | - Zahra Razook
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Institute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) and School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
| | - Niall D Geoghegan
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Michael J Mlodzianoski
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | | | | | - Thorey K Jonsdottir
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, 901 87, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå, Sweden
| | - Joshua Tong
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Mufuliat Toyin Famodimu
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Mojca Kristan
- Wellcome Trust Human Malaria Transmission Facility, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Harry Pollard
- Wellcome Trust Human Malaria Transmission Facility, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Lindsay B Stewart
- Wellcome Trust Human Malaria Transmission Facility, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Luke Brandner-Garrod
- Wellcome Trust Human Malaria Transmission Facility, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Colin J Sutherland
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
- Wellcome Trust Human Malaria Transmission Facility, Faculty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Michael J Delves
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Alyssa E Barry
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Institute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) and School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
| | - Brendan S Crabb
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- Monash University, 3800, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tania F de Koning-Ward
- Institute of Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT) and School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
| | - Kelly L Rogers
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Alan F Cowman
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Wai-Hong Tham
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Paul R Gilson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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6
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Nagar R, Garcia Castillo SS, Pinzon-Ortiz M, Patray S, Coppi A, Kanatani S, Moritz RL, Swearingen KE, Ferguson MAJ, Sinnis P. The major surface protein of malaria sporozoites is GPI-anchored to the plasma membrane. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.21.595204. [PMID: 38826328 PMCID: PMC11142060 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.21.595204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor protein modification in Plasmodium species is well known and represents the principal form of glycosylation in these organisms. The structure and biosynthesis of GPI anchors of Plasmodium spp. has been primarily studied in the asexual blood stage of P. falciparum and is known to contain the typical conserved GPI structure of EtN-P-Man3GlcN-PI. Here, we have investigated the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) for the presence of a GPI-anchor. CSP is the major surface protein of Plasmodium sporozoites, the infective stage of the malaria parasite. While it is widely assumed that CSP is a GPI-anchored cell surface protein, compelling biochemical evidence for this supposition is absent. Here, we employed metabolic labeling and mass-spectrometry based approaches to confirm the presence of a GPI anchor in CSP. Biosynthetic radiolabeling of CSP with [ 3 H]-palmitic acid and [ 3 H]-ethanolamine, with the former being base-labile and therefore ester-linked, provided strong evidence for the presence of a GPI anchor on CSP, but these data alone were not definitive. To provide further evidence, immunoprecipitated CSP was analyzed for presence of myo -inositol (a characteristic component of GPI anchor) using strong acid hydrolysis and GC-MS for a highly sensitive and quantitative detection. The single ion monitoring (SIM) method for GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of the myo -inositol component in CSP. Taken together, these data provide confidence that the long-assumed presence of a GPI anchor on this important parasite protein is correct.
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7
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Bento I, Parrington B, Pascual R, Goldberg AS, Wang E, Liu H, Zelle M, Takahashi JS, Elias JE, Mota MM, Rijo-Ferreira F. Circadian rhythms mediate malaria transmission potential. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.14.594221. [PMID: 38798622 PMCID: PMC11118478 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.14.594221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Malaria transmission begins when infected female Anopheles mosquitos deposit Plasmodium parasites into the mammalian host's skin during a bloodmeal. The salivary gland-resident sporozoite parasites migrate to the bloodstream, subsequently invading and replicating within hepatocytes. As Anopheles mosquitos are more active at night, with a 24-hour rhythm, we investigated whether their salivary glands are under circadian control, anticipating bloodmeals and modulating sporozoite biology for host encounters. Here we show that approximately half of the mosquito salivary gland transcriptome, particularly genes essential for efficient bloodmeals such as anti-blood clotting factors, exhibits circadian rhythmic expression. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mosquitoes prefer to feed during nighttime, with the amount of blood ingested varying cyclically throughout the day. Notably, we show a substantial subset of the sporozoite transcriptome cycling throughout the day. These include genes involved in parasite motility, potentially modulating the ability to initiate infection at different times of day. Thus, although sporozoites are typically considered quiescent, our results demonstrate their transcriptional activity, revealing robust daily rhythms of gene expression. Our findings suggest a circadian evolutionary relationship between the vector, parasite and mammalian host that together modulate malaria transmission.
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8
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Mansfield CR, Quan B, Chirgwin ME, Eduful B, Hughes PF, Neveu G, Sylvester K, Ryan DH, Kafsack BFC, Haystead TAJ, Leahy JW, Fitzgerald MC, Derbyshire ER. Selective targeting of Plasmodium falciparum Hsp90 disrupts the 26S proteasome. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:729-742.e13. [PMID: 38492573 PMCID: PMC11031320 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.02.008] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) has an essential but largely undefined role in maintaining proteostasis in Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal malaria parasite. Herein, we identify BX-2819 and XL888 as potent P. falciparum (Pf)Hsp90 inhibitors. Derivatization of XL888's scaffold led to the development of Tropane 1, as a PfHsp90-selective binder with nanomolar affinity. Hsp90 inhibitors exhibit anti-Plasmodium activity against the liver, asexual blood, and early gametocyte life stages. Thermal proteome profiling was implemented to assess PfHsp90-dependent proteome stability, and the proteasome-the main site of cellular protein recycling-was enriched among proteins with perturbed stability upon PfHsp90 inhibition. Subsequent biochemical and cellular studies suggest that PfHsp90 directly promotes proteasome hydrolysis by chaperoning the active 26S complex. These findings expand our knowledge of the PfHsp90-dependent proteome and protein quality control mechanisms in these pathogenic parasites, as well as further characterize this chaperone as a potential antimalarial drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Mansfield
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Baiyi Quan
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Eduful
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Philip F Hughes
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gaëlle Neveu
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kayla Sylvester
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Daniel H Ryan
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Björn F C Kafsack
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Timothy A J Haystead
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - James W Leahy
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Center for Drug Discovery and Innovation, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | | | - Emily R Derbyshire
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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9
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Goswami D, Patel H, Betz W, Armstrong J, Camargo N, Patil A, Chakravarty S, Murphy SC, Sim BKL, Vaughan AM, Hoffman SL, Kappe SH. A replication competent Plasmodium falciparum parasite completely attenuated by dual gene deletion. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:723-754. [PMID: 38514791 PMCID: PMC11018819 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00057-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Vaccination with infectious Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoites (SPZ) administered with antimalarial drugs (PfSPZ-CVac), confers superior sterilizing protection against infection when compared to vaccination with replication-deficient, radiation-attenuated PfSPZ. However, the requirement for drug administration constitutes a major limitation for PfSPZ-CVac. To obviate this limitation, we generated late liver stage-arresting replication competent (LARC) parasites by deletion of the Mei2 and LINUP genes (mei2-/linup- or LARC2). We show that Plasmodium yoelii (Py) LARC2 sporozoites did not cause breakthrough blood stage infections and engendered durable sterilizing immunity against various infectious sporozoite challenges in diverse strains of mice. We next genetically engineered a PfLARC2 parasite strain that was devoid of extraneous DNA and produced cryopreserved PfSPZ-LARC2. PfSPZ-LARC2 liver stages replicated robustly in liver-humanized mice but displayed severe defects in late liver stage differentiation and did not form liver stage merozoites. This resulted in complete abrogation of parasite transition to viable blood stage infection. Therefore, PfSPZ-LARC2 is the next-generation vaccine strain expected to unite the safety profile of radiation-attenuated PfSPZ with the superior protective efficacy of PfSPZ-CVac.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debashree Goswami
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Hardik Patel
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - William Betz
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Janna Armstrong
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Nelly Camargo
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Asha Patil
- Sanaria Inc., 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | | | - Sean C Murphy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - B Kim Lee Sim
- Sanaria Inc., 9800 Medical Center Dr., Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Ashley M Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Stefan Hi Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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10
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Rios KT, McGee JP, Sebastian A, Moritz RL, Feric M, Absalon S, Swearingen KE, Lindner SE. Global Release of Translational Repression Across Plasmodium's Host-to-Vector Transmission Event. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.01.577866. [PMID: 38352447 PMCID: PMC10862809 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.01.577866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Malaria parasites must be able to respond quickly to changes in their environment, including during their transmission between mammalian hosts and mosquito vectors. Therefore, before transmission, female gametocytes proactively produce and translationally repress mRNAs that encode essential proteins that the zygote requires to establish a new infection. This essential regulatory control requires the orthologues of DDX6 (DOZI), LSM14a (CITH), and ALBA proteins to form a translationally repressive complex in female gametocytes that associates with many of the affected mRNAs. However, while the release of translational repression of individual mRNAs has been documented, the details of the global release of translational repression have not. Moreover, the changes in spatial arrangement and composition of the DOZI/CITH/ALBA complex that contribute to translational control are also not known. Therefore, we have conducted the first quantitative, comparative transcriptomics and DIA-MS proteomics of Plasmodium parasites across the host-to-vector transmission event to document the global release of translational repression. Using female gametocytes and zygotes of P. yoelii, we found that nearly 200 transcripts are released for translation soon after fertilization, including those with essential functions for the zygote. However, we also observed that some transcripts remain repressed beyond this point. In addition, we have used TurboID-based proximity proteomics to interrogate the spatial and compositional changes in the DOZI/CITH/ALBA complex across this transmission event. Consistent with recent models of translational control, proteins that associate with either the 5' or 3' end of mRNAs are in close proximity to one another during translational repression in female gametocytes and then dissociate upon release of repression in zygotes. This observation is cross-validated for several protein colocalizations in female gametocytes via ultrastructure expansion microscopy and structured illumination microscopy. Moreover, DOZI exchanges its interaction from NOT1-G in female gametocytes to the canonical NOT1 in zygotes, providing a model for a trigger for the release of mRNAs from DOZI. Finally, unenriched phosphoproteomics revealed the modification of key translational control proteins in the zygote. Together, these data provide a model for the essential translational control mechanisms used by malaria parasites to promote their efficient transmission from their mammalian host to their mosquito vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly T. Rios
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - James P. McGee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Aswathy Sebastian
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | | | - Marina Feric
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | | | - Scott E. Lindner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
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11
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Preira CMF, Pizzi E, Fratini F, Grasso F, Boccolini D, Mochi S, Favia G, Piselli E, Damiani C, Siden-Kiamos I, Ponzi M, Currà C. A Time Point Proteomic Analysis Reveals Protein Dynamics of Plasmodium Oocysts. Mol Cell Proteomics 2024; 23:100736. [PMID: 38342407 PMCID: PMC10924140 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2024.100736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The oocyst is a sporogonic stage of Plasmodium development that takes place in the mosquito midgut in about 2 weeks. The cyst is protected by a capsule of unknown composition, and little is known about oocyst biology. We carried out a proteomic analysis of oocyst samples isolated at early, mid, and late time points of development. Four biological replicates for each time point were analyzed, and almost 600 oocyst-specific candidates were identified. The analysis revealed that, in young oocysts, there is a strong activity of protein and DNA synthesis, whereas in mature oocysts, proteins involved in oocyst and sporozoite development, gliding motility, and invasion are mostly abundant. Among the proteins identified at early stages, 17 candidates are specific to young oocysts. Thirty-four candidates are common to oocyst and the merosome stages (sporozoite proteins excluded), sharing common features as replication and egress. Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses of selected candidates confirm the expression profile obtained by proteomic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claude Marie François Preira
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Molecular biology and Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece; Department of Biology, Voutes University Campus, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Elisabetta Pizzi
- Core Facilities Technical-Scientific Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Fratini
- Core Facilities Technical-Scientific Service, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Felicia Grasso
- Department of Infectious diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Boccolini
- Department of Infectious diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Mochi
- Department of Infectious diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Guido Favia
- School of Biosciences & Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Italy
| | - Elena Piselli
- School of Biosciences & Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Italy
| | - Claudia Damiani
- School of Biosciences & Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Italy
| | - Inga Siden-Kiamos
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Molecular biology and Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Marta Ponzi
- Department of Infectious diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Currà
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Molecular biology and Biotechnology, Heraklion, Greece.
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12
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Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum, the human malaria parasite, infects two hosts and various cell types, inducing distinct morphological and physiological changes in the parasite in response to different environmental conditions. These variations required the parasite to adapt and develop elaborate molecular mechanisms to ensure its spread and transmission. Recent findings have significantly improved our understanding of the regulation of gene expression in P. falciparum. Here, we provide an up-to-date overview of technologies used to highlight the transcriptomic adjustments occurring in the parasite throughout its life cycle. We also emphasize the complementary and complex epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression in malaria parasites. This review concludes with an outlook on the chromatin architecture, the remodeling systems, and how this 3D genome organization is critical in various biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hollin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA;
| | - Zeinab Chahine
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA;
| | - Karine G Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA;
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13
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Chen L, Tang X, Sun P, Hu D, Zhang Y, Wang C, Chen J, Liu J, Gao Y, Hao Z, Zhang N, Chen W, Xie F, Suo X, Liu X. Comparative transcriptome profiling of Eimeria tenella in various developmental stages and functional analysis of an ApiAP2 transcription factor exclusively expressed during sporogony. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:241. [PMID: 37468981 PMCID: PMC10354945 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05828-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The apicomplexan parasites Eimeria spp. are the causative agents of coccidiosis, a disease with a significant global impact on the poultry industry. The complex life cycle of Eimeria spp. involves exogenous (sporogony) and endogenous (schizogony and gametogony) stages. Unfortunately, the genetic regulation of these highly dynamic processes, particularly for genes involved in specific developmental phases, is not well understood. METHODS In this study, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis to identify expressed genes and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at seven time points representing different developmental stages of Eimeria tenella. We then performed K-means clustering along with co-expression analysis to identify functionally enriched gene clusters. Additionally, we predicted apicomplexan AP2 transcription factors in E. tenella using bioinformatics methods. Finally, we generated overexpression and knockout strains of ETH2_0411800 to observe its impact on E. tenella development. RESULTS In total, we identified 7329 genes that are expressed during various developmental stages, with 3342 genes exhibiting differential expression during development. Using K-means clustering along with co-expression analysis, we identified clusters functionally enriched for oocyte meiosis, cell cycle, and signaling pathway. Among the 53 predicted ApiAP2 transcription factors, ETH2_0411800 was found to be exclusively expressed during sporogony. The ETH2_0411800 overexpression and knockout strains did not exhibit significant differences in oocyst size or output compared to the parental strain, while the resulting ETH2_0411800 knockout parasite showed a relatively small oocyst output. CONCLUSIONS The findings of our research suggest that ETH2_0411800 is not essential for the growth and development of E. tenella. Our study provides insights into the gene expression dynamics and is a valuable resource for exploring the roles of transcription factor genes in regulating the development of Eimeria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xinming Tang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biosafety Risk Prevention and Control (North) of MARA, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pei Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Dandan Hu
- School of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture & Beijing Key Laboratory of Animal Genetic Improvement, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Chaoyue Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junmin Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Jie Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Yang Gao
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Zhenkai Hao
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Ning Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Wenxuan Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Fujie Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xun Suo
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xianyong Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis of Ministry of Agriculture, National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
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14
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Toenhake CG, Voorberg-van der Wel A, Wu H, Kanyal A, Nieuwenhuis IG, van der Werff NM, Hofman SO, Zeeman AM, Kocken CHM, Bártfai R. Epigenetically regulated RNA-binding proteins signify malaria hypnozoite dormancy. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112727. [PMID: 37392389 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Dormancy enables relapsing malaria parasites, such as Plasmodium vivax and cynomolgi, to survive unfavorable conditions. It is enabled by hypnozoites, parasites remaining quiescent inside hepatocytes before reactivating and establishing blood-stage infection. We integrate omics approaches to explore gene-regulatory mechanisms underlying hypnozoite dormancy. Genome-wide profiling of activating and repressing histone marks identifies a few genes that get silenced by heterochromatin during hepatic infection of relapsing parasites. By combining single-cell transcriptomics, chromatin accessibility profiling, and fluorescent in situ RNA hybridization, we show that these genes are expressed in hypnozoites and that their silencing precedes parasite development. Intriguingly, these hypnozoite-specific genes mainly encode proteins with RNA-binding domains. We hence hypothesize that these likely repressive RNA-binding proteins keep hypnozoites in a developmentally competent but dormant state and that heterochromatin-mediated silencing of the corresponding genes aids reactivation. Exploring the regulation and exact function of these proteins hence could provide clues for targeted reactivation and killing of these latent pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Haoyu Wu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Abhishek Kanyal
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Sam Otto Hofman
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, the Netherlands
| | - Anne-Marie Zeeman
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, the Netherlands
| | | | - Richárd Bártfai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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15
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Reers AB, Bautista R, McLellan J, Morales B, Garza R, Bol S, Hanson KK, Bunnik EM. Histone modification analysis reveals common regulators of gene expression in liver and blood stage merozoites of Plasmodium parasites. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:25. [PMID: 37322481 PMCID: PMC10268464 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-023-00500-y] [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: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene expression in malaria parasites is subject to various layers of regulation, including histone post-translational modifications (PTMs). Gene regulatory mechanisms have been extensively studied during the main developmental stages of Plasmodium parasites inside erythrocytes, from the ring stage following invasion to the schizont stage leading up to egress. However, gene regulation in merozoites that mediate the transition from one host cell to the next is an understudied area of parasite biology. Here, we sought to characterize gene expression and the corresponding histone PTM landscape during this stage of the parasite lifecycle through RNA-seq and ChIP-seq on P. falciparum blood stage schizonts, merozoites, and rings, as well as P. berghei liver stage merozoites. In both hepatic and erythrocytic merozoites, we identified a subset of genes with a unique histone PTM profile characterized by a region of H3K4me3 depletion in their promoter. These genes were upregulated in hepatic and erythrocytic merozoites and rings, had roles in protein export, translation, and host cell remodeling, and shared a DNA motif. These results indicate that similar regulatory mechanisms may underlie merozoite formation in the liver and blood stages. We also observed that H3K4me2 was deposited in gene bodies of gene families encoding variant surface antigens in erythrocytic merozoites, which may facilitate switching of gene expression between different members of these families. Finally, H3K18me and H2K27me were uncoupled from gene expression and were enriched around the centromeres in erythrocytic schizonts and merozoites, suggesting potential roles in the maintenance of chromosomal organization during schizogony. Together, our results demonstrate that extensive changes in gene expression and histone landscape occur during the schizont-to-ring transition to facilitate productive erythrocyte infection. The dynamic remodeling of the transcriptional program in hepatic and erythrocytic merozoites makes this stage attractive as a target for novel anti-malarial drugs that may have activity against both the liver and blood stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley B Reers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Rodriel Bautista
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - James McLellan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Beatriz Morales
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Rolando Garza
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sebastiaan Bol
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kirsten K Hanson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Evelien M Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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16
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Dobrescu I, Hammam E, Dziekan JM, Claës A, Halby L, Preiser P, Bozdech Z, Arimondo PB, Scherf A, Nardella F. Plasmodium falciparum Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 3 is Stabilized by Quinazoline-Quinoline Bisubstrate Inhibitors. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1257-1266. [PMID: 37216290 PMCID: PMC10262199 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00127] [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: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Malaria drug resistance is hampering the fight against the deadliest parasitic disease affecting over 200 million people worldwide. We recently developed quinoline-quinazoline-based inhibitors (as compound 70) as promising new antimalarials. Here, we aimed to investigate their mode of action by using thermal proteome profiling (TPP). The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 3 (EIF3i) subunit I was identified as the main target protein stabilized by compound 70 in Plasmodium falciparum. This protein has never been characterized in malaria parasites. P. falciparum parasite lines were generated expressing either a HA tag or an inducible knockdown of the PfEIF3i gene to further characterize the target protein. PfEIF3i was stabilized in the presence of compound 70 in a cellular thermal shift Western blot assay, pointing that PfEIF3i indeed interacts with quinoline-quinazoline-based inhibitors. In addition, PfEIF3i-inducible knockdown blocks intra-erythrocytic development in the trophozoite stage, indicating that it has a vital function. We show that PfEIF3i is mostly expressed in late intra-erythrocytic stages and localizes in the cytoplasm. Previous mass spectrometry reports show that PfEIF3i is expressed in all parasite life cycle stages. Further studies will explore the potential of PfEIF3i as a target for the design of new antimalarial drugs active all along the life cycle of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Dobrescu
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Elie Hammam
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Jerzy M. Dziekan
- School
of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Aurélie Claës
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Ludovic Halby
- Epigenetic
Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry,
Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité,
UMR n3523 Chem4Life, CNRS, 28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Peter Preiser
- School
of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Zbynek Bozdech
- School
of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological
University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Paola B. Arimondo
- Epigenetic
Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry,
Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité,
UMR n3523 Chem4Life, CNRS, 28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Artur Scherf
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
| | - Flore Nardella
- Unité
Biology of Host-Parasite Interactions, Department of Parasites and
Insect Vectors, Institut Pasteur, Université
de Paris-Cité, CNRS EMR 9195, INSERM Unit U1201, 25-28 Rue Du Dr Roux, Paris 75015, France
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17
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Godin MJ, Sebastian A, Albert I, Lindner SE. Long-Read Genome Assembly and Gene Model Annotations for the Rodent Malaria Parasite Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL. J Biol Chem 2023:104871. [PMID: 37247760 PMCID: PMC10320607 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria causes over 600 thousand fatalities each year, with most cases attributed to the human-infectious Plasmodium falciparum species. Many rodent-infectious Plasmodium species, like Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium yoelii, have been used as model species that can expedite studies of this pathogen. P. yoelii is an especially good model for investigating the mosquito and liver stages of parasite development because key attributes closely resemble those of P. falciparum. Because of its importance, in 2002 the 17XNL strain of P. yoelii was the first rodent malaria parasite to be sequenced. While a breakthrough effort, the assembly consisted of >5000 contiguous sequences that adversely impacted the annotated gene models. While other rodent malaria parasite genomes have been sequenced and annotated since then, including the related P. yoelii 17X strain, the 17XNL strain has not. As a result, genomic data for 17X has become the de facto reference genome for the 17XNL strain while leaving open questions surrounding possible differences between the 17XNL and 17X genomes. In this work, we present a high-quality genome assembly for P. yoelii 17XNL using PacBio DNA sequencing. In addition, we use Nanopore and Illumina RNA sequencing of mixed blood stages to create complete gene models that include coding sequences, alternate isoforms, and UTR designations. A comparison of the 17X and this new 17XNL assembly revealed biologically meaningful differences between the strains due to the presence of coding sequence variants. Taken together, our work provides a new genomic framework for studies with this commonly used rodent malaria model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell J Godin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Huck Center for Malaria Research, The Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Aswathy Sebastian
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Istvan Albert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Huck Center for Malaria Research, The Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802; Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802.
| | - Scott E Lindner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Huck Center for Malaria Research, The Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802.
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18
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Hussien MI, Soliman BA, Tewfick MK, O’Brochta DA. An ex vivo system for investigation of Plasmodium berghei invasion of the salivary gland of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. Pathog Glob Health 2023; 117:308-314. [PMID: 35993325 PMCID: PMC10081056 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2022.2108647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium sporozoites associated with the midgut and in the hemolymph of mosquitoes differ from sporozoites in the secretory cavities and ducts of the insects' salivary glands in their transcriptome, proteome, motility, and infectivity. Using an ex vivo Anopheles stephensi salivary gland culture system incorporating simple microfluidics and transgenic Plasmodium berghei with the fluorescent protein gene mCherry under the transcriptional control of the Pbuis4 promoter whose expression served as a proxy for parasite maturation, we observed rapid parasite maturation in the absence of salivary gland invasion. While in vivo Pbuis4::mCherry expression was only detectable in sporozoites within the salivary glands (mature parasites) as expected, the simple exposure of P. berghei sporozoites to dissected salivary glands led to rapid parasite maturation as indicated by mCherry expression. These results suggest that previous efforts to develop ex vivo and in vitro systems for investigating sporozoite interactions with mosquito salivary glands have likely been unsuccessful in part because the maturation of sporozoites leads to a loss in the ability to invade salivary glands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai I. Hussien
- Insect Transformation Facility, Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland-College Park, Rockville, MD, USA
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, Egypt
| | - Belal A. Soliman
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, Egypt
| | - Maha K. Tewfick
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, Egypt
| | - David A. O’Brochta
- Insect Transformation Facility, Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland-College Park, Rockville, MD, USA
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19
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Targetome Analysis of Malaria Sporozoite Transcription Factor AP2-Sp Reveals Its Role as a Master Regulator. mBio 2023; 14:e0251622. [PMID: 36622145 PMCID: PMC9973277 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02516-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria transmission to humans begins with sporozoite infection of the liver. The elucidation of gene regulation during the sporozoite stage will promote the investigation of mechanisms of liver infection by this parasite and contribute to the development of strategies for preventing malaria transmission. AP2-Sp is a transcription factor (TF) essential for the formation of sporozoites or sporogony, which takes place in oocysts in the midguts of infected mosquitoes. To understand the role of this TF in the transcriptional regulatory system of this stage, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) analyses using whole mosquito midguts containing late oocysts as starting material and explored its genome-wide target genes. We identified 697 target genes, comprising those involved in distinct processes parasites experience during this stage, from sporogony to development into the liver stage and representing the majority of genes highly expressed in the sporozoite stage. These results suggest that AP2-Sp determines basal patterns of gene expression by targeting a broad range of genes directly. The ChIP-seq analyses also showed that AP2-Sp maintains its own expression by a transcriptional autoactivation mechanism (positive-feedback loop) and induces all TFs reported to be transcribed at this stage, including AP2-Sp2, AP2-Sp3, and SLARP. The results showed that AP2-Sp exists at the top of the transcriptional cascade of this stage and triggers the formation of this stage as a master regulator. IMPORTANCE The sporozoite stage plays a central role in malaria transmission from a mosquito to vertebrate host and is an important target for antimalarial strategies. AP2-Sp is a candidate master transcription factor for the sporozoite stage. However, study of its role in gene regulation has been hampered because of difficulties in performing genome-wide studies of gene regulation in this stage. Here, we conquered this problem and revealed that AP2-Sp has the following prominent features as a master transcription factor. First, it determines the repertory of gene expression during this stage. Second, it maintains its own expression through a transcriptional positive-feedback loop and induces all other transcription factors specifically expressed in this stage. This study represents a major breakthrough in fully understanding gene regulation in this important malarial stage.
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20
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Vigdorovich V, Patel H, Watson A, Raappana A, Reynolds L, Selman W, Beeman S, Edlefsen PT, Kappe SHI, Sather DN. Coimmunization with Preerythrocytic Antigens alongside Circumsporozoite Protein Can Enhance Sterile Protection against Plasmodium Sporozoite Infection. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0379122. [PMID: 36847573 PMCID: PMC10100930 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03791-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites have a complex life cycle and present numerous antigen targets that may contribute to protective immune responses. The currently recommended vaccine-RTS,S-functions by targeting the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP), which is the most abundant surface protein of the sporozoite form responsible for initiating infection of the human host. Despite showing only moderate efficacy, RTS,S has established a strong foundation for the development of next-generation subunit vaccines. Our previous work characterizing the sporozoite surface proteome identified additional non-CSP antigens that may be useful as immunogens individually or in combination with CSP. In this study, we examined eight such antigens using the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii as a model system. We demonstrate that despite conferring weak protection individually, coimmunizing each of several of these antigens alongside CSP could significantly enhance the sterile protection achieved by CSP immunization alone. Thus, our work provides compelling evidence that a multiantigen preerythrocytic vaccine approach may enhance protection compared to CSP-only vaccines. This lays the groundwork for further studies aimed at testing the identified antigen combinations in human vaccination trials that assess efficacy with controlled human malaria infection. IMPORTANCE The currently approved malaria vaccine targets a single parasite protein (CSP) and results in only partial protection. We tested several additional vaccine targets in combination with CSP to identify those that could enhance protection from infection upon challenge in the mouse malaria model. In identifying several such enhancing vaccine targets, our work indicates that a multiprotein immunization approach may be a promising avenue to achieving higher levels of protection from infection. Our work identified several candidate leads for follow-up in the models relevant for human malaria and provides an experimental framework for efficiently carrying out such screens for other combinations of vaccine targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Vigdorovich
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hardik Patel
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Alexander Watson
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Andrew Raappana
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Laura Reynolds
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - William Selman
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Suzannah Beeman
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Paul T. Edlefsen
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stefan H. I. Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - D. Noah Sather
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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21
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A Plasmodium falciparum RING Finger E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Modifies the Roles of PfMDR1 and PfCRT in Parasite Drug Responses. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0082122. [PMID: 36625569 PMCID: PMC9933707 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00821-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein ubiquitination is an important posttranslational regulation mechanism that mediates Plasmodium development and modifies parasite responses to antimalarial drugs. Although mutations in several parasite ubiquitination enzymes have been linked to increased drug tolerance, the molecular mechanisms by which ubiquitination pathways mediate these parasite responses remain largely unknown. Here, we investigate the roles of a Plasmodium falciparum ring finger ubiquitin ligase (PfRFUL) in parasite development and in responses to antimalarial drugs. We engineered a transgenic parasite having the Pfrful gene tagged with an HA-2A-NeoR-glmS sequence to knockdown (KD) Pfrful expression using glucosamine (GlcN). A Western blot analysis of the proteins from GlcN-treated pSLI-HA-NeoR-glmS-tagged (PfRFULg) parasites, relative to their wild-type (Dd2) controls, showed changes in the ubiquitination of numerous proteins. PfRFUL KD rendered the parasites more sensitive to multiple antimalarial drugs, including mefloquine, piperaquine, amodiaquine, and dihydroartemisinin. PfRFUL KD also decreased the protein level of the P. falciparum multiple drug resistance 1 protein (PfMDR1) and altered the ratio of two bands of the P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT), suggesting contributions to the changed drug responses by the altered ubiquitination of these two molecules. The inhibition of proteasomal protein degradation by epoxomicin increased the PfRFUL level, suggesting the degradation of PfRFUL by the proteasome pathways, whereas the inhibition of E3 ubiquitin ligase activities by JNJ26854165 reduced the PfRFUL level. This study reveals the potential mechanisms of PfRFUL in modifying the expression of drug transporters and their roles in parasite drug responses. PfRFUL could be a potential target for antimalarial drug development.
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22
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Fernandes P, Loubens M, Marinach C, Coppée R, Baron L, Grand M, Andre TP, Hamada S, Langlois AC, Briquet S, Bun P, Silvie O. Plasmodium sporozoites require the protein B9 to invade hepatocytes. iScience 2023; 26:106056. [PMID: 36761022 PMCID: PMC9906020 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium sporozoites are transmitted to a mammalian host during blood feeding by an infected mosquito and invade hepatocytes for initial replication of the parasite into thousands of erythrocyte-invasive merozoites. Here we report that the B9 protein, a member of the 6-cysteine domain protein family, is secreted from sporozoite micronemes and is required for productive invasion of hepatocytes. The N-terminus of B9 forms a beta-propeller domain structurally related to CyRPA, a cysteine-rich protein forming an essential invasion complex in Plasmodium falciparum merozoites. The beta-propeller domain of B9 is essential for sporozoite infectivity and interacts with the 6-cysteine proteins P36 and P52 in a heterologous expression system. Our results suggest that, despite using distinct sets of parasite and host entry factors, Plasmodium sporozoites and merozoites may share common structural modules to assemble protein complexes for invasion of host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Fernandes
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Manon Loubens
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Carine Marinach
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Romain Coppée
- Université de Paris, UMR 261 MERIT, IRD, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Ludivine Baron
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Morgane Grand
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Thanh-Phuc Andre
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Soumia Hamada
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, UMS PASS, Plateforme Post-génomique de la Pitié Salpêtrière (P3S), 75013 Paris, France
| | - Anne-Claire Langlois
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Sylvie Briquet
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Bun
- INSERM U1266, NeurImag Facility, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Silvie
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Centre d’Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses, CIMI-Paris, Paris, France
- Corresponding author
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23
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Hussein HE, Johnson WC, Ueti MW. Differential paired stage-specific expression of Babesia bovis cysteine-rich GCC2/GCC3 domain family proteins (BboGDP) during development within Rhipicephalus microplus. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:16. [PMID: 36650585 PMCID: PMC9843837 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05628-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Babesia bovis, an intra-erythrocytic apicomplexan parasite, is one of the causative agents of bovine babesiosis, the most important tick-borne disease of cattle in tropical and subtropical regions. Babesia bovis has a complex life-cycle that includes sexual development within the tick vector. The development of a transmission blocking vaccine to control bovine babesiosis requires the identification of antigens displayed on the surface of the parasite during its development within tick vectors. Four B. bovis cysteine-rich GCC2/GCC3 domain protein (BboGDP) family members were previously identified and are differentially expressed as discrete pairs by either blood stages or kinetes. In this study we focused on two family members, BboGDP1 and -3, that are expressed by Babesia parasites during tick infection. METHODS AND RESULTS: Transcription analysis using quantitative PCR demonstrated that BboGDP1 and -3 were upregulated in in vitro-induced sexual stage parasites and during parasite development in the tick midgut. Moreover, protein expression analysis of BboGDP1 and -3 during the development of sexual stages in in vitro culture was consistent with their transcription profile. Live immunofluorescence analysis using polyclonal antibodies confirmed surface expression of BboGDP1 and -3 on in vitro-induced sexual stage parasites. In addition, fixed immunofluorescence analysis showed reactivity of anti-BboGDP1 and -3 polyclonal antibodies to kinetes. CONCLUSIONS The collective data indicate that BboGDP1 and -3 are expressed by kinetes and on the surface of sexual stages of the parasites. The identified parasite surface membrane proteins BboGDP1 and -3 are potential candidates for the development of a B. bovis transmission blocking vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala E. Hussein
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
| | - Wendell C. Johnson
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
| | - Massaro W. Ueti
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA ,grid.417548.b0000 0004 0478 6311Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pullman, WA USA
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24
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Godin MJ, Sebastian A, Albert I, Lindner SE. Long-Read Genome Assembly and Gene Model Annotations for the Rodent Malaria Parasite Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.06.523040. [PMID: 36711553 PMCID: PMC9882011 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.06.523040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Malaria causes over 200 million infections and over 600 thousand fatalities each year, with most cases attributed to a human-infectious Plasmodium species, Plasmodium falciparum . Many rodent-infectious Plasmodium species, like Plasmodium berghei, Plasmodium chabaudi , and Plasmodium yoelii , have been used as genetically tractable model species that can expedite studies of this pathogen. In particular, P. yoelii is an especially good model for investigating the mosquito and liver stages of parasite development because key attributes closely resemble those of P. falciparum . Because of its importance to malaria research, in 2002 the 17XNL strain of P. yoelii was the first rodent malaria parasite to be sequenced. While sequencing and assembling this genome was a breakthrough effort, the final assembly consisted of >5000 contiguous sequences that impacted the creation of annotated gene models. While other important rodent malaria parasite genomes have been sequenced and annotated since then, including the related P. yoelii 17X strain, the 17XNL strain has not. As a result, genomic data for 17X has become the de facto reference genome for the 17XNL strain while leaving open questions surrounding possible differences between the 17XNL and 17X genomes. In this work, we present a high-quality genome assembly for P. yoelii 17XNL using HiFi PacBio long-read DNA sequencing. In addition, we use Nanopore long-read direct RNA-seq and Illumina short-read sequencing of mixed blood stages to create complete gene models that include not only coding sequences but also alternate transcript isoforms, and 5' and 3' UTR designations. A comparison of the 17X and this new 17XNL assembly revealed biologically meaningful differences between the strains due to the presence of coding sequence variants. Taken together, our work provides a new genomic and gene expression framework for studies with this commonly used rodent malaria model species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell J. Godin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Huck Center for Malaria Research, The Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Aswathy Sebastian
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Istvan Albert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Huck Center for Malaria Research, The Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Scott E. Lindner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Huck Center for Malaria Research, The Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
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25
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Zanghi G, Patel H, Camargo N, Smith JL, Bae Y, Flannery EL, Chuenchob V, Fishbaugher ME, Mikolajczak SA, Roobsoong W, Sattabongkot J, Hayes K, Vaughan AM, Kappe SHI. Global gene expression of human malaria parasite liver stages throughout intrahepatocytic development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.05.522945. [PMID: 36711670 PMCID: PMC9881933 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.05.522945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) is causing the greatest malaria burden, yet the liver stages (LS) of this most important parasite species have remained poorly studied. Here, we used a human liver-chimeric mouse model in combination with a novel fluorescent PfNF54 parasite line (PfNF54cspGFP) to isolate PfLS-infected hepatocytes and generate transcriptomes that cover the major LS developmental phases in human hepatocytes. RNA-seq analysis of early Pf LS trophozoites two days after infection, revealed a central role of translational regulation in the transformation of the extracellular invasive sporozoite into intracellular LS. The developmental time course gene expression analysis indicated that fatty acid biosynthesis, isoprenoid biosynthesis and iron metabolism are sustaining LS development along with amino acid metabolism and biosynthesis. Countering oxidative stress appears to play an important role during intrahepatic LS development. Furthermore, we observed expression of the variant PfEMP1 antigen-encoding var genes, and we confirmed expression of PfEMP1 protein during LS development. Transcriptome comparison of the late Pf liver stage schizonts with P. vivax (Pv) late liver stages revealed highly conserved gene expression profiles among orthologous genes. A notable difference however was the expression of genes regulating sexual stage commitment. While Pv schizonts expressed markers of sexual commitment, the Pf LS parasites were not sexually committed and showed expression of gametocytogenesis repression factors. Our results provide the first comprehensive gene expression profile of the human malaria parasite Pf LS isolated during in vivo intrahepatocytic development. This data will inform biological studies and the search for effective intervention strategies that can prevent infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gigliola Zanghi
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Hardik Patel
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Nelly Camargo
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jenny L. Smith
- Research Scientific Computing, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Yeji Bae
- Research Scientific Computing, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Erika L. Flannery
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA, United State
| | - Vorada Chuenchob
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA, United State
| | - Matthew E. Fishbaugher
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA, United State
| | - Sebastian A Mikolajczak
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA, United State
| | - Wanlapa Roobsoong
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Kiera Hayes
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ashley M. Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Stefan H. I. Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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26
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Capelli-Peixoto J, Saelao P, Johnson WC, Kappmeyer L, Reif KE, Masterson HE, Taus NS, Suarez CE, Brayton KA, Ueti MW. Comparison of high throughput RNA sequences between Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis revealed consistent differential gene expression that is required for the Babesia life cycle in the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1093338. [PMID: 36601308 PMCID: PMC9806345 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1093338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bovine babesiosis caused by Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis is an economically important disease that affects cattle worldwide. Both B. bigemina and B. bovis are transovarially transmitted by Rhipicephalus ticks. However, little is known regarding parasite gene expression during infection of the tick vector or mammalian host, which has limited the development of effective control strategies to alleviate the losses to the cattle industry. To understand Babesia gene regulation during tick and mammalian host infection, we performed high throughput RNA-sequencing using samples collected from calves and Rhipicephalus microplus ticks infected with B. bigemina. We evaluated gene expression between B. bigemina blood-stages and kinetes and compared them with previous B. bovis RNA-seq data. The results revealed similar patterns of gene regulation between these two tick-borne transovarially transmitted Babesia parasites. Like B. bovis, the transcription of several B. bigemina genes in kinetes exceeded a 1,000-fold change while a few of these genes had a >20,000-fold increase. To identify genes that may have important roles in B. bigemina and B. bovis transovarial transmission, we searched for genes upregulated in B. bigemina kinetes in the genomic datasets of B. bovis and non-transovarially transmitted parasites, Theileria spp. and Babesia microti. Using this approach, we identify genes that may be potential markers for transovarial transmission by B. bigemina and B. bovis. The findings presented herein demonstrate common Babesia genes linked to infection of the vector or mammalian host and may contribute to elucidating strategies used by the parasite to complete their life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaina Capelli-Peixoto
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States,*Correspondence: Janaina Capelli-Peixoto,
| | - Perot Saelao
- Veterinary Pest Genetic Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Kerrville, TX, United States
| | | | - Lowell Kappmeyer
- Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Kathryn E. Reif
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Hayley E. Masterson
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Naomi S. Taus
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States,Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Carlos E. Suarez
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States,Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Kelly A. Brayton
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Massaro W. Ueti
- Program in Vector-Borne Diseases, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States,Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA, United States
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27
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Real E, Nardella F, Scherf A, Mancio-Silva L. Repurposing of Plasmodium falciparum var genes beyond the blood stage. Curr Opin Microbiol 2022; 70:102207. [PMID: 36183663 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
A commonly observed survival strategy in protozoan parasites is the sequential expression of clonally variant-surface antigens to avoid elimination by the host's immune response. In malaria-causing P. falciparum, the immunovariant erythrocyte-membrane protein-1 (PfEMP1) adhesin family, encoded by var genes, is responsible for both antigenic variation and cytoadherence of infected erythrocytes to the microvasculature. Until recently, the biological function of these variant genes was believed to be restricted to intraerythrocytic developmental stages. With the advent of new technologies, var gene expression has been confirmed in transmission and pre-erythrocytic stages. Here, we discuss how repurposing of var gene expression beyond chronic blood-stage infection may be critical for successful transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliana Real
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U1201, CNRS EMR9195, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Flore Nardella
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U1201, CNRS EMR9195, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Artur Scherf
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U1201, CNRS EMR9195, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.
| | - Liliana Mancio-Silva
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U1201, CNRS EMR9195, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, F-75015 Paris, France.
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28
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Epigenetic and Epitranscriptomic Gene Regulation in Plasmodium falciparum and How We Can Use It against Malaria. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13101734. [PMID: 36292619 PMCID: PMC9601349 DOI: 10.3390/genes13101734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites, is still one of the biggest global health challenges. P. falciparum is the deadliest species to humans. In this review, we discuss how this parasite develops and adapts to the complex and heterogenous environments of its two hosts thanks to varied chromatin-associated and epigenetic mechanisms. First, one small family of transcription factors, the ApiAP2 proteins, functions as master regulators of spatio-temporal patterns of gene expression through the parasite life cycle. In addition, chromatin plasticity determines variable parasite cell phenotypes that link to parasite growth, virulence and transmission, enabling parasite adaptation within host conditions. In recent years, epitranscriptomics is emerging as a new regulatory layer of gene expression. We present evidence of the variety of tRNA and mRNA modifications that are being characterized in Plasmodium spp., and the dynamic changes in their abundance during parasite development and cell fate. We end up outlining that new biological systems, like the mosquito model, to decipher the unknowns about epigenetic mechanisms in vivo; and novel methodologies, to study the function of RNA modifications; are needed to discover the Achilles heel of the parasite. With this new knowledge, future strategies manipulating the epigenetics and epitranscriptomic machinery of the parasite have the potential of providing new weapons against malaria.
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29
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Kolli SK, Molina-Cruz A, Araki T, Geurten FJA, Ramesar J, Chevalley-Maurel S, Kroeze HJ, Bezemer S, de Korne C, Withers R, Raytselis N, El Hebieshy AF, Kim RQ, Child MA, Kakuta S, Hisaeda H, Kobayashi H, Annoura T, Hensbergen PJ, Franke-Fayard BM, Barillas-Mury C, Scheeren FA, Janse CJ. Malaria parasite evades mosquito immunity by glutaminyl cyclase-mediated posttranslational protein modification. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2209729119. [PMID: 35994647 PMCID: PMC9436314 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2209729119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutaminyl cyclase (QC) modifies N-terminal glutamine or glutamic acid residues of target proteins into cyclic pyroglutamic acid (pGlu). Here, we report the biochemical and functional analysis of Plasmodium QC. We show that sporozoites of QC-null mutants of rodent and human malaria parasites are recognized by the mosquito immune system and melanized when they reach the hemocoel. Detailed analyses of rodent malaria QC-null mutants showed that sporozoite numbers in salivary glands are reduced in mosquitoes infected with QC-null or QC catalytically dead mutants. This phenotype can be rescued by genetic complementation or by disrupting mosquito melanization or phagocytosis by hemocytes. Mutation of a single QC-target glutamine of the major sporozoite surface protein (circumsporozoite protein; CSP) of the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei also results in melanization of sporozoites. These findings indicate that QC-mediated posttranslational modification of surface proteins underlies evasion of killing of sporozoites by the mosquito immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Kumar Kolli
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Alvaro Molina-Cruz
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Rockville, MD, 20852
| | - Tamasa Araki
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Fiona J. A. Geurten
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Jai Ramesar
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Severine Chevalley-Maurel
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Hans J. Kroeze
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Sascha Bezemer
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Clarize de Korne
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
- Interventional Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Roxanne Withers
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Rockville, MD, 20852
| | - Nadia Raytselis
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Rockville, MD, 20852
| | - Angela F. El Hebieshy
- Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Robbert Q. Kim
- Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZC, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew A. Child
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Soichiro Kakuta
- Laboratory of Morphology and Image Analysis, Research Support Center, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Hajime Hisaeda
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Kobayashi
- Department of Pathology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjukuku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Takeshi Annoura
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Paul J. Hensbergen
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Blandine M. Franke-Fayard
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Carolina Barillas-Mury
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Rockville, MD, 20852
| | - Ferenc A. Scheeren
- Department of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Chris J. Janse
- Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
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Yee M, Walther T, Frischknecht F, Douglas RG. Divergent Plasmodium actin residues are essential for filament localization, mosquito salivary gland invasion and malaria transmission. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010779. [PMID: 35998188 PMCID: PMC9439217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin is one of the most conserved and ubiquitous proteins in eukaryotes. Its sequence has been highly conserved for its monomers to self-assemble into filaments that mediate essential cell functions such as trafficking, cell shape and motility. The malaria-causing parasite, Plasmodium, expresses a highly sequence divergent actin that is critical for its rapid motility at different stages within its mammalian and mosquito hosts. Each of Plasmodium actin’s four subdomains have divergent regions compared to canonical vertebrate actins. We previously identified subdomains 2 and 3 as providing critical contributions for parasite actin function as these regions could not be replaced by subdomains of vertebrate actins. Here we probed the contributions of individual divergent amino acid residues in these subdomains on parasite motility and progression. Non-lethal changes in these subdomains did not affect parasite development in the mammalian host but strongly affected progression through the mosquito with striking differences in transmission to and through the insect. Live visualization of actin filaments showed that divergent amino acid residues in subdomains 2 and 4 enhanced localization associated with filaments, while those in subdomain 3 negatively affected actin filaments. This suggests that finely tuned actin dynamics are essential for efficient organ entry in the mosquito vector affecting malaria transmission. This work provides residue level insight on the fundamental requirements of actin in highly motile cells. Actin is one of the most abundant and conserved proteins known. Actin monomers can join together to form long filaments. The malaria-causing parasite is transmitted by mosquitoes and needs actin to move very rapidly. An actin from the parasite is different to other actins: its amino acid sequence has relatively high amounts of changes compared to animal species and the actin tends to form only short filaments. We previously identified two large parts of the protein that were critical for the parasite since these large parts could not be exchanged with the equivalent regions of other species. In this study, we focused in on these regions by making more discrete mutations. Most mutations of the actin sequence were tolerated by the parasite in the blood stages. However, these mutants has striking defects in progressing through mosquitoes, especially in invading its salivary glands. We used a new filament labeler to visualize how these mutations affect the actin filaments and found surprisingly different effects. Taken together, small changes to the sequence can have large consequences for the parasite, which ultimately affects its ability to transmit to a new host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Yee
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tobias Walther
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research, DZIF, partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- * E-mail: (FF); (RGD)
| | - Ross G. Douglas
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Centre and Molecular Infection Biology, Biomedical Research Centre Seltersberg, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- * E-mail: (FF); (RGD)
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31
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Flannery EL, Kangwanrangsan N, Chuenchob V, Roobsoong W, Fishbaugher M, Zhou K, Billman ZP, Martinson T, Olsen TM, Schäfer C, Campo B, Murphy SC, Mikolajczak SA, Kappe SH, Sattabongkot J. Plasmodium vivax latent liver infection is characterized by persistent hypnozoites, hypnozoite-derived schizonts, and time-dependent efficacy of primaquine. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 26:427-440. [PMID: 36092359 PMCID: PMC9418049 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is a malaria-causing pathogen that establishes a dormant form in the liver (the hypnozoite), which can activate weeks, months, or years after the primary infection to cause a relapse, characterized by secondary blood-stage infection. These asymptomatic and undetectable latent liver infections present a significant obstacle to the goal of global malaria eradication. We use a human liver-chimeric mouse model (FRG huHep) to study P. vivax hypnozoite latency and activation in an in vivo model system. Functional activation of hypnozoites and formation of secondary schizonts is demonstrated by first eliminating primary liver schizonts using a schizont-specific antimalarial tool compound, and then measuring recurrence of secondary liver schizonts in the tissue and an increase in parasite RNA within the liver. We also reveal that, while primaquine does not immediately eliminate hypnozoites from the liver, it arrests developing schizonts and prevents activation of hypnozoites, consistent with its clinical activity in humans. Our findings demonstrate that the FRG huHep model can be used to study the biology of P. vivax infection and latency and assess the activity of anti-relapse drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika L. Flannery
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Corresponding author Erika L. Flannery, Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
| | - Niwat Kangwanrangsan
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Vorada Chuenchob
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Wanlapa Roobsoong
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Matthew Fishbaugher
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Kevin Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Zachary P. Billman
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Thomas Martinson
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Tayla M. Olsen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Carola Schäfer
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Brice Campo
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sean C. Murphy
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, and Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Sebastian A. Mikolajczak
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Stefan H.I. Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Corresponding author Stefan H.I. Kappe, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Corresponding author Jetsumon Sattabongkot, Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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32
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Kehrer J, Formaglio P, Muthinja JM, Weber S, Baltissen D, Lance C, Ripp J, Grech J, Meissner M, Funaya C, Amino R, Frischknecht F. Plasmodium
sporozoite disintegration during skin passage limits malaria parasite transmission. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e54719. [PMID: 35403820 PMCID: PMC9253755 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202254719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During transmission of malaria‐causing parasites from mosquitoes to mammals, Plasmodium sporozoites migrate rapidly in the skin to search for a blood vessel. The high migratory speed and narrow passages taken by the parasites suggest considerable strain on the sporozoites to maintain their shape. Here, we show that the membrane‐associated protein, concavin, is important for the maintenance of the Plasmodium sporozoite shape inside salivary glands of mosquitoes and during migration in the skin. Concavin‐GFP localizes at the cytoplasmic periphery and concavin(−) sporozoites progressively round up upon entry of salivary glands. Rounded concavin(−) sporozoites fail to pass through the narrow salivary ducts and are rarely ejected by mosquitoes, while normally shaped concavin(−) sporozoites are transmitted. Strikingly, motile concavin(−) sporozoites disintegrate while migrating through the skin leading to parasite arrest or death and decreased transmission efficiency. Collectively, we suggest that concavin contributes to cell shape maintenance by riveting the plasma membrane to the subtending inner membrane complex. Interfering with cell shape maintenance pathways might hence provide a new strategy to prevent a malaria infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kehrer
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
- Infectious Diseases Imaging Platform Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Pauline Formaglio
- Malaria Infection and Immunity Unit Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors Institut Pasteur Paris France
| | - Julianne Mendi Muthinja
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Sebastian Weber
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany
| | - Danny Baltissen
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Christopher Lance
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Johanna Ripp
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Janessa Grech
- Experimental Parasitology Ludwig Maximilian University Munich Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
| | - Markus Meissner
- Experimental Parasitology Ludwig Maximilian University Munich Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
| | - Charlotta Funaya
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Malaria Infection and Immunity Unit Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors Institut Pasteur Paris France
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
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33
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Kent RS, Briggs EM, Colon BL, Alvarez C, Silva Pereira S, De Niz M. Paving the Way: Contributions of Big Data to Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid Research. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:900878. [PMID: 35734575 PMCID: PMC9207352 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.900878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the age of big data an important question is how to ensure we make the most out of the resources we generate. In this review, we discuss the major methods used in Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid research to produce big datasets and advance our understanding of Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Trypanosoma and Leishmania biology. We debate the benefits and limitations of the current technologies, and propose future advancements that may be key to improving our use of these techniques. Finally, we consider the difficulties the field faces when trying to make the most of the abundance of data that has already been, and will continue to be, generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn S. Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
| | - Emma M. Briggs
- Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice L. Colon
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Catalina Alvarez
- de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sara Silva Pereira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana De Niz
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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34
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Dessens JT, Hesping E. A conserved malaria parasite protein required for maintenance of sporozoite cell shape and transmission. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:1293-1296. [PMID: 35429183 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasites are transmitted by mosquitoes and a substantial part of the parasite's complex life cycle takes place inside the insect. Parasite transmission starts with the uptake of parasite stages called gametocytes from the vertebrate host with the blood meal of a female vector mosquito, completing several weeks later with the injection of parasite stages called sporozoites into the vertebrate host by mosquito bite. The sporozoites form in their thousands inside ookinete-derived oocysts situated on the abluminal side of the mosquito midgut epithelium by a process of cell division known as sporogony. After their formation, sporozoites egress from the oocyst into the haemolymph, invade the salivary glands and mature to become infective to the vertebrate. This MicroCommentary reviews recent reports describing a conserved plasma membrane-associated protein of Plasmodium berghei, PBANKA_1422900, and its role in maintaining the shape and structural integrity of sporozoites in salivary glands and during inoculation into the vertebrate host. Combined results from three separate studies provide mechanistic insights into how this protein achieves structural maintenance of the sporozoite, and how in turn this promotes the sporozoite's ability to overcome several physical obstacles and allow it to establish infection in the vertebrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes T Dessens
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Eva Hesping
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Immune Defence, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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35
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Sá M, Costa DM, Teixeira AR, Pérez-Cabezas B, Formaglio P, Golba S, Sefiane-Djemaoune H, Amino R, Tavares J. MAEBL Contributes to Plasmodium Sporozoite Adhesiveness. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5711. [PMID: 35628522 PMCID: PMC9146008 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The sole currently approved malaria vaccine targets the circumsporozoite protein-the protein that densely coats the surface of sporozoites, the parasite stage deposited in the skin of the mammalian host by infected mosquitoes. However, this vaccine only confers moderate protection against clinical diseases in children, impelling a continuous search for novel candidates. In this work, we studied the importance of the membrane-associated erythrocyte binding-like protein (MAEBL) for infection by Plasmodium sporozoites. Using transgenic parasites and live imaging in mice, we show that the absence of MAEBL reduces Plasmodium berghei hemolymph sporozoite infectivity to mice. Moreover, we found that maebl knockout (maebl-) sporozoites display reduced adhesion, including to cultured hepatocytes, which could contribute to the defects in multiple biological processes, such as in gliding motility, hepatocyte wounding, and invasion. The maebl- defective phenotypes in mosquito salivary gland and liver infection were reverted by genetic complementation. Using a parasite line expressing a C-terminal myc-tagged MAEBL, we found that MAEBL levels peak in midgut and hemolymph parasites but drop after sporozoite entry into the salivary glands, where the labeling was found to be heterogeneous among sporozoites. MAEBL was found associated, not only with micronemes, but also with the surface of mature sporozoites. Overall, our data provide further insight into the role of MAEBL in sporozoite infectivity and may contribute to the design of future immune interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Sá
- Host-Parasite Interactions Group, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.S.); (D.M.C.); (A.R.T.); (B.P.-C.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - David Mendes Costa
- Host-Parasite Interactions Group, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.S.); (D.M.C.); (A.R.T.); (B.P.-C.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Rafaela Teixeira
- Host-Parasite Interactions Group, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.S.); (D.M.C.); (A.R.T.); (B.P.-C.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Begoña Pérez-Cabezas
- Host-Parasite Interactions Group, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.S.); (D.M.C.); (A.R.T.); (B.P.-C.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Pauline Formaglio
- Unit of Malaria Infection and Immunity, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; (P.F.); (R.A.)
| | - Sylvain Golba
- Center for Production and Infection of Anopheles, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; (S.G.); (H.S.-D.)
| | - Hélèna Sefiane-Djemaoune
- Center for Production and Infection of Anopheles, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; (S.G.); (H.S.-D.)
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Unit of Malaria Infection and Immunity, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France; (P.F.); (R.A.)
| | - Joana Tavares
- Host-Parasite Interactions Group, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (M.S.); (D.M.C.); (A.R.T.); (B.P.-C.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Goswami D, Kumar S, Betz W, Armstrong JM, Haile MT, Camargo N, Parthiban C, Seilie AM, Murphy SC, Vaughan AM, Kappe SH. A Plasmodium falciparum ATP binding cassette transporter is essential for liver stage entry into schizogony. iScience 2022; 25:104224. [PMID: 35521513 PMCID: PMC9061783 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium sporozoites invade hepatocytes and transform into liver stages within a parasitophorous vacuole (PV). The parasites then grow and replicate their genome to form exoerythrocytic merozoites that infect red blood cells. We report that the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) expresses a C-type ATP-binding cassette transporter, Pf ABCC2, which marks the transition from invasive sporozoite to intrahepatocytic early liver stage. Using a humanized mouse infection model, we show that Pf ABCC2 localizes to the parasite plasma membrane in early and mid-liver stage parasites but is not detectable in late liver stages. Pf abcc2— sporozoites invade hepatocytes, form a PV, and transform into liver stage trophozoites but cannot transition to exoerythrocytic schizogony and fail to transition to blood stage infection. Thus, Pf ABCC2 is an expression marker for early phases of parasite liver infection and plays an essential role in the successful initiation of liver stage replication. Pf ABCC2 expression marks the transition from sporozoite to early liver stage Pf ABCC2 localizes to the early and mid-liver stage plasma membrane Pf ABCC2 is critical for initiation of exoerythrocytic schizogony Pf abcc2– liver stages fail to transition to blood stage infection
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Singh D, Patri S, Narahari V, Segireddy RR, Dey S, Saurabh A, Macha V, Prabhu NP, Srivastava A, Kolli SK, Kota AK. A Conserved Plasmodium Structural Integrity Maintenance Protein (SIMP) is associated with sporozoite membrane and is essential for maintaining shape and infectivity. Mol Microbiol 2022; 117:1324-1339. [PMID: 35301756 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium sporozoites are extracellular forms introduced during mosquito bite that selectively invade mammalian hepatocytes. Sporozoites are delimited by a cell membrane that is linked to the underlying acto-myosin molecular motor. While membrane proteins with roles in motility and invasion have been well studied, very little is known about proteins that maintain the sporozoite shape. We demonstrate that in Plasmodium berghei (Pb) a conserved hypothetical gene, PBANKA_1422900 specifies sporozoite structural integrity maintenance protein (SIMP) required for maintaining the sporozoite shape and motility. Sporozoites lacking SIMP exhibited loss of regular shape, extensive membrane blebbing at multiple foci and membrane detachment. The mutant sporozoites failed to infect hepatocytes, though the altered shape did not affect the organisation of cytoskeleton or inner membrane complex (IMC). Interestingly, the components of IMC failed to extend under the membrane blebs likely suggesting that SIMP may assist in anchoring the membrane to IMC. Endogenous C-terminal HA tagging localized SIMP to membrane and revealed the C-terminus of the protein to be extracellular. Since SIMP is highly conserved amongst Plasmodium species, these findings have important implications for utilising it as a novel sporozoite specific vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipti Singh
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Smita Patri
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Veeda Narahari
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Rameswara R Segireddy
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Sandeep Dey
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Archi Saurabh
- Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Vijay Macha
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500032, India
| | - N Prakash Prabhu
- Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Anand Srivastava
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500032, India
| | - Surendra Kumar Kolli
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Arun Kumar Kota
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India
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38
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5-methylcytosine modification by Plasmodium NSUN2 stabilizes mRNA and mediates the development of gametocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2110713119. [PMID: 35210361 PMCID: PMC8892369 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110713119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
5-methylcytosine (m5C) is an important epitranscriptomic modification involved in messenger RNA (mRNA) stability and translation efficiency in various biological processes. However, it remains unclear if m5C modification contributes to the dynamic regulation of the transcriptome during the developmental cycles of Plasmodium parasites. Here, we characterize the landscape of m5C mRNA modifications at single nucleotide resolution in the asexual replication stages and gametocyte sexual stages of rodent (Plasmodium yoelii) and human (Plasmodium falciparum) malaria parasites. While different representations of m5C-modified mRNAs are associated with the different stages, the abundance of the m5C marker is strikingly enhanced in the transcriptomes of gametocytes. Our results show that m5C modifications confer stability to the Plasmodium transcripts and that a Plasmodium ortholog of NSUN2 is a major mRNA m5C methyltransferase in malaria parasites. Upon knockout of P. yoelii nsun2 (pynsun2), marked reductions of m5C modification were observed in a panel of gametocytogenesis-associated transcripts. These reductions correlated with impaired gametocyte production in the knockout rodent malaria parasites. Restoration of the nsun2 gene in the knockout parasites rescued the gametocyte production phenotype as well as m5C modification of the gametocytogenesis-associated transcripts. Together with the mRNA m5C profiles for two species of Plasmodium, our findings demonstrate a major role for NSUN2-mediated m5C modifications in mRNA transcript stability and sexual differentiation in malaria parasites.
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Vondráček O, Mikeš L, Talacko P, Leontovyč R, Bulantová J, Horák P. Differential proteomic analysis of laser-microdissected penetration glands of avian schistosome cercariae with a focus on proteins involved in host invasion. Int J Parasitol 2022; 52:343-358. [PMID: 35218763 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Schistosome invasive stages, cercariae, leave intermediate snail hosts, penetrate the skin of definitive hosts, and transform to schistosomula which migrate to the final location. During invasion, cercariae employ histolytic and other bioactive products of specialized holocrine secretory cells - postacetabular (PA) and circumacetabular (CA) penetration glands. Although several studies attempted to characterize protein composition of the in vitro-induced gland secretions in Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum, the results were somewhat inconsistent and dependent on the method of sample collection and processing. Products of both gland types mixed during their secretion did not allow localization of identified proteins to a particular gland. Here we compared proteomes of separately isolated cercarial gland cells of the avian schistosome Trichobilharzia szidati, employing laser-assisted microdissection and shotgun LC-MS/MS, thus obtaining the largest dataset so far of the representation and localization of cercarial penetration gland proteins. We optimized the methods of sample processing with cercarial bodies (heads) first. Alizarin-pre-stained, chemically non-fixed samples provided optimal results of MS analyses, and enabled us to distinguish PA and CA glands for microdissection. Using 7.5 x 106 μm3 sample volume per gland replicate, we identified 3347 peptides assigned to 792 proteins, from which 461 occurred in at least two of three replicates in either gland type (PA = 455, 40 exclusive; CA = 421, six exclusive; 60 proteins differed significantly in their abundance between the glands). Peptidases of five catalytic types accounted for ca. 8% and 6% of reliably identified proteins in PA and CA glands, respectively. Invadolysin, nardilysin, cathepsins B2 and L3, and elastase 2b orthologs were the major gland endopeptidases. Two cystatins and a serpin were highly abundant peptidase inhibitors in the glands. While PA glands generally had rich enzymatic equipment, CA glands were conspicuously abundant in venom allergen-like proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oldřich Vondráček
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague, Czechia
| | - Libor Mikeš
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague, Czechia.
| | - Pavel Talacko
- Proteomics Core Facility, Faculty of Science, Charles University, BIOCEV Průmyslová 595, Vestec, Czechia
| | - Roman Leontovyč
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jana Bulantová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague, Czechia
| | - Petr Horák
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Prague, Czechia
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40
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Shaw WR, Marcenac P, Catteruccia F. Plasmodium development in Anopheles: a tale of shared resources. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:124-135. [PMID: 34548252 PMCID: PMC8758519 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Interactions between the Anopheles mosquito vector and Plasmodium parasites shape how malaria is transmitted in endemic regions. The long association of these two organisms has led to evolutionary processes that minimize fitness costs of infection and benefit both players through shared nutrient resources, parasite immune suppression, and mosquito tolerance to infection. In this review we explore recent data describing how Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite, associates with one of its most important natural mosquito hosts, Anopheles gambiae, and we discuss the implications of these findings for parasite transmission and vector control strategies currently in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Robert Shaw
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Perrine Marcenac
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Flaminia Catteruccia
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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Aggarwal S, Peng WK, Srivastava S. Multi-Omics Advancements towards Plasmodium vivax Malaria Diagnosis. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:2222. [PMID: 34943459 PMCID: PMC8700291 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11122222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax malaria is one of the most lethal infectious diseases, with 7 million infections annually. One of the roadblocks to global malaria elimination is the lack of highly sensitive, specific, and accurate diagnostic tools. The absence of diagnostic tools in particular has led to poor differentiation among parasite species, poor prognosis, and delayed treatment. The improvement necessary in diagnostic tools can be broadly grouped into two categories: technologies-driven and omics-driven progress over time. This article discusses the recent advancement in omics-based malaria for identifying the next generation biomarkers for a highly sensitive and specific assay with a rapid and antecedent prognosis of the disease. We summarize the state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies, the key challenges, opportunities, and emerging prospects of multi-omics-based sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Aggarwal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, Maharashtra, India;
| | - Weng Kung Peng
- Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Building A1, University Innovation Park, Dongguan 523808, China
- Precision Medicine-Engineering Group, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
| | - Sanjeeva Srivastava
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, Maharashtra, India;
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42
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The Plasmodium NOT1-G paralogue is an essential regulator of sexual stage maturation and parasite transmission. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001434. [PMID: 34673764 PMCID: PMC8562791 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Productive transmission of malaria parasites hinges upon the execution of key transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulatory events. While much is now known about how specific transcription factors activate or repress sexual commitment programs, far less is known about the production of a preferred mRNA homeostasis following commitment and through the host-to-vector transmission event. Here, we show that in Plasmodium parasites, the NOT1 scaffold protein of the CAF1/CCR4/Not complex is duplicated, and one paralogue is dedicated for essential transmission functions. Moreover, this NOT1-G paralogue is central to the sex-specific functions previously associated with its interacting partners, as deletion of not1-g in Plasmodium yoelii leads to a comparable or complete arrest phenotype for both male and female parasites. We show that, consistent with its role in other eukaryotes, PyNOT1-G localizes to cytosolic puncta throughout much of the Plasmodium life cycle. PyNOT1-G is essential to both the complete maturation of male gametes and to the continued development of the fertilized zygote originating from female parasites. Comparative transcriptomics of wild-type and pynot1-g− parasites shows that loss of PyNOT1-G leads to transcript dysregulation preceding and during gametocytogenesis and shows that PyNOT1-G acts to preserve mRNAs that are critical to sexual and early mosquito stage development. Finally, we demonstrate that the tristetraprolin (TTP)-binding domain, which acts as the typical organization platform for RNA decay (TTP) and RNA preservation (ELAV/HuR) factors is dispensable for PyNOT1-G’s essential blood stage functions but impacts host-to-vector transmission. Together, we conclude that a NOT1-G paralogue in Plasmodium fulfills the complex transmission requirements of both male and female parasites. Malaria parasites face two bottlenecks in their life cycle: their two transmission events. This study shows that Plasmodium has taken the unorthodox approach of duplicating the gene for the NOT1 RNA regulatory scaffold protein, allowing it to dedicate one paralog to functions that are essential for transmission from mammalian hosts to the mosquito vector.
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Zanghi G, Vaughan AM. Plasmodium vivax pre-erythrocytic stages and the latent hypnozoite. Parasitol Int 2021; 85:102447. [PMID: 34474178 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the most geographically widespread malaria parasite on the planet. This is largely because after mosquito transmission, P. vivax sporozoites can invade hepatocytes and form latent liver stages known as hypnozoites. These persistent liver stages can activate weeks, months or even years after an infected individual suffers a primary clinical infection. Activation then leads to replication and liver stage schizont maturation that ultimately cause relapse of blood stage infection, disease, and onward transmission. Thus, the latent hypnozoite can lie in wait during times when onward transmission is unlikely due to conditions that do not favor the mosquito. For example, in temperate climates where mosquito prevalence is only seasonal. Furthermore, the elimination of hypnozoites is challenging since the hypnozoite reservoir is currently undetectable and not killed by most antimalarial drugs. Here, we review our current knowledge of the pre-erythrocytic stages of the malaria parasite - the sporozoite and liver stages, including the elusive and enigmatic hypnozoite. We focus on our understanding of sporozoite biology, the novel animal models that are available to study the hypnozoite and hypnozoite activation and the ongoing efforts to understand the biological makeup of the hypnozoite that allow for its persistence in the human host.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ashley M Vaughan
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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44
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Chen W, Li Y, Yan R, Ren L, Liu F, Zeng L, Sun S, Yang H, Chen K, Xu L, Liu L, Fang X, Liu S. SnRK1.1-mediated resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to clubroot disease is inhibited by the novel Plasmodiophora brassicae effector PBZF1. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2021; 22:1057-1069. [PMID: 34165877 PMCID: PMC8358996 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved a series of strategies to combat pathogen infection. Plant SnRK1 is probably involved in shifting carbon and energy use from growth-associated processes to survival and defence upon pathogen attack, enhancing the resistance to many plant pathogens. The present study demonstrated that SnRK1.1 enhanced the resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to clubroot disease caused by the plant-pathogenic protozoan Plasmodiophora brassicae. Through a yeast two-hybrid assay, glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay, a P. brassicae RxLR effector, PBZF1, was shown to interact with SnRK1.1. Further expression level analysis of SnRK1.1-regulated genes showed that PBZF1 inhibited the biological function of SnRK1.1 as indicated by the disequilibration of the expression level of SnRK1.1-regulated genes in heterogeneous PBZF1-expressing A. thaliana. Moreover, heterogeneous expression of PBZF1 in A. thaliana promoted plant susceptibility to clubroot disease. In addition, PBZF1 was found to be P. brassicae-specific and conserved. This gene was significantly highly expressed in resting spores. Taken together, our results provide new insights into how the plant-pathogenic protist P. brassicae employs an effector to overcome plant resistance, and they offer new insights into the genetic improvement of plant resistance against clubroot disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wang Chen
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Yan Li
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Grain IndustryYangtze UniversityJingzhouChina
- School of Biological and Pharmaceutical EngineeringWuhan Polytechnic UniversityWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Ruibin Yan
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Li Ren
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Fan Liu
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Lingyi Zeng
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Shengnan Sun
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Huihui Yang
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Kunrong Chen
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Li Xu
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Lijiang Liu
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Xiaoping Fang
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
| | - Shengyi Liu
- Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Biology and Genetics Improvement of Oil CropsMinistry of Agriculture and Rural AffairsWuhanHubeiChina
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45
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Farhat DC, Hakimi MA. The developmental trajectories of Toxoplasma stem from an elaborate epigenetic rewiring. Trends Parasitol 2021; 38:37-53. [PMID: 34456144 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is considered to be one of the most successful parasitic pathogens. It owes this success to its flexibility in responding to signals emanating from the different environments it encounters during its multihost life cycle. The adaptability of this unicellular organism relies on highly coordinated and evolutionarily optimized developmental abilities that allow it to adopt the forms best suited to the requirements of each environment. Here we discuss recent outstanding studies that have uncovered how master regulators epigenetically regulate the cryptic process of sexual development and the transition to chronicity. We also highlight the molecular and technical advances that allow the field to embark on a new journey of epigenetic reprogramming of T. gondii development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayana C Farhat
- IAB, Team Host-Pathogen Interactions & Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble Alpes University, 38700 Grenoble, France.
| | - Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
- IAB, Team Host-Pathogen Interactions & Immunity to Infection, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR5309, Grenoble Alpes University, 38700 Grenoble, France.
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46
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Shang X, Shen S, Tang J, He X, Zhao Y, Wang C, He X, Guo G, Liu M, Wang L, Zhu Q, Yang G, Jiang C, Zhang M, Yu X, Han J, Culleton R, Jiang L, Cao J, Gu L, Zhang Q. A cascade of transcriptional repression determines sexual commitment and development in Plasmodium falciparum. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:9264-9279. [PMID: 34365503 PMCID: PMC8450074 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gametocytogenesis, the process by which malaria parasites produce sexual forms that can infect mosquitoes, is essential for the transmission of malaria. A transcriptional switch of the pfap2-g gene triggers sexual commitment, but how the complex multi-step process is precisely programed remains largely unknown. Here, by systematic functional screening of a panel of ApiAP2 transcription factors, we identify six new ApiAP2 members associated with gametocytogenesis in Plasmodium falciparum. Among these, PfAP2-G5 (PF3D7_1139300) was found to be indispensable for gametocytogenesis. This factor suppresses the transcriptional activity of the pfap2-g gene via binding to both the upstream region and exonic gene body, the latter is linked to the maintenance of local heterochromatin structure, thereby preventing initiation of sexual commitment. Removal of this repressive effect through pfap2-g5 knockout disrupts the asexual replication cycle and promotes sexual commitment accompanied by upregulation of pfap2-g expression. However, the gametocytes produced fail to mature fully. Further analyses show that PfAP2-G5 is essential for gametocyte maturation, and causes the down-regulation of pfap2-g and a set of early gametocyte genes activated by PfAP2-G prior to gametocyte development. Collectively, our findings reveal a regulation cascade of gametocyte production in malaria parasites, and provide a new target for transmission blocking interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Shang
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Shijun Shen
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jianxia Tang
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064, China
| | - Xiaoqin He
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064, China
| | - Yuemeng Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China.,Unit of Human Parasite Molecular and Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Changhong Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Xiaohui He
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Gangqiang Guo
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China.,Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Meng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qianshu Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Cizhong Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Meihua Zhang
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064, China
| | - Xinyu Yu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064, China
| | - Jiping Han
- Unit of Human Parasite Molecular and Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Richard Culleton
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Centre, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.,Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Lubin Jiang
- Unit of Human Parasite Molecular and Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Cao
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064, China.,Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.,Public Health Research Center, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Liang Gu
- Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury Repair and Regeneration of Ministry of Education, Orthopaedic Department of Tongji Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, the School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qingfeng Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, Research Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200120, China
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47
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Lin A, Plubell DL, Keich U, Noble WS. Accurately Assigning Peptides to Spectra When Only a Subset of Peptides Are Relevant. J Proteome Res 2021; 20:4153-4164. [PMID: 34236864 PMCID: PMC8489664 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The standard proteomics database search strategy involves searching spectra against a peptide database and estimating the false discovery rate (FDR) of the resulting set of peptide-spectrum matches. One assumption of this protocol is that all the peptides in the database are relevant to the hypothesis being investigated. However, in settings where researchers are interested in a subset of peptides, alternative search and FDR control strategies are needed. Recently, two methods were proposed to address this problem: subset-search and all-sub. We show that both methods fail to control the FDR. For subset-search, this failure is due to the presence of "neighbor" peptides, which are defined as irrelevant peptides with a similar precursor mass and fragmentation spectrum as a relevant peptide. Not considering neighbors compromises the FDR estimate because a spectrum generated by an irrelevant peptide can incorrectly match well to a relevant peptide. Therefore, we have developed a new method, "subset-neighbor search" (SNS), that accounts for neighbor peptides. We show evidence that SNS controls the FDR when neighbors are present and that SNS outperforms group-FDR, the only other method that appears to control the FDR relative to a subset of relevant peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Lin
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Deanna L. Plubell
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Uri Keich
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - William S. Noble
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Paul G. Allen School for Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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48
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Multimodal regulation of encystation in Giardia duodenalis revealed by deep proteomics. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:809-824. [PMID: 34331939 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cyst formation in the parasitic protist Giardia duodenalis is critical to its transmission. Existing proteomic data quantifies only 17% of coding genes transcribed during encystation and does not cover the complete process from trophozoite to mature cyst. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, we have quantified proteomic changes across encystation and compared this with published transcriptomic data. We reproducibly identified 3863 (64.5% of Giardia proteins) and quantified 3382 proteins (56.5% of Giardia proteins) over standard trophozoite growth (TY), during low-bile encystation priming (LB), 16 h into encystation (EC), and at cyst maturation (C). This work provides the first known expanded observation of encystation at the proteomic level and triples the coverage of previous encystation proteomes. One-third (1169 proteins) of the quantified proteome is differentially expressed in the mature cyst relative to the trophozoite, including proteasomal machinery, metabolic pathways, and secretory proteins. Changes in lipid metabolism indicated a shift in lipid species dependency during encystation. Consistent with this, we identified the first, putative lipid transporters in this species, representing the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-related lipid transfer (StARkin), oxysterol binding protein related protein (ORP/Osh) and glycosphingolipid transfer protein (GLTP) families, and follow their differential expression over cyst formation. Lastly, we undertook correlation analyses of the transcriptome and proteome of trophozoites and cysts, and found evidence of post-transcriptional regulation of key protein classes (RNA binding proteins) and stage-specific genes (encystation markers) implicating translation-repression in encystation. We provide the most extensive proteomic analysis of encystation in Giardia to date and the first known exploration across its complete duration. This work identifies encystation as highly coordinated, involving major changes in proteostasis, metabolism and membrane dynamics, and indicates a potential role for post-transcriptional regulation, mediated through RNA-binding proteins. Together our work provides a valuable resource for Giardia research and the development of transmission-blocking anti-giardials.
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49
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Blight J, Sala KA, Atcheson E, Kramer H, El-Turabi A, Real E, Dahalan FA, Bettencourt P, Dickinson-Craig E, Alves E, Salman AM, Janse CJ, Ashcroft FM, Hill AV, Reyes-Sandoval A, Blagborough AM, Baum J. Dissection-independent production of Plasmodium sporozoites from whole mosquitoes. Life Sci Alliance 2021; 4:e202101094. [PMID: 34135099 PMCID: PMC8321652 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Progress towards a protective vaccine against malaria remains slow. To date, only limited protection has been routinely achieved following immunisation with either whole-parasite (sporozoite) or subunit-based vaccines. One major roadblock to vaccine progress, and to pre-erythrocytic parasite biology in general, is the continued reliance on manual salivary gland dissection for sporozoite isolation from infected mosquitoes. Here, we report development of a multi-step method, based on batch processing of homogenised whole mosquitoes, slurry, and density-gradient filtration, which combined with free-flow electrophoresis rapidly produces a pure, infective sporozoite inoculum. Human-infective Plasmodium falciparum and rodent-infective Plasmodium berghei sporozoites produced in this way are two- to threefold more infective than salivary gland dissection sporozoites in in vitro hepatocyte infection assays. In an in vivo rodent malaria model, the same P. berghei sporozoites confer sterile protection from mosquito-bite challenge when immunisation is delivered intravenously or 60-70% protection when delivered intramuscularly. By improving purity, infectivity, and immunogenicity, this method represents a key advancement in capacity to produce research-grade sporozoites, which should impact delivery of a whole-parasite based malaria vaccine at scale in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Blight
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Katarzyna A Sala
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
| | - Erwan Atcheson
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Holger Kramer
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Henry Wellcome Building for Gene Function, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Aadil El-Turabi
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Eliana Real
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
| | - Farah A Dahalan
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
| | - Paulo Bettencourt
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Emma Dickinson-Craig
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Eduardo Alves
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Ahmed M Salman
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden Malaria Research Group, Center of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, (LUMC, L4-Q), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Frances M Ashcroft
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Henry Wellcome Building for Gene Function, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adrian Vs Hill
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
| | - Arturo Reyes-Sandoval
- The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Oxford, UK
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Andrew M Blagborough
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
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50
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Schäfer C, Zanghi G, Vaughan AM, Kappe SHI. Plasmodium vivax Latent Liver Stage Infection and Relapse: Biological Insights and New Experimental Tools. Annu Rev Microbiol 2021; 75:87-106. [PMID: 34196569 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-032421-061155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread human malaria parasite, in part because it can form latent liver stages known as hypnozoites after transmission by female anopheline mosquitoes to human hosts. These persistent stages can activate weeks, months, or even years after the primary clinical infection; replicate; and initiate relapses of blood stage infection, which causes disease and recurring transmission. Eliminating hypnozoites is a substantial obstacle for malaria treatment and eradication since the hypnozoite reservoir is undetectable and unaffected by most antimalarial drugs. Importantly, in some parts of the globe where P. vivax malaria is endemic, as many as 90% of P. vivax blood stage infections are thought to be relapses rather than primary infections, rendering the hypnozoite a major driver of P. vivax epidemiology. Here, we review the biology of the hypnozoite and recent discoveries concerning this enigmatic parasite stage. We discuss treatment and prevention challenges, novel animal models to study hypnozoites and relapse, and hypotheses related to hypnozoite formation and activation. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 75 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Schäfer
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA; , , ,
| | - Gigliola Zanghi
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA; , , ,
| | - Ashley M Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA; , , , .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Stefan H I Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA; , , , .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA.,Deparment of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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