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Katelas DA, Cruz-Miron R, Arroyo-Olarte RD, Brouwers JF, Srivastav RK, Gupta N. Phosphatidylserine synthase in the endoplasmic reticulum of Toxoplasma is essential for its lytic cycle in human cells. J Lipid Res 2024; 65:100535. [PMID: 38522751 PMCID: PMC11166882 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100535] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycerophospholipids have emerged as a significant contributor to the intracellular growth of pathogenic protist Toxoplasma gondii. Phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) is one such lipid, attributed to the locomotion and motility-dependent invasion and egress events in its acutely infectious tachyzoite stage. However, the de novo synthesis of PtdSer and the importance of the pathway in tachyzoites remain poorly understood. We show that a base-exchange-type PtdSer synthase (PSS) located in the parasite's endoplasmic reticulum produces PtdSer, which is rapidly converted to phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) by PtdSer decarboxylase (PSD) activity. The PSS-PSD pathway enables the synthesis of several lipid species, including PtdSer (16:0/18:1) and PtdEtn (18:2/20:4, 18:1/18:2 and 18:2/22:5). The PSS-depleted strain exhibited a lower abundance of the major ester-linked PtdEtn species and concurrent accrual of host-derived ether-PtdEtn species. Most phosphatidylthreonine (PtdThr) species-an exclusive natural analog of PtdSer, also made in the endoplasmic reticulum-were repressed. PtdSer species, however, remained largely unaltered, likely due to the serine-exchange reaction of PtdThr synthase in favor of PtdSer upon PSS depletion. Not least, the loss of PSS abrogated the lytic cycle of tachyzoites, impairing the cell division, motility, and egress. In a nutshell, our data demonstrate a critical role of PSS in the biogenesis of PtdSer and PtdEtn species and its physiologically essential repurposing for the asexual reproduction of a clinically relevant intracellular pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Alexandros Katelas
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; Intracellular Parasite Education and Research Labs (iPEARL), Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-Pilani), Hyderabad, India
| | - Rosalba Cruz-Miron
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; Intracellular Parasite Education and Research Labs (iPEARL), Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-Pilani), Hyderabad, India
| | - Ruben D Arroyo-Olarte
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; Carrera de Médico Cirujano y Unidad de Biomedicina (UBIMED), FES-Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlalnepantla, Mexico
| | - Jos F Brouwers
- Analysis Techniques in the Life Sciences, Centre of Expertise Perspective in Health, Avans University of Applied Sciences, Breda, The Netherlands
| | - Ratnesh Kumar Srivastav
- Intracellular Parasite Education and Research Labs (iPEARL), Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-Pilani), Hyderabad, India
| | - Nishith Gupta
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; Intracellular Parasite Education and Research Labs (iPEARL), Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-Pilani), Hyderabad, India.
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2
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Chahine Z, Abel S, Hollin T, Chung JH, Barnes GL, Daub ME, Renard I, Choi JY, Pratap V, Pal A, Alba-Argomaniz M, Banks CAS, Kirkwood J, Saraf A, Camino I, Castaneda P, Cuevas MC, De Mercado-Arnanz J, Fernandez-Alvaro E, Garcia-Perez A, Ibarz N, Viera-Morilla S, Prudhomme J, Joyner CJ, Bei AK, Florens L, Ben Mamoun C, Vanderwal CD, Le Roch KG. A Potent Kalihinol Analogue Disrupts Apicoplast Function and Vesicular Trafficking in P. falciparum Malaria. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.21.568162. [PMID: 38045341 PMCID: PMC10690269 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.21.568162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Here we report the discovery of MED6-189, a new analogue of the kalihinol family of isocyanoterpene (ICT) natural products. MED6-189 is effective against drug-sensitive and -resistant P. falciparum strains blocking both intraerythrocytic asexual replication and sexual differentiation. This compound was also effective against P. knowlesi and P. cynomolgi. In vivo efficacy studies using a humanized mouse model of malaria confirms strong efficacy of the compound in animals with no apparent hemolytic activity or apparent toxicity. Complementary chemical biology, molecular biology, genomics and cell biological analyses revealed that MED6-189 primarily targets the parasite apicoplast and acts by inhibiting lipid biogenesis and cellular trafficking. Genetic analyses in P. falciparum revealed that a mutation in PfSec13, which encodes a component of the parasite secretory machinery, reduced susceptibility to the drug. The high potency of MED6-189 in vitro and in vivo, its broad range of efficacy, excellent therapeutic profile, and unique mode of action make it an excellent addition to the antimalarial drug pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Chahine
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - S Abel
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - T Hollin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - JH Chung
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, 92617, USA
| | - GL Barnes
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, 92617, USA
| | - ME Daub
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, 92617, USA
| | - I Renard
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - JY Choi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - V Pratap
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - A Pal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - M Alba-Argomaniz
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - CAS Banks
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - J Kirkwood
- Metabolomics Core Facility, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - A Saraf
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - I Camino
- GSK, C/ Severo Ochoa, 2 PTM, 28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid), Spain
| | - P Castaneda
- GSK, C/ Severo Ochoa, 2 PTM, 28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid), Spain
| | - MC Cuevas
- GSK, C/ Severo Ochoa, 2 PTM, 28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid), Spain
| | | | | | - A Garcia-Perez
- GSK, C/ Severo Ochoa, 2 PTM, 28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid), Spain
| | - N Ibarz
- GSK, C/ Severo Ochoa, 2 PTM, 28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid), Spain
| | - S Viera-Morilla
- GSK, C/ Severo Ochoa, 2 PTM, 28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid), Spain
| | - J Prudhomme
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - CJ Joyner
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - AK Bei
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - L Florens
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - C Ben Mamoun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - CD Vanderwal
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, 92617, USA
| | - KG Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
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3
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Shunmugam S, Quansah N, Flammersfeld A, Islam MM, Sassmannshausen J, Bennink S, Yamaryo-Botté Y, Pradel G, Botté CY. The patatin-like phospholipase PfPNPLA2 is involved in the mitochondrial degradation of phosphatidylglycerol during Plasmodium falciparum blood stage development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:997245. [PMID: 38089812 PMCID: PMC10711835 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.997245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum is an Apicomplexa responsible for human malaria, a major disease causing more than ½ million deaths every year, against which there is no fully efficient vaccine. The current rapid emergence of drug resistances emphasizes the need to identify novel drug targets. Increasing evidences show that lipid synthesis and trafficking are essential for parasite survival and pathogenesis, and that these pathways represent potential points of attack. Large amounts of phospholipids are needed for the generation of membrane compartments for newly divided parasites in the host cell. Parasite membrane homeostasis is achieved by an essential combination of parasite de novo lipid synthesis/recycling and massive host lipid scavenging. Latest data suggest that the mobilization and channeling of lipid resources is key for asexual parasite survival within the host red blood cell, but the molecular actors allowing lipid acquisition are poorly characterized. Enzymes remodeling lipids such as phospholipases are likely involved in these mechanisms. P. falciparum possesses an unusually large set of phospholipases, whose functions are largely unknown. Here we focused on the putative patatin-like phospholipase PfPNPLA2, for which we generated an glmS-inducible knockdown line and investigated its role during blood stages malaria. Disruption of the mitochondrial PfPNPLA2 in the asexual blood stages affected mitochondrial morphology and further induced a significant defect in parasite replication and survival, in particular under low host lipid availability. Lipidomic analyses revealed that PfPNPLA2 specifically degrades the parasite membrane lipid phosphatidylglycerol to generate lysobisphosphatidic acid. PfPNPLA2 knockdown further resulted in an increased host lipid scavenging accumulating in the form of storage lipids and free fatty acids. These results suggest that PfPNPLA2 is involved in the recycling of parasite phosphatidylglycerol to sustain optimal intraerythrocytic development when the host resources are scarce. This work strengthens our understanding of the complex lipid homeostasis pathways to acquire lipids and allow asexual parasite survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Shunmugam
- Apicolipid Team, Institute for Avanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Nyamekye Quansah
- Apicolipid Team, Institute for Avanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Ansgar Flammersfeld
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Md Muzahidul Islam
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India
| | - Juliane Sassmannshausen
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sandra Bennink
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yoshiki Yamaryo-Botté
- Apicolipid Team, Institute for Avanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Gabriele Pradel
- Division of Cellular and Applied Infection Biology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Cyrille Y. Botté
- Apicolipid Team, Institute for Avanced Biosciences, Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR5309, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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4
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Bekić V, Kilian N. Novel secretory organelles of parasite origin - at the center of host-parasite interaction. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2200241. [PMID: 37518819 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200241] [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: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Reorganization of cell organelle-deprived host red blood cells by the apicomplexan malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum enables their cytoadherence to endothelial cells that line the microvasculature. This increases the time red blood cells infected with mature developmental stages remain within selected organs such as the brain to avoid the spleen passage, which can lead to severe complications and cumulate in patient death. The Maurer's clefts are a novel secretory organelle of parasite origin established by the parasite in the cytoplasm of the host red blood cell in order to facilitate the establishment of cytoadherence by conducting the trafficking of immunovariant adhesins to the host cell surface. Another important function of the organelle is the sorting of other proteins the parasite traffics into its host cell. Although the organelle is of high importance for the pathology of malaria, additional putative functions, structure, and genesis remain shrouded in mystery more than a century after its discovery. In this review, we highlight our current knowledge about the Maurer's clefts and other novel secretory organelles established within the host cell cytoplasm by human-pathogenic malaria parasites and other parasites that reside within human red blood cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Bekić
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nicole Kilian
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
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5
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Gao H, Jiang Y, Wang L, Wang G, Hu W, Dong L, Wang S. Outer membrane vesicles from a mosquito commensal mediate targeted killing of Plasmodium parasites via the phosphatidylcholine scavenging pathway. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5157. [PMID: 37620328 PMCID: PMC10449815 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40887-6] [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: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota is a crucial modulator of Plasmodium infection in mosquitoes, including the production of anti-Plasmodium effector proteins. But how the commensal-derived effectors are translocated into Plasmodium parasites remains obscure. Here we show that a natural Plasmodium blocking symbiotic bacterium Serratia ureilytica Su_YN1 delivers the effector lipase AmLip to Plasmodium parasites via outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). After a blood meal, host serum strongly induces Su_YN1 to release OMVs and the antimalarial effector protein AmLip into the mosquito gut. AmLip is first secreted into the extracellular space via the T1SS and then preferentially loaded on the OMVs that selectively target the malaria parasite, leading to targeted killing of the parasites. Notably, these serum-induced OMVs incorporate certain serum-derived lipids, such as phosphatidylcholine, which is critical for OMV uptake by Plasmodium via the phosphatidylcholine scavenging pathway. These findings reveal that this gut symbiotic bacterium evolved to deliver secreted effector molecules in the form of extracellular vesicles to selectively attack parasites and render mosquitoes refractory to Plasmodium infection. The discovery of the role of gut commensal-derived OMVs as carriers in cross-kingdom communication between mosquito microbiota and Plasmodium parasites offers a potential innovative strategy for blocking malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yongmao Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lihua Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guandong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenqian Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sibao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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6
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Asantewaa G, Anabire NG, Bauer M, Weis S, Neugebauer S, Quaye O, Helegbe GK. Serum Metabolome Signatures Characterizing Co-Infection of Plasmodium falciparum and HBV in Pregnant Women. Diseases 2023; 11:94. [PMID: 37489446 PMCID: PMC10366841 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11030094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection is on the rise among pregnant women in northern Ghana. Mono-infection with either of these two pathogens results in unique metabolic alterations. Thus, we aimed to explicate the effects of this co-infection on the metabolome signatures of pregnant women, which would indicate the impacted metabolic pathways and provide useful prognostic or diagnostic markers. Using an MS/MS-based targeted metabolomic approach, we determined the serum metabolome in pregnant women with P. falciparum mono-infection, HBV mono-infection, P. falciparum, and HBV co-infection and in uninfected (control) women. We observed significantly decreased sphingolipid concentrations in subjects with P. falciparum mono-infection, whereas amino acids and phospholipids were decreased in subjects with HBV mono-infection. Co-infections were found to be characterized distinctively by reduced concentrations of phospholipids and hexoses (mostly glucose) as well as altered pathways that contribute to redox homeostasis. Overall, PC ae C40:1 was found to be a good discriminatory metabolite for the co-infection group. PC ae C40:1 can further be explored for use in the diagnosis and treatment of malaria and chronic hepatitis B co-morbidity as well as to distinguish co-infections from cases of mono-infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Asantewaa
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG54, Ghana; (G.A.); (N.G.A.); (O.Q.)
| | - Nsoh Godwin Anabire
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG54, Ghana; (G.A.); (N.G.A.); (O.Q.)
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University for Development Studies, Tamale P.O. Box TL1350, Ghana
| | - Michael Bauer
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller University, 07747 Jena, Germany; (M.B.); (S.W.)
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller University, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Weis
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller University, 07747 Jena, Germany; (M.B.); (S.W.)
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care (CSCC), Jena University Hospital, Friedrich-Schiller University, 07747 Jena, Germany
- Institute for Infectious Disease and Infection Control, Leibniz Institute for Infection Biology and Natural Product Research, Hans-Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll Institute (HKI), 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Sophie Neugebauer
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany;
| | - Osbourne Quaye
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG54, Ghana; (G.A.); (N.G.A.); (O.Q.)
| | - Gideon Kofi Helegbe
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG54, Ghana; (G.A.); (N.G.A.); (O.Q.)
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University for Development Studies, Tamale P.O. Box TL1350, Ghana
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7
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Harris CT, Tong X, Campelo R, Marreiros IM, Vanheer LN, Nahiyaan N, Zuzarte-Luís VA, Deitsch KW, Mota MM, Rhee KY, Kafsack BFC. Sexual differentiation in human malaria parasites is regulated by competition between phospholipid metabolism and histone methylation. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1280-1292. [PMID: 37277533 PMCID: PMC11163918 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01396-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
For Plasmodium falciparum, the most widespread and virulent malaria parasite that infects humans, persistence depends on continuous asexual replication in red blood cells, while transmission to their mosquito vector requires asexual blood-stage parasites to differentiate into non-replicating gametocytes. This decision is controlled by stochastic derepression of a heterochromatin-silenced locus encoding AP2-G, the master transcription factor of sexual differentiation. The frequency of ap2-g derepression was shown to be responsive to extracellular phospholipid precursors but the mechanism linking these metabolites to epigenetic regulation of ap2-g was unknown. Through a combination of molecular genetics, metabolomics and chromatin profiling, we show that this response is mediated by metabolic competition for the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine between histone methyltransferases and phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase, a critical enzyme in the parasite's pathway for de novo phosphatidylcholine synthesis. When phosphatidylcholine precursors are scarce, increased consumption of SAM for de novo phosphatidylcholine synthesis impairs maintenance of the histone methylation responsible for silencing ap2-g, increasing the frequency of derepression and sexual differentiation. This provides a key mechanistic link that explains how LysoPC and choline availability can alter the chromatin status of the ap2-g locus controlling sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal T Harris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xinran Tong
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- BCMB Allied Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Riward Campelo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Inês M Marreiros
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Leen N Vanheer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Navid Nahiyaan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vanessa A Zuzarte-Luís
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Kirk W Deitsch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria M Mota
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Kyu Y Rhee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Björn F C Kafsack
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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8
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Schneider V, Visone J, Harris C, Florini F, Hadjimichael E, Zhang X, Gross M, Rhee K, Ben Mamoun C, Kafsack B, Deitsch K. The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum can sense environmental changes and respond by antigenic switching. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2302152120. [PMID: 37068249 PMCID: PMC10151525 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2302152120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary antigenic and virulence determinant of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is a variant surface protein called PfEMP1. Different forms of PfEMP1 are encoded by a multicopy gene family called var, and switching between active genes enables the parasites to evade the antibody response of their human hosts. var gene switching is key for the maintenance of chronic infections; however, what controls switching is unknown, although it has been suggested to occur at a constant frequency with little or no environmental influence. var gene transcription is controlled epigenetically through the activity of histone methyltransferases (HMTs). Studies in model systems have shown that metabolism and epigenetic control of gene expression are linked through the availability of intracellular S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the principal methyl donor in biological methylation modifications, which can fluctuate based on nutrient availability. To determine whether environmental conditions and changes in metabolism can influence var gene expression, P. falciparum was cultured in media with altered concentrations of nutrients involved in SAM metabolism. We found that conditions that influence lipid metabolism induce var gene switching, indicating that parasites can respond to changes in their environment by altering var gene expression patterns. Genetic modifications that directly modified expression of the enzymes that control SAM levels similarly led to profound changes in var gene expression, confirming that changes in SAM availability modulate var gene switching. These observations directly challenge the paradigm that antigenic variation in P. falciparum follows an intrinsic, programed switching rate, which operates independently of any external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M. Schneider
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065
| | - Joseph E. Visone
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Chantal T. Harris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Francesca Florini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Evi Hadjimichael
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Xu Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Mackensie R. Gross
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Kyu Y. Rhee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Choukri Ben Mamoun
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Björn F. C. Kafsack
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Kirk W. Deitsch
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
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9
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The enemy within: lipid asymmetry in intracellular parasite-host interactions. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:67-79. [PMID: 36820809 DOI: 10.1042/etls20220089] [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: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Eukaryotic pathogens with an intracellular parasitic lifestyle are shielded from extracellular threats during replication and growth. In addition to many nutrients, parasites scavenge host cell lipids to establish complex membrane structures inside their host cells. To counteract the disturbance of the host cell plasma membrane they have evolved strategies to regulate phospholipid asymmetry. In this review, the function and importance of lipid asymmetry in the interactions of intracellular protozoan parasites with the target and immune cells of the host are highlighted. The malaria parasite Plasmodium infects red blood cells and extensively refurbishes these terminally differentiated cells. Cholesterol depletion and an altered intracellular calcium ion homeostasis can lead to disruption in erythrocyte membrane asymmetry and increased exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS). Binding to the PS receptor on monocytes and macrophages results in phagocytosis and destruction of infected erythrocytes. Leishmania parasites display apoptotic mimicry by actively enhancing PS exposure on their surface to trigger increased infection of macrophages. In extracellular Toxoplasma gondii a P4-type ATPase/CDC50 co-chaperone pair functions as a flippase important for exocytosis of specialised secretory organelles. Identification and functional analysis of parasite lipid-translocating proteins, i.e. flippases, floppases, and scramblases, will be central for the recognition of the molecular mechanisms of parasite/host interactions. Ultimately, a better understanding of parasitic diseases, host immunity, and immune escape by parasites require more research on the dynamics of phospholipid bilayers of parasites and the infected host cell.
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10
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Beri D, Singh M, Rodriguez M, Goyal N, Rasquinha G, Liu Y, An X, Yazdanbakhsh K, Lobo CA. Global Metabolomic Profiling of Host Red Blood Cells Infected with Babesia divergens Reveals Novel Antiparasitic Target Pathways. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0468822. [PMID: 36786651 PMCID: PMC10100774 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04688-22] [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: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Babesia divergens is an apicomplexan parasite that infects human red blood cells (RBCs), initiating cycles of invasion, replication, and egress, resulting in extensive metabolic modification of the host cells. Babesia is an auxotroph for most of the nutrients required to sustain these cycles. There are currently limited studies on the biochemical pathways that support these critical processes, necessitating the high-resolution global metabolomics approach described here to uncover the metabolic interactions between parasite and host RBC. Our results reveal an extensive parasite-mediated modulation of RBC metabolite levels of all classes, including lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and nucleotides, with numerous metabolic species varying in proportion to the level of infection. Many of these molecules are scavenged from the host RBCs. This is in accord with the needs of a rapidly proliferating parasite with limited biosynthetic capabilities. Probing these pathways in depth, we used growth inhibition assays to quantitate parasite susceptibility to drugs targeting these pathways and stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy to obtain high-resolution images of drug-treated parasites to correlate changes in morphology with specific metabolic blocks in order to validate the data generated by the untargeted metabolomics platform. Thus, interruption of cholesterol scavenging from the host cell led to premature parasite egress, while chemical targeting of the hydrolysis of acyl glycerides led to the buildup of malformed parasites that could not successfully egress. This is the first report detailing the global metabolomic profile of the B. divergens-infected RBC. Besides deciphering diverse aspects of the host-parasite relationship, our results can be exploited by others to uncover further drug targets in the host-parasite biochemical network. IMPORTANCE Human babesiosis is caused by apicomplexan parasites of the Babesia genus and is associated with transfusion-transmitted illness and relapsing disease in immunosuppressed populations. Through its continuous cycles of invasion, proliferation, and egress, B. divergens radically changes the metabolic environment of the host red blood cell, allowing us opportunities to study potential chemical vulnerabilities that can be targeted by drugs. This is the first global metabolomic profiling of Babesia-infected human red blood cells, and our analysis revealed perturbation in all biomolecular classes at levels proportional to the level of infection. In particular, lipids and energy flux pathways in the host cell were altered by infection. We validated the changes in key metabolic pathways by performing inhibition assays accompanied by high-resolution microscopy. Overall, this global metabolomics analysis of Babesia-infected red blood cells has helped to uncover novel aspects of parasite biology and identified potential biochemical pathways that can be targeted for chemotherapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Beri
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Manpreet Singh
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Marilis Rodriguez
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Naman Goyal
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Yunfeng Liu
- Department of Complement Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Xiuli An
- Department of Membrane Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Karina Yazdanbakhsh
- Department of Complement Biology, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Cheryl A. Lobo
- Department of Blood-Borne Parasites, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, New York, USA
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11
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Cruz Camacho A, Kiper E, Oren S, Zaharoni N, Nir N, Soffer N, Noy Y, Ben David B, Rivkin A, Rotkopf R, Michael D, Carvalho TG, Regev-Rudzki N. High-throughput analysis of the transcriptional patterns of sexual genes in malaria. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:14. [PMID: 36639683 PMCID: PMC9838061 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05624-w] [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: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) is the leading protozoan causing malaria, the most devastating parasitic disease. To ensure transmission, a small subset of Pf parasites differentiate into the sexual forms (gametocytes). Since the abundance of these essential parasitic forms is extremely low within the human host, little is currently known about the molecular regulation of their sexual differentiation, highlighting the need to develop tools to investigate Pf gene expression during this fundamental mechanism. METHODS We developed a high-throughput quantitative Reverse-Transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) platform to robustly monitor Pf transcriptional patterns, in particular, systematically profiling the transcriptional pattern of a large panel of gametocyte-related genes (GRG). Initially, we evaluated the technical performance of the systematic RT-qPCR platform to ensure it complies with the accepted quality standards for: (i) RNA extraction, (ii) cDNA synthesis and (iii) evaluation of gene expression through RT-qPCR. We then used this approach to monitor alterations in gene expression of a panel of GRG upon treatment with gametocytogenesis regulators. RESULTS We thoroughly elucidated GRG expression profiles under treatment with the antimalarial drug dihydroartemisinin (DHA) or the metabolite choline over the course of a Pf blood cycle (48 h). We demonstrate that both significantly alter the expression pattern of PfAP2-G, the gametocytogenesis master regulator. However, they also markedly modify the developmental rate of the parasites and thus might bias the mRNA expression. Additionally, we screened the effect of the metabolites lactate and kynurenic acid, abundant in severe malaria, as potential regulators of gametocytogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that the high-throughput RT-qPCR method enables studying the immediate transcriptional response initiating gametocytogenesis of the parasites from a very low volume of malaria-infected RBC samples. The obtained data expand the current knowledge of the initial alterations in mRNA profiles of GRG upon treatment with reported regulators. In addition, using this method emphasizes that asexual parasite stage composition is a crucial element that must be considered when interpreting changes in GRG expression by RT-qPCR, specifically when screening for novel compounds that could regulate Pf sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Cruz Camacho
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Edo Kiper
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sonia Oren
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Nir Zaharoni
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Netta Nir
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Noam Soffer
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yael Noy
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Bar Ben David
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Anna Rivkin
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ron Rotkopf
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Dan Michael
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Feinberg Graduate School, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Teresa G. Carvalho
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086 Australia
| | - Neta Regev-Rudzki
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Faculty of Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
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12
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Wang F, Song J, Yan Y, Zhou Q, Li X, Wang P, Yang Z, Zhang Q, Zhang H. Integrated Network Pharmacology Analysis and Serum Metabolomics to Reveal the Anti-malaria Mechanism of Artesunate. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:31482-31494. [PMID: 36092633 PMCID: PMC9453802 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Artesunate is a widely used drug in clinical treatment of malaria. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic mechanism of artesunate on malaria using an integrated strategy of network pharmacology and serum metabolomics. The mice models of malaria were established using 2 × 107 red blood cells infected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA injection. Giemsa and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining were used to evaluate the efficacy of artesunate on malaria. Next, network pharmacology analysis was applied to identify target genes. Then, a metabolomics strategy has been developed to find the possible significant serum metabolites and metabolic pathways induced by artesunate. Additionally, two parts of the results were integrated to confirm each other. Giemsa and HE staining results showed that artesunate significantly inhibited the proliferation of Plasmodium and reduced liver and spleen inflammation. Based on metabolomics, 18 differential endogenous metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers related to the artesunate for treating malaria. These metabolites were mainly involved in the relevant pathways of biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids; aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis; and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis. The results of the network pharmacology analysis showed 125 potential target genes related to the treatment of malaria with artesunate. The functional enrichment was mainly associated with lipid and atherosclerosis; pathways of prostate cancer and proteoglycans in cancer; and PI3K-Akt, apoptosis, NF-κB, Th17 cell, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathways. These findings were partly consistent with the findings of the metabolism. Our results further suggested that artesunate could correct the inflammatory response caused by malaria through Th17 cell and NF-κB pathways. Meanwhile, our work revealed that cholesterol needed by Plasmodium berghei came directly from serum. Cholesterol and palmitic acid may be essential in the growth and reproduction of Plasmodium berghei. In summary, artesunate may have an effect on anti-malarial properties through multiple targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feiran Wang
- Shandong
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, P. R. China
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Jian Song
- Shandong
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, P. R. China
| | - Yingying Yan
- Shandong
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, P. R. China
| | - Qian Zhou
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojing Li
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Ping Wang
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Zongtong Yang
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
| | - Qiuhong Zhang
- Jinan
Center for Food and Drug Control, Jinan 250102, P. R. China
| | - Huimin Zhang
- Shandong
Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, P. R. China
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13
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Ramaprasad A, Burda PC, Calvani E, Sait AJ, Palma-Duran SA, Withers-Martinez C, Hackett F, Macrae J, Collinson L, Gilberger TW, Blackman MJ. A choline-releasing glycerophosphodiesterase essential for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis and blood stage development in the malaria parasite. eLife 2022; 11:82207. [PMID: 36576255 PMCID: PMC9886279 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum synthesizes significant amounts of phospholipids to meet the demands of replication within red blood cells. De novo phosphatidylcholine (PC) biosynthesis via the Kennedy pathway is essential, requiring choline that is primarily sourced from host serum lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC). LysoPC also acts as an environmental sensor to regulate parasite sexual differentiation. Despite these critical roles for host lysoPC, the enzyme(s) involved in its breakdown to free choline for PC synthesis are unknown. Here, we show that a parasite glycerophosphodiesterase (PfGDPD) is indispensable for blood stage parasite proliferation. Exogenous choline rescues growth of PfGDPD-null parasites, directly linking PfGDPD function to choline incorporation. Genetic ablation of PfGDPD reduces choline uptake from lysoPC, resulting in depletion of several PC species in the parasite, whilst purified PfGDPD releases choline from glycerophosphocholine in vitro. Our results identify PfGDPD as a choline-releasing glycerophosphodiesterase that mediates a critical step in PC biosynthesis and parasite survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany,University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Enrica Calvani
- Metabolomics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Aaron J Sait
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | | | - Fiona Hackett
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - James Macrae
- Metabolomics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Lucy Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Tim Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany,University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Michael J Blackman
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom,Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondonUnited Kingdom
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14
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Ressurreição M, van Ooij C. Lipid transport proteins in malaria, from Plasmodium parasites to their hosts. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2021; 1866:159047. [PMID: 34461309 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2021.159047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic unicellular pathogens from the genus Plasmodium are the etiological agents of malaria, a disease that persists over a wide range of vertebrate species, including humans. During its dynamic lifecycle, survival in the different hosts depends on the parasite's ability to establish a suitable environmental milieu. To achieve this, specific host processes are exploited to support optimal growth, including extensive modifications to the infected host cell. These modifications include the formation of novel membranous structures, which are induced by the parasite. Consequently, to maintain a finely tuned and dynamic lipid environment, the organisation and distribution of lipids to different cell sites likely requires specialised lipid transfer proteins (LTPs). Indeed, several parasite and host-derived LTPs have been identified and shown to be essential at specific stages. Here we describe the roles of LTPs in parasite development and adaptation to its host including how the latest studies are profiting from the improved genetic, lipidomic and imaging toolkits available to study Plasmodium parasites. Lastly, a list of predicted Plasmodium LTPs is provided to encourage research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Ressurreição
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
| | - Christiaan van Ooij
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
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15
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Ristovski M, Farhat D, Bancud SEM, Lee JY. Lipid Transporters Beam Signals from Cell Membranes. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:562. [PMID: 34436325 PMCID: PMC8399137 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11080562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Lipid composition in cellular membranes plays an important role in maintaining the structural integrity of cells and in regulating cellular signaling that controls functions of both membrane-anchored and cytoplasmic proteins. ATP-dependent ABC and P4-ATPase lipid transporters, two integral membrane proteins, are known to contribute to lipid translocation across the lipid bilayers on the cellular membranes. In this review, we will highlight current knowledge about the role of cholesterol and phospholipids of cellular membranes in regulating cell signaling and how lipid transporters participate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miliça Ristovski
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; (M.R.); (D.F.); (S.E.M.B.)
- Translational and Molecular Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Danny Farhat
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; (M.R.); (D.F.); (S.E.M.B.)
- Biomedical Sciences Program, Faculty of Science, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 6N5, Canada
| | - Shelly Ellaine M. Bancud
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; (M.R.); (D.F.); (S.E.M.B.)
- Translational and Molecular Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Jyh-Yeuan Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada; (M.R.); (D.F.); (S.E.M.B.)
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16
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GlmS mediated knock-down of a phospholipase expedite alternate pathway to generate phosphocholine required for phosphatidylcholine synthesis in Plasmodium falciparum. Biochem J 2021; 478:3429-3444. [PMID: 34133721 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Phospholipid synthesis is crucial for membrane proliferation in malaria parasites during the entire cycle in the host cell. The major phospholipid of parasite membranes, phosphatidylcholine (PC), is mainly synthesized through the Kennedy pathway. The phosphocholine required for this synthetic pathway is generated by phosphorylation of choline derived from catabolism of the lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC) scavenged from the host milieu. Here we have characterized a Plasmodium falciparum lysophospholipase (PfLPL20) which showed enzymatic activity on LPC substrate to generate choline. Using GFP- targeting approach, PfLPL20 was localized in vesicular structures associated with the neutral lipid storage bodies present juxtaposed to the food-vacuole. The C-terminal tagged glmS mediated inducible knock-down of PfLPL20 caused transient hindrance in the parasite development, however, the parasites were able to multiply efficiently, suggesting that PfLPL20 is not essential for the parasite. However, in PfLPL20 depleted parasites, transcript levels of enzyme of SDPM pathway (Serine Decarboxylase-Phosphoethanolamine Methyltransferase) were altered along with upregulation of phosphocholine and SAM levels; these results show upregulation of alternate pathway to generate the phosphocholine required for PC synthesis through the Kennedy pathway. Our study highlights presence of alternate pathways for lipid homeostasis/membrane-biogenesis in the parasite; these data could be useful to design future therapeutic approaches targeting phospholipid metabolism in the parasite.
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17
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Hernández-Castañeda MA, Lavergne M, Casanova P, Nydegger B, Merten C, Subramanian BY, Matthey P, Lannes N, Mantel PY, Walch M. A Profound Membrane Reorganization Defines Susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum Infected Red Blood Cells to Lysis by Granulysin and Perforin. Front Immunol 2021; 12:643746. [PMID: 34093532 PMCID: PMC8170093 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.643746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the most serious health problems in developing countries. The causative agent of malaria, Plasmodium spp., have a complex life cycle involving multiple developmental stages as well as different morphological, biochemical and metabolic requirements. We recently found that γδ T cells control parasite growth using pore-forming proteins to deliver their cytotoxic proteases, the granzymes, into blood residing parasites. Here, we follow up on the molecular mechanisms of parasite growth inhibition by human pore-forming proteins. We confirm that Plasmodium falciparum infection efficiently depletes the red blood cells of cholesterol, which renders the parasite surrounding membranes susceptible to lysis by prokaryotic membrane disrupting proteins, such as lymphocytic granulysin or the human cathelicidin LL-37. Interestingly, not the cholesterol depletion but rather the simultaneous exposure of phosphatidylserine, a negatively charged phospholipid, triggers resistance of late stage parasitized red blood cells towards the eukaryotic pore forming protein perforin. Overall, by revealing the molecular events we establish here a pathogen-host interaction that involves host cell membrane remodeling that defines the susceptibility towards cytolytic molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Andrea Hernández-Castañeda
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Marilyne Lavergne
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Pierina Casanova
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Bryan Nydegger
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Carla Merten
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Bibin Yesodha Subramanian
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Matthey
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Nils Lannes
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Pierre-Yves Mantel
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Michael Walch
- Department of Oncology, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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Metabolic Survival Adaptations of Plasmodium falciparum Exposed to Sublethal Doses of Fosmidomycin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:AAC.02392-20. [PMID: 33495219 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02392-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains the apicoplast organelle that synthesizes isoprenoids, which are metabolites necessary for posttranslational modification of Plasmodium proteins. We used fosmidomycin, an antibiotic that inhibits isoprenoid biosynthesis, to identify mechanisms that underlie the development of the parasite's adaptation to the drug at sublethal concentrations. We first determined a concentration of fosmidomycin that reduced parasite growth by ∼50% over one intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC). At this dose, we maintained synchronous parasite cultures for one full IDC and collected metabolomic and transcriptomic data at multiple time points to capture global and stage-specific alterations. We integrated the data with a genome-scale metabolic model of P. falciparum to characterize the metabolic adaptations of the parasite in response to fosmidomycin treatment. Our simulations showed that, in treated parasites, the synthesis of purine-based nucleotides increased, whereas the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine during the trophozoite and schizont stages decreased. Specifically, the increased polyamine synthesis led to increased nucleotide synthesis, while the reduced methyl-group cycling led to reduced phospholipid synthesis and methyltransferase activities. These results indicate that fosmidomycin-treated parasites compensate for the loss of prenylation modifications by directly altering processes that affect nucleotide synthesis and ribosomal biogenesis to control the rate of RNA translation during the IDC. This also suggests that combination therapies with antibiotics that target the compensatory response of the parasite, such as nucleotide synthesis or ribosomal biogenesis, may be more effective than treating the parasite with fosmidomycin alone.
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19
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Fraser M, Jing W, Bröer S, Kurth F, Sander LE, Matuschewski K, Maier AG. Breakdown in membrane asymmetry regulation leads to monocyte recognition of P. falciparum-infected red blood cells. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009259. [PMID: 33600495 PMCID: PMC7891792 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum relies on lipids to survive; this makes its lipid metabolism an attractive drug target. The lipid phosphatidylserine (PS) is usually confined to the inner leaflet of the red blood cell membrane (RBC) bilayer; however, some studies suggest that infection with the intracellular parasite results in the presence of this lipid in the RBC membrane outer leaflet, where it could act as a recognition signal to phagocytes. Here, we used fluorescent lipid analogues and probes to investigate the enzymatic reactions responsible for maintaining asymmetry between membrane leaflets, and found that in parasitised RBCs the maintenance of membrane asymmetry was partly disrupted, and PS was increased in the outer leaflet. We examined the underlying causes for the differences between uninfected and infected RBCs using fluorescent dyes and probes, and found that calcium levels increased in the infected RBC cytoplasm, whereas membrane cholesterol was depleted from the erythrocyte plasma membrane. We explored the resulting effect of PS exposure on enhanced phagocytosis by monocytes, and show that infected RBCs must expend energy to limit phagocyte recognition, and provide experimental evidence that PS exposure contributes to phagocytic recognition of P. falciparum-infected RBCs. Together, these findings underscore the pivotal role for PS exposure on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes for in vivo interactions with the host immune system, and provide a rationale for targeted antimalarial drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merryn Fraser
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Weidong Jing
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Stefan Bröer
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Florian Kurth
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Leif-Erik Sander
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pulmonary Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Matuschewski
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander G. Maier
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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20
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O'Neal AJ, Butler LR, Rolandelli A, Gilk SD, Pedra JH. Lipid hijacking: a unifying theme in vector-borne diseases. eLife 2020; 9:61675. [PMID: 33118933 PMCID: PMC7595734 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne illnesses comprise a significant portion of human maladies, representing 17% of global infections. Transmission of vector-borne pathogens to mammals primarily occurs by hematophagous arthropods. It is speculated that blood may provide a unique environment that aids in the replication and pathogenesis of these microbes. Lipids and their derivatives are one component enriched in blood and are essential for microbial survival. For instance, the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, among others, have been shown to scavenge and manipulate host lipids for structural support, metabolism, replication, immune evasion, and disease severity. In this Review, we will explore the importance of lipid hijacking for the growth and persistence of these microbes in both mammalian hosts and arthropod vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anya J O'Neal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - L Rainer Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Agustin Rolandelli
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Stacey D Gilk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Joao Hf Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
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21
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Neveu G, Beri D, Kafsack BF. Metabolic regulation of sexual commitment in Plasmodium falciparum. Curr Opin Microbiol 2020; 58:93-98. [PMID: 33053503 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
For malaria parasites regulating sexual commitment, the frequency with which asexual bloodstream forms differentiate into non-replicative male and female gametocytes, is critical because asexual replication is required to maintain a persistent infection of the human host while gametocytes are essential for infection of the mosquito vector and transmission. Here, we describe recent advances in understanding of the regulatory mechanisms controlling this key developmental decision. These include new insights into the mechanistic roles of the transcriptional master switch AP2-G and the epigenetic modulator GDV1, as well as the identification of defined metabolic signals that modulate their activity. Many of these metabolites are linked to parasite phospholipid biogenesis and we propose a model linking this pathway to the epigenetic regulation underlying sexual commitment in P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaelle Neveu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065 USA
| | - Divya Beri
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065 USA
| | - Björn Fc Kafsack
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065 USA.
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22
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Kilian N, Zhang Y, LaMonica L, Hooker G, Toomre D, Mamoun CB, Ernst AM. Palmitoylated Proteins in Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes: Investigation with Click Chemistry and Metabolic Labeling. Bioessays 2020; 42:e1900145. [PMID: 32342554 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201900145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The examination of the complex cell biology of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum usually relies on the time-consuming generation of transgenic parasites. Here, metabolic labeling and click chemistry are employed as a fast transfection-independent method for the microscopic examination of protein S-palmitoylation, an important post-translational modification during the asexual intraerythrocytic replication of P. falciparum. Applying various microscopy approaches such as confocal, single-molecule switching, and electron microscopy, differences in the extent of labeling within the different asexual developmental stages of P. falciparum and the host erythrocytes over time are observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Kilian
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8056, USA
| | - Yongdeng Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8002, USA
| | - Lauren LaMonica
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8002, USA
| | - Giles Hooker
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Derek Toomre
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8002, USA.,Nanobiology Institute, Yale University, 850 West Campus Drive, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Choukri Ben Mamoun
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8056, USA
| | - Andreas M Ernst
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8002, USA
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23
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Tewari SG, Swift RP, Reifman J, Prigge ST, Wallqvist A. Metabolic alterations in the erythrocyte during blood-stage development of the malaria parasite. Malar J 2020; 19:94. [PMID: 32103749 PMCID: PMC7045481 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-020-03174-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Human blood cells (erythrocytes) serve as hosts for the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum during its 48-h intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC). Established in vitro protocols allow for the study of host–parasite interactions during this phase and, in particular, high-resolution metabolomics can provide a window into host–parasite interactions that support parasite development. Methods Uninfected and parasite-infected erythrocyte cultures were maintained at 2% haematocrit for the duration of the IDC, while parasitaemia was maintained at 7% in the infected cultures. The parasite-infected cultures were synchronized to obtain stage-dependent information of parasite development during the IDC. Samples were collected in quadruplicate at six time points from the uninfected and parasite-infected cultures and global metabolomics was used to analyse cell fractions of these cultures. Results In uninfected and parasite-infected cultures during the IDC, 501 intracellular metabolites, including 223 lipid metabolites, were successfully quantified. Of these, 19 distinct metabolites were present only in the parasite-infected culture, 10 of which increased to twofold in abundance during the IDC. This work quantified approximately five times the metabolites measured in previous studies of similar research scope, which allowed for more detailed analyses. Enrichment in lipid metabolism pathways exhibited a time-dependent association with different classes of lipids during the IDC. Specifically, enrichment occurred in sphingolipids at the earlier stages, and subsequently in lysophospholipid and phospholipid metabolites at the intermediate and end stages of the IDC, respectively. In addition, there was an accumulation of 18-, 20-, and 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids, which produce eicosanoids and promote gametocytogenesis in infected erythrocyte cultures. Conclusions The current study revealed a number of heretofore unidentified metabolic components of the host–parasite system, which the parasite may exploit in a time-dependent manner to grow over the course of its development in the blood stage. Notably, the analyses identified components, such as precursors of immunomodulatory molecules, stage-dependent lipid dynamics, and metabolites, unique to parasite-infected cultures. These conclusions are reinforced by the metabolic alterations that were characterized during the IDC, which were in close agreement with those known from previous studies of blood-stage infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivendra G Tewari
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA. .,The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF), Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Russell P Swift
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jaques Reifman
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Sean T Prigge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anders Wallqvist
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, MD, USA.
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24
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Gitta B, Kilian N. Diagnosis of Malaria Parasites Plasmodium spp. in Endemic Areas: Current Strategies for an Ancient Disease. Bioessays 2019; 42:e1900138. [PMID: 31830324 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201900138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fast and effective detection of the causative agent of malaria in humans, protozoan Plasmodium parasites, is of crucial importance for increasing the effectiveness of treatment and to control a devastating disease that affects millions of people living in endemic areas. The microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood films still remains the gold-standard in Plasmodium detection today. However, there is a high demand for alternative diagnostic methods that are simple, fast, highly sensitive, ideally do not rely on blood-drawing and can potentially be conducted by the patients themselves. Here, the history of Plasmodium detection is discussed, and advantages and disadvantages of diagnostic methods that are currently being applied are assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Gitta
- Matibabu, 120 Semawata Rd, Ntinda, Kampala, 00256, Uganda
| | - Nicole Kilian
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Parasitology Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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25
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Hillier C, Pardo M, Yu L, Bushell E, Sanderson T, Metcalf T, Herd C, Anar B, Rayner JC, Billker O, Choudhary JS. Landscape of the Plasmodium Interactome Reveals Both Conserved and Species-Specific Functionality. Cell Rep 2019; 28:1635-1647.e5. [PMID: 31390575 PMCID: PMC6693557 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria represents a major global health issue, and the identification of new intervention targets remains an urgent priority. This search is hampered by more than one-third of the genes of malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites being uncharacterized. We report a large-scale protein interaction network in Plasmodium schizonts, generated by combining blue native-polyacrylamide electrophoresis with quantitative mass spectrometry and machine learning. This integrative approach, spanning 3 species, identifies >20,000 putative protein interactions, organized into 600 protein clusters. We validate selected interactions, assigning functions in chromatin regulation to previously unannotated proteins and suggesting a role for an EELM2 domain-containing protein and a putative microrchidia protein as mechanistic links between AP2-domain transcription factors and epigenetic regulation. Our interactome represents a high-confidence map of the native organization of core cellular processes in Plasmodium parasites. The network reveals putative functions for uncharacterized proteins, provides mechanistic and structural insight, and uncovers potential alternative therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Hillier
- Developmental Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mercedes Pardo
- Functional Proteomics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, UK.
| | - Lu Yu
- Functional Proteomics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, UK
| | - Ellen Bushell
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Theo Sanderson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Tom Metcalf
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Colin Herd
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Burcu Anar
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Julian C Rayner
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Oliver Billker
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Jyoti S Choudhary
- Functional Proteomics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SW7 3RP, UK.
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