1
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Pinello JF, Loidl J, Seltzer ES, Cassidy-Hanley D, Kolbin D, Abdelatif A, Rey FA, An R, Newberger NJ, Bisharyan Y, Papoyan H, Byun H, Aguilar HC, Lai AL, Freed JH, Maugel T, Cole ES, Clark TG. Novel requirements for HAP2/GCS1-mediated gamete fusion in Tetrahymena. iScience 2024; 27:110146. [PMID: 38904066 PMCID: PMC11187246 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The ancestral gamete fusion protein, HAP2/GCS1, plays an essential role in fertilization in a broad range of taxa. To identify factors that may regulate HAP2/GCS1 activity, we screened mutants of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila for behaviors that mimic Δhap2/gcs1 knockout phenotypes in this species. Using this approach, we identified two new genes, GFU1 and GFU2, whose products are necessary for membrane pore formation following mating type recognition and adherence. GFU2 is predicted to be a single-pass transmembrane protein, while GFU1, though lacking obvious transmembrane domains, has the potential to interact directly with membrane phospholipids in the cytoplasm. Like Tetrahymena HAP2/GCS1, expression of GFU1 is required in both cells of a mating pair for efficient fusion to occur. To explain these bilateral requirements, we propose a model that invokes cooperativity between the fusion machinery on apposed membranes of mating cells and accounts for successful fertilization in Tetrahymena's multiple mating type system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer F. Pinello
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Josef Loidl
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ethan S. Seltzer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Donna Cassidy-Hanley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Daniel Kolbin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Anhar Abdelatif
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Félix A. Rey
- Unité de Virologie Structurale, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris, France
- CNRS UMR 3569, 75724 Paris, France
| | - Rocky An
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Nicole J. Newberger
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Yelena Bisharyan
- Office of Technology Development, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Hayk Papoyan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Haewon Byun
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Hector C. Aguilar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Alex L. Lai
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Jack H. Freed
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Timothy Maugel
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Biological Ultrastructure, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Eric S. Cole
- Biology Department, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN 55057, USA
| | - Theodore G. Clark
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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2
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Walzer KA, Tandel J, Byerly JH, Daniels AM, Gullicksrud JA, Whelan EC, Carro SD, Krespan E, Beiting DP, Striepen B. Transcriptional control of the Cryptosporidium life cycle. Nature 2024; 630:174-180. [PMID: 38811723 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07466-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
The parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading agent of diarrhoeal disease in young children, and a cause and consequence of chronic malnutrition1,2. There are no vaccines and only limited treatment options3. The parasite infects enterocytes, in which it engages in asexual and sexual replication4, both of which are essential to continued infection and transmission. However, their molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear5. Here we use single-cell RNA sequencing to reveal the gene expression programme of the entire Cryptosporidium parvum life cycle in culture and in infected animals. Diverging from the prevailing model6, we find support for only three intracellular stages: asexual type-I meronts, male gamonts and female gametes. We reveal a highly organized program for the assembly of components at each stage. Dissecting the underlying regulatory network, we identify the transcription factor Myb-M as the earliest determinant of male fate, in an organism that lacks genetic sex determination. Conditional expression of this factor overrides the developmental program and induces widespread maleness, while conditional deletion ablates male development. Both have a profound impact on the infection. A large set of stage-specific genes now provides the opportunity to understand, engineer and disrupt parasite sex and life cycle progression to advance the development of vaccines and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn A Walzer
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jayesh Tandel
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessica H Byerly
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Abigail M Daniels
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jodi A Gullicksrud
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Eoin C Whelan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stephen D Carro
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elise Krespan
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel P Beiting
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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3
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Zhong S, Zhao P, Peng X, Li HJ, Duan Q, Cheung AY. From gametes to zygote: Mechanistic advances and emerging possibilities in plant reproduction. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 195:4-35. [PMID: 38431529 PMCID: PMC11060694 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiongbo Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hong-Ju Li
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Center for Molecular Agrobiology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiaohong Duan
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Alice Y Cheung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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4
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Qu Z, Gong Z, Olajide JS, Wang J, Cai J. CRISPR-Cas9-based method for isolating microgametes of Eimeria tenella. Vet Parasitol 2024; 327:110131. [PMID: 38301346 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110131] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Eimeria tenella infections are known to cause severe caecal damage and death of the infected chicken. Gamogony is an essential stage in E. tenella life cycle and in the establishment of coccidiosis. Prior research had extensively explored isolation and separation of the parasite gametes - microgamete (male) and macrogamete (female). However, there is little information on the efficient, highly purified and distinctly separated male and female gametes. In this study, we generated a genome editing line expressing mCherry fluorescent protein fused with GCS1 protein in E. tenella by using Toxoplasma gondii CRISPR-Cas9 system, flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. This allowed precise separation of E. tenella male and female gametes in the transgenic parasite population. The separation of male and female gametes would not only build on our understanding of E. tenella transmission, but it would also facilitate development of gametocidal compounds as drug targets for E. tenella infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zigang Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhenxing Gong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Province 750021, People's Republic of China
| | - Joshua Seun Olajide
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Centre for Distance Learning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Cai
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730046, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province 225009, People's Republic of China.
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5
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Cha SJ, Vega-Rodriguez J, Tao D, Kudyba HM, Hanner K, Jacobs-Lorena M. Plasmodium female gamete surface HSP90 is a key determinant for fertilization. mBio 2024; 15:e0314223. [PMID: 38131664 PMCID: PMC10865824 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03142-23] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium fertilization, an essential step for the development of the malaria parasite in the mosquito, is a prime target for blocking pathogen transmission. Using phage peptide display screening, we identified MG1, a peptide that binds to male gametes and inhibits fertilization, presumably by competing with a female gamete ligand. Anti-MG1 antibodies bind to the female gamete surface and, by doing so, also inhibit fertilization. We determined that this antibody recognizes HSP90 on the surface of Plasmodium female gametes. Our findings establish Plasmodium HSP90 as a prime target for the development of a transmission-blocking vaccine.IMPORTANCEMalaria kills over half a million people every year and this number has not decreased in recent years. The development of new tools to combat this disease is urgently needed. In this article, we report the identification of a key molecule-HSP90-on the surface of the parasite's female gamete that is required for fertilization to occur and for the completion of the parasite cycle in the mosquito. HSP90 is a promising candidate for the development of a transmission-blocking vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Jae Cha
- Department of Medical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, Georgia, USA
| | - Joel Vega-Rodriguez
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Dingyin Tao
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather M. Kudyba
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Kelly Hanner
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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6
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Pang W, Bai J, Zhu L, Liu F, Wu Y, Yang F, Zheng L, Liu P, Zhang Y, Wang M, Li J, Zhu X, Cui L, Cao Y. Functional characterization of a conserved membrane protein, Pbs54, involved in gamete fertilization in Plasmodium berghei. Int J Parasitol 2024; 54:99-107. [PMID: 37774810 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.08.003] [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: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The successful completion of gamete fertilization is essential for malaria parasite transmission, and this process can be targeted by intervention strategies. In this study, we identified a conserved gene (PBANKA_0813300) in the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei, which encodes a protein of 54 kDa (designated as Pbs54). Localization studies indicated that Pbs54 is associated with the plasma membranes of gametes and ookinetes. Functional studies by gene disruption showed that the Δpbs54 parasites had no defect in asexual proliferation, gametocyte development, or gametogenesis. However, the interactions between male and female gametes were significantly decreased compared with wild-type parasites. The Δpbs54 lines did not show a further reduction in zygote and ookinete numbers during in vitro culture, indicating that the defects were probably restricted to gamete fertilization. Consistent with this finding, mosquitoes fed on Δpbs54-infected mice showed a 30.1% reduction in infection prevalence and a 74.7% reduction in oocyst intensity. Cross-fertilization assay indicated that both male and female gametes were impaired in the Δpbs54 parasites. To evaluate its transmission-blocking potential, we obtained polyclonal antibodies from mice immunized with the recombinant Pbs54 (rPbs54) protein. In vitro assays showed that anti-rPbs54 sera inhibited ookinete formation by 42.7%. Our experiments identified Pbs54 as a fertility factor required for mosquito transmission and a novel candidate for a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Pang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jie Bai
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Liying Zhu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yudi Wu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Li Zheng
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Pengbo Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yaowen Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Meilian Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Xiaotong Zhu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
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7
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Nourani L, Lotfi A, Vand-Rajabpour H, Pourhashem Z, Nemati F, Mehrizi AA. Optimized Refolding Buffers Oriented Humoral Immune Responses Versus PfGCS1 Self-Assembled Peptide Nanoparticle. Mol Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12033-023-01044-y. [PMID: 38267696 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-01044-y] [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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Developing a novel class of vaccine is pivotal for eliminating and eradicating malaria. Preceding investigations demonstrated partial blocking activity in malaria transmission against recombinant vaccine PfHAP2-GCS1 and conserved region of the cd loop. The effectiveness of immune response varies with the size and shape of the self-assembly of peptide nanoparticles (SAPNs) displaying antigen, affected by different components in refolding buffers. Plasmodium falciparum Generative Cell Specific 1 (PfGCS1), a promising malaria transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) candidate, was expressed, purified, and followed by a four-step refolding process to form nanoparticles (PfGCS1-SAPNs). The influence of buffer components on the size and shape of SAPNs was investigated by DLS and FESEM. Furthermore, the immunogenicity of nanostructures was assessed in different mouse groups. The results showed that PfGCS1-SAPN was immunogenic and its administration with Poly (I:C), stimulated humoral and cellular responses in the mouse model. In the immunized mice groups, the level of IgG antibodies against PfGCS1-SAPN was significantly increased in different time points (second and third boost) and heterogeneous boosters. The various IgG-subclasses profile shifted to Th1, Th2, or Th1/Th2 mix responses in mice immunized with PfGCS1-SAPN refolded in different buffers, indicating a prerequisite for further investigations to optimize vaccine formulation to enhance and modulate Th1/cellular responses. Such studies pave the way to improve biophysical features related to the nanoparticles' size, shape, and conformational epitopes of candidate antigens and T- and B-cells presented on the superficial structure to elicit robust immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Nourani
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O. Box: 1316943551, Tehran, Iran
| | - Anita Lotfi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O. Box: 1316943551, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hediye Vand-Rajabpour
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O. Box: 1316943551, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zeinab Pourhashem
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O. Box: 1316943551, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Nemati
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Akram Abouie Mehrizi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, P.O. Box: 1316943551, Tehran, Iran.
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8
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Lykins J, Moschitto MJ, Zhou Y, Filippova EV, Le HV, Tomita T, Fox BA, Bzik DJ, Su C, Rajagopala SV, Flores K, Spano F, Woods S, Roberts CW, Hua C, El Bissati K, Wheeler KM, Dovgin S, Muench SP, McPhillie M, Fishwick CW, Anderson WF, Lee PJ, Hickman M, Weiss LM, Dubey JP, Lorenzi HA, Silverman RB, McLeod RL. From TgO/GABA-AT, GABA, and T-263 Mutant to Conception of Toxoplasma. iScience 2024; 27:108477. [PMID: 38205261 PMCID: PMC10776954 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii causes morbidity, mortality, and disseminates widely via cat sexual stages. Here, we find T. gondii ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) is conserved across phyla. We solve TgO/GABA-AT structures with bound inactivators at 1.55 Å and identify an inactivator selective for TgO/GABA-AT over human OAT and GABA-AT. However, abrogating TgO/GABA-AT genetically does not diminish replication, virulence, cyst-formation, or eliminate cat's oocyst shedding. Increased sporozoite/merozoite TgO/GABA-AT expression led to our study of a mutagenized clone with oocyst formation blocked, arresting after forming male and female gametes, with "Rosetta stone"-like mutations in genes expressed in merozoites. Mutations are similar to those in organisms from plants to mammals, causing defects in conception and zygote formation, affecting merozoite capacitation, pH/ionicity/sodium-GABA concentrations, drawing attention to cyclic AMP/PKA, and genes enhancing energy or substrate formation in TgO/GABA-AT-related-pathways. These candidates potentially influence merozoite's capacity to make gametes that fuse to become zygotes, thereby contaminating environments and causing disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Lykins
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Matthew J. Moschitto
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3113, USA
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Ekaterina V. Filippova
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Hoang V. Le
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3113, USA
| | - Tadakimi Tomita
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Barbara A. Fox
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - David J. Bzik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Seesandra V. Rajagopala
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Kristin Flores
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Furio Spano
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Stuart Woods
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Scotland, UK
| | - Craig W. Roberts
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Scotland, UK
| | - Cong Hua
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kamal El Bissati
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kelsey M. Wheeler
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Sarah Dovgin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Stephen P. Muench
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, The University of Leeds, Leeds, West York LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Martin McPhillie
- School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Colin W.G. Fishwick
- School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Wayne F. Anderson
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Patricia J. Lee
- Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Mark Hickman
- Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Louis M. Weiss
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Jitender P. Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Hernan A. Lorenzi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Richard B. Silverman
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3113, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Rima L. McLeod
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Institute of Genomics, Genetics, and Systems Biology, Global Health Center, Toxoplasmosis Center, CHeSS, The College, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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9
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Li T, Zhu S, Li Y, Yao J, Wang C, Fang S, Pan J, Chen W, Zhang Y. Characteristic of GEX1 genes reveals the essential roles for reproduction in cotton. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127645. [PMID: 37879575 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127645] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
GEX1 (gamete expressed 1) proteins are critical membrane proteins conserved among flowering plants that are involved in the nuclear fusion and embryonic development. Herein, we identified the 32 GEX1 proteins from representative land plants. In cotton, GEX1 genes expressed in various tissues across all stages of the life cycle, especially in pollen. Subcellular localization indicated the position of GhGEX1 protein was localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Experimental research has demonstrated that GhGEX1 has the potential to improve the partial abortion phenotype in Arabidopsis. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of GhGEX1 exhibited the seed abortion. Paraffin section of the ovule revealed that the polar nuclear fusion of ghgex1 plants remains at a standstill when the wild type has developed into a normal embryo. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed that the DEGs of reproductive-related processes and membrane-related processes were repressed in the pollen of knockout lines. The predicted protein interactions showed that GhGEX1 probably functioned through interactions with proteins related to reproduction and membrane. From all these investigations, it was possible to conclude that the GEX1 proteins are evolutionarily conserved in flowering plants and elucidated the pivotal roles during fertilization and early embryonic development in cotton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengyu Li
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shouhong Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Yan Li
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Jinbo Yao
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Chenlei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Shengtao Fang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Jingwen Pan
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Wei Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China.
| | - Yongshan Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Anyang 455000, China.
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10
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Pourhashem Z, Nourani L, Sani JJ, Yousefi H, Pirahmadi S, Sabouri M, Raz A, Djadid ND, Zakeri S, Mehrizi AA. Evaluation of a new fusion antigen, cd loop and HAP2-GCS1 domain (cd-HAP) of Plasmodium falciparum Generative Cell Specific 1 antigen formulated with various adjuvants, as a transmission blocking vaccine. Malar J 2023; 22:374. [PMID: 38071314 PMCID: PMC10710725 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04798-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria is a major global health challenge, and for the elimination and eradication of this disease, transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) are a priority. Plasmodium falciparum Generative Cell Specific 1 (PfGCS1), a promising TBV candidate, is essential for gamete fertilization. The HAP2-GCS1 domain of this antigen as well as its cd loop could induce antibodies that partially inhibit transmission of P. falciparum. METHODS In the current study, a new synthetic fusion antigen containing cd loop and HAP2-GCS1 domain (cd-HAP) of PfGCS1 was evaluated as a transmission blocking vaccine candidate. Initially, the profile of naturally acquired IgG antibodies to the cd-HAP antigen was analysed in Iranian individuals infected with P. falciparum, to confirm that this new fusion protein has the appropriate structure containing common epitopes with the native form of PfGCS1. Then, the immunogenicity of cd-HAP was evaluated in BALB/c mice, using different adjuvant systems such as CpG, MPL, QS-21, and a combination of them (CMQ). Furthermore, the blocking efficacy of polyclonal antibodies induced against these formulations was also assessed by oocyst intensity and infection prevalence in the Standard Membrane Feeding Assay (SMFA). RESULTS The naturally acquired antibodies (dominantly IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses) induced in P. falciparum-infected individuals could recognize the cd-HAP antigen which implies that the new fusion protein has a proper conformation that mimics the native structure of PfGCS1. Concerning the immunogenicity of cd-HAP antigen, the highest IgG levels and titers, by a Th1-type immune profile, and elevated antibody avidity were induced in mice immunized with the cd-HAP antigen formulated with a combination of adjuvants (P < 0.0001). Additionally, cytokine profiling of the immunized mice displayed that a high level of IFN-γ response, a Th1-type immune response, was produced by splenocytes from immunized mice that received cd-HAP antigen in combination with CMQ adjuvants (P < 0.0001). This formulation of cd-HAP antigen with CMQ adjuvants could reduce oocyst intensity and infection prevalence by 82%, evidenced by the SMFA and hold significant implications for future malaria vaccine development. CONCLUSION Altogether, the results showed that cd-HAP antigen formulated with a combination of the adjuvants (CMQ), could be a promising formulation to develop a PfGCS1-based transmission-blocking vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Pourhashem
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Nourani
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar J Sani
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hemn Yousefi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sakineh Pirahmadi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mobina Sabouri
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbasali Raz
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Navid Dinparast Djadid
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sedigheh Zakeri
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Akram Abouie Mehrizi
- Malaria and Vector Research Group (MVRG), Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
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11
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Catta-Preta CMC, Ferreira TR, Ghosh K, Paun A, Sacks D. HOP1 and HAP2 are conserved components of the meiosis-related machinery required for successful mating in Leishmania. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7159. [PMID: 37935664 PMCID: PMC10630298 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42789-z] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Whole genome analysis of Leishmania hybrids generated experimentally in sand flies supports a meiotic mechanism of genetic exchange, with Mendelian segregation of the nuclear genome. Here, we perform functional analyses through the generation of double drug-resistant hybrids in vitro and in vivo (during sand fly infections) to assess the importance of conserved meiosis-related genes in recombination and plasmogamy. We report that HOP1 and a HAP2-paralog (HAP2-2) are essential components of the Leishmania meiosis machinery and cell-to-cell fusion mechanism, respectively, since deletion of either gene in one or both parents significantly reduces or completely abrogates mating competence. These findings significantly advance our understanding of sexual reproduction in Leishmania, with likely relevance to other trypanosomatids, by formally demonstrating the involvement of a meiotic protein homolog and a distinct fusogen that mediates non-canonical, bilateral fusion in the hybridizing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Moura Costa Catta-Preta
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tiago Rodrigues Ferreira
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kashinath Ghosh
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Andrea Paun
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David Sacks
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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12
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Ogawa ST, Kessler SA. Update on signaling pathways regulating polarized intercellular communication in Arabidopsis reproduction. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 193:1732-1744. [PMID: 37453128 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sienna T Ogawa
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47905, USA
| | - Sharon A Kessler
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology and Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47905, USA
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13
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Ukegbu CV, Gomes AR, Giorgalli M, Campos M, Bailey AJ, Besson TRB, Billker O, Vlachou D, Christophides GK. Identification of genes required for Plasmodium gametocyte-to-sporozoite development in the mosquito vector. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:1539-1551.e6. [PMID: 37708854 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.08.010] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the most devastating infectious diseases. Reverse genetic screens offer a powerful approach to identify genes and molecular processes governing malaria parasite biology. However, the complex regulation of gene expression and genotype-phenotype associations in the mosquito vector, along with sexual reproduction, have hindered the development of screens in this critical part of the parasite life cycle. To address this, we developed a genetic approach in the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei that, in combination with barcode sequencing, circumvents the fertilization roadblock and enables screening for gametocyte-expressed genes required for parasite infection of the mosquito Anopheles coluzzii. Our results confirm previous findings, validating our approach for scaling up, and identify genes necessary for mosquito midgut infection, oocyst development, and salivary gland infection. These findings can aid efforts to study malaria transmission biology and to develop interventions for controlling disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana Rita Gomes
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Maria Giorgalli
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Melina Campos
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Alexander J Bailey
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | | | - Oliver Billker
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Dina Vlachou
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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14
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Zeeshan M, Rea E, Abel S, Vukušić K, Markus R, Brady D, Eze A, Rashpa R, Balestra AC, Bottrill AR, Brochet M, Guttery DS, Tolić IM, Holder AA, Le Roch KG, Tromer EC, Tewari R. Plasmodium ARK2 and EB1 drive unconventional spindle dynamics, during chromosome segregation in sexual transmission stages. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5652. [PMID: 37704606 PMCID: PMC10499817 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41395-3] [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: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Aurora family of kinases orchestrates chromosome segregation and cytokinesis during cell division, with precise spatiotemporal regulation of its catalytic activities by distinct protein scaffolds. Plasmodium spp., the causative agents of malaria, are unicellular eukaryotes with three unique and highly divergent aurora-related kinases (ARK1-3) that are essential for asexual cellular proliferation but lack most canonical scaffolds/activators. Here we investigate the role of ARK2 during sexual proliferation of the rodent malaria Plasmodium berghei, using a combination of super-resolution microscopy, mass spectrometry, and live-cell fluorescence imaging. We find that ARK2 is primarily located at spindle microtubules in the vicinity of kinetochores during both mitosis and meiosis. Interactomic and co-localisation studies reveal several putative ARK2-associated interactors including the microtubule-interacting protein EB1, together with MISFIT and Myosin-K, but no conserved eukaryotic scaffold proteins. Gene function studies indicate that ARK2 and EB1 are complementary in driving endomitotic division and thereby parasite transmission through the mosquito. This discovery underlines the flexibility of molecular networks to rewire and drive unconventional mechanisms of chromosome segregation in the malaria parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Zeeshan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Edward Rea
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Steven Abel
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Kruno Vukušić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Robert Markus
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Declan Brady
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Antonius Eze
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Ravish Rashpa
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Andrew R Bottrill
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Mathieu Brochet
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David S Guttery
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Iva M Tolić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anthony A Holder
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Karine G Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Eelco C Tromer
- Cell Biochemistry, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rita Tewari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
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15
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Ouologuem DT, Dara A, Kone A, Ouattara A, Djimde AA. Plasmodium falciparum Development from Gametocyte to Oocyst: Insight from Functional Studies. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1966. [PMID: 37630530 PMCID: PMC10460021 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11081966] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria elimination may never succeed without the implementation of transmission-blocking strategies. The transmission of Plasmodium spp. parasites from the human host to the mosquito vector depends on circulating gametocytes in the peripheral blood of the vertebrate host. Once ingested by the mosquito during blood meals, these sexual forms undergo a series of radical morphological and metabolic changes to survive and progress from the gut to the salivary glands, where they will be waiting to be injected into the vertebrate host. The design of effective transmission-blocking strategies requires a thorough understanding of all the mechanisms that drive the development of gametocytes, gametes, sexual reproduction, and subsequent differentiation within the mosquito. The drastic changes in Plasmodium falciparum shape and function throughout its life cycle rely on the tight regulation of stage-specific gene expression. This review outlines the mechanisms involved in Plasmodium falciparum sexual stage development in both the human and mosquito vector, and zygote to oocyst differentiation. Functional studies unravel mechanisms employed by P. falciparum to orchestrate the expression of stage-specific functional products required to succeed in its complex life cycle, thus providing us with potential targets for developing new therapeutics. These mechanisms are based on studies conducted with various Plasmodium species, including predominantly P. falciparum and the rodent malaria parasites P. berghei. However, the great potential of epigenetics, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and functional genetic studies to improve the understanding of malaria as a disease remains partly untapped because of limitations in studies using human malaria parasites and field isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinkorma T. Ouologuem
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako 1805, Mali
| | - Antoine Dara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako 1805, Mali
| | - Aminatou Kone
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako 1805, Mali
| | - Amed Ouattara
- Malaria Research Program, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Abdoulaye A. Djimde
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako 1805, Mali
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16
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Azimi FC, Dean TT, Minari K, Basso LGM, Vance TDR, Serrão VHB. A Frame-by-Frame Glance at Membrane Fusion Mechanisms: From Viral Infections to Fertilization. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1130. [PMID: 37509166 PMCID: PMC10377500 DOI: 10.3390/biom13071130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral entry and fertilization are distinct biological processes that share a common mechanism: membrane fusion. In viral entry, enveloped viruses attach to the host cell membrane, triggering a series of conformational changes in the viral fusion proteins. This results in the exposure of a hydrophobic fusion peptide, which inserts into the host membrane and brings the viral and host membranes into close proximity. Subsequent structural rearrangements in opposing membranes lead to their fusion. Similarly, membrane fusion occurs when gametes merge during the fertilization process, though the exact mechanism remains unclear. Structural biology has played a pivotal role in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying membrane fusion. High-resolution structures of the viral and fertilization fusion-related proteins have provided valuable insights into the conformational changes that occur during this process. Understanding these mechanisms at a molecular level is essential for the development of antiviral therapeutics and tools to influence fertility. In this review, we will highlight the biological importance of membrane fusion and how protein structures have helped visualize both common elements and subtle divergences in the mechanisms behind fusion; in addition, we will examine the new tools that recent advances in structural biology provide researchers interested in a frame-by-frame understanding of membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farshad C Azimi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Trevor T Dean
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Karine Minari
- Biomolecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Luis G M Basso
- Laboratório de Ciências Físicas, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28013-602, Brazil
| | - Tyler D R Vance
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Vitor Hugo B Serrão
- Biomolecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
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17
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Gert KRB, Panser K, Surm J, Steinmetz BS, Schleiffer A, Jovine L, Moran Y, Kondrashov F, Pauli A. Divergent molecular signatures in fish Bouncer proteins define cross-fertilization boundaries. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3506. [PMID: 37316475 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39317-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular compatibility between gametes is a prerequisite for successful fertilization. As long as a sperm and egg can recognize and bind each other via their surface proteins, gamete fusion may occur even between members of separate species, resulting in hybrids that can impact speciation. The egg membrane protein Bouncer confers species specificity to gamete interactions between medaka and zebrafish, preventing their cross-fertilization. Here, we leverage this specificity to uncover distinct amino acid residues and N-glycosylation patterns that differentially influence the function of medaka and zebrafish Bouncer and contribute to cross-species incompatibility. Curiously, in contrast to the specificity observed for medaka and zebrafish Bouncer, seahorse and fugu Bouncer are compatible with both zebrafish and medaka sperm, in line with the pervasive purifying selection that dominates Bouncer's evolution. The Bouncer-sperm interaction is therefore the product of seemingly opposing evolutionary forces that, for some species, restrict fertilization to closely related fish, and for others, allow broad gamete compatibility that enables hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista R B Gert
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karin Panser
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Joachim Surm
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Benjamin S Steinmetz
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Alexander Schleiffer
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Luca Jovine
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Yehu Moran
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Fyodor Kondrashov
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
- Evolutionary and Synthetic Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Andrea Pauli
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
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18
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Sena F, Cancela S, Bollati-Fogolín M, Pagotto R, Francia ME. Exploring Toxoplasma gondii´s Biology within the Intestinal Epithelium: intestinal-derived models to unravel sexual differentiation. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1134471. [PMID: 37313339 PMCID: PMC10258352 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1134471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A variety of intestinal-derived culture systems have been developed to mimic in vivo cell behavior and organization, incorporating different tissue and microenvironmental elements. Great insight into the biology of the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, has been attained by using diverse in vitro cellular models. Nonetheless, there are still processes key to its transmission and persistence which remain to be elucidated, such as the mechanisms underlying its systemic dissemination and sexual differentiation both of which occur at the intestinal level. Because this event occurs in a complex and specific cellular environment (the intestine upon ingestion of infective forms, and the feline intestine, respectively), traditional reductionist in vitro cellular models fail to recreate conditions resembling in vivo physiology. The development of new biomaterials and the advances in cell culture knowledge have opened the door to a next generation of more physiologically relevant cellular models. Among them, organoids have become a valuable tool for unmasking the underlying mechanism involved in T. gondii sexual differentiation. Murine-derived intestinal organoids mimicking the biochemistry of the feline intestine have allowed the generation of pre-sexual and sexual stages of T. gondii for the first time in vitro, opening a window of opportunity to tackling these stages by "felinizing" a wide variety of animal cell cultures. Here, we reviewed intestinal in vitro and ex vivo models and discussed their strengths and limitations in the context of a quest for faithful models to in vitro emulate the biology of the enteric stages of T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Sena
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Bioquímica, Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Saira Cancela
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Molecular, Cellular, and Animal Technology Program (ProTeMCA), Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Mariela Bollati-Fogolín
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Molecular, Cellular, and Animal Technology Program (ProTeMCA), Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Romina Pagotto
- Cell Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María E. Francia
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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19
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Kaneko I, Nishi T, Iwanaga S, Yuda M. Differentiation of Plasmodium male gametocytes is initiated by the recruitment of a chromatin remodeler to a male-specific cis-element. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303432120. [PMID: 37155862 PMCID: PMC10193995 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303432120] [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: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites, the causative agents of malaria, possess a complex lifecycle; however, the mechanisms of gene regulation involved in the cell-type changes remain unknown. Here, we report that gametocyte sucrose nonfermentable 2 (gSNF2), an SNF2-like chromatin remodeling ATPase, plays an essential role in the differentiation of male gametocytes. Upon disruption of gSNF2, male gametocytes lost the capacity to develop into gametes. ChIP-seq analyses revealed that gSNF2 is widely recruited upstream of male-specific genes through a five-base, male-specific cis-acting element. In gSNF2-disrupted parasites, expression of over a hundred target genes was significantly decreased. ATAC-seq analysis demonstrated that decreased expression of these genes correlated with a decrease of the nucleosome-free region upstream of these genes. These results suggest that global changes induced in the chromatin landscape by gSNF2 are the initial step in male differentiation from early gametocytes. This study provides the possibility that chromatin remodeling is responsible for cell-type changes in the Plasmodium lifecycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izumi Kaneko
- Department of Medical Zoology, Mie University School of Medicine, Mie, Tsu514-8507, Japan
| | - Tsubasa Nishi
- Department of Medical Zoology, Mie University School of Medicine, Mie, Tsu514-8507, Japan
| | - Shiroh Iwanaga
- Department of Molecular Protozoology, Research Center for Infectious Disease Control, Suita, Osaka565-0871, Japan
| | - Masao Yuda
- Department of Medical Zoology, Mie University School of Medicine, Mie, Tsu514-8507, Japan
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20
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Simons LM, Ferrer P, Gombakomba N, Underwood K, Herrera R, Narum DL, Canepa G, Acquah F, Amoah L, Duffy PE, Barillas-Mury C, Long C, Lee SM, Locke E, Miura K, Williamson KC. Extending the range of Plasmodium falciparum transmission blocking antibodies. Vaccine 2023; 41:3367-3379. [PMID: 37100721 PMCID: PMC10334573 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.04.042] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
Recent work demonstrating that asymptomatic carriers of P. falciparum parasites make up a large part of the infectious reservoir highlights the need for an effective malaria vaccine. Given the historical challenges of vaccine development, multiple parasite stages have been targeted, including the sexual stages required for transmission. Using flow cytometry to efficiently screen for P. falciparum gamete/zygote surface reactivity, we identified 82 antibodies that bound live P. falciparum gametes/zygotes. Ten antibodies had significant transmission-reducing activity (TRA) in a standard membrane feeding assay and were subcloned along with 9 nonTRA antibodies as comparators. After subcloning, only eight of the monoclonals obtained have significant TRA. These eight TRA mAbs do not recognize epitopes present in any of the current recombinant transmission-blocking vaccine candidates, Pfs230D1M, Pfs48/45.6C, Pf47 D2 and rPfs25. One TRA mAb immunoprecipitates two surface antigens, Pfs47 and Pfs230, that are expressed by both gametocytes and gametes/zygotes. These two proteins have not previously been reported to associate and the recognition of both by a single TRA mAb suggests the Pfs47/Pfs230 complex is a new vaccine target. In total, Pfs230 was the dominant target antigen, with five of the eight TRA mAbs and 8 of 11 nonTRA gamete/zygote surface reactive mAbs interacting with Pfs230. Of the three remaining TRA mAbs, two recognized non-reduced, parasite-produced Pfs25 and one bound non-reduced, parasite-produced Pfs48/45. None of the TRA mAbs bound protein on an immunoblot of reduced gamete/zygote extract and two TRA mAbs were immunoblot negative, indicating none of the new TRA epitopes are linear. The identification of eight new TRA mAbs that bind epitopes not included in any of the constructs currently under advancement as transmission-blocking vaccine candidates may provide new targets worthy of further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lacy M Simons
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Patricia Ferrer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, 6720A Rockledge Drive, Suite 100, Bethesda, USA
| | - Nita Gombakomba
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, 6720A Rockledge Drive, Suite 100, Bethesda, USA
| | - Knashka Underwood
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Raul Herrera
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - David L Narum
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Gaspar Canepa
- Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence Section Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Festus Acquah
- Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Linda Amoah
- Immunology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Patrick E Duffy
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Carolina Barillas-Mury
- Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence Section Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Carole Long
- Malaria Immunology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Shwu-Maan Lee
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Emily Locke
- Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC, 20001, USA
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Malaria Immunology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 12735 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Kim C Williamson
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd., Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
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21
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Russell AJC, Sanderson T, Bushell E, Talman AM, Anar B, Girling G, Hunziker M, Kent RS, Martin JS, Metcalf T, Montandon R, Pandey V, Pardo M, Roberts AB, Sayers C, Schwach F, Choudhary JS, Rayner JC, Voet T, Modrzynska KK, Waters AP, Lawniczak MKN, Billker O. Regulators of male and female sexual development are critical for the transmission of a malaria parasite. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:305-319.e10. [PMID: 36634679 PMCID: PMC7616090 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Malaria transmission to mosquitoes requires a developmental switch in asexually dividing blood-stage parasites to sexual reproduction. In Plasmodium berghei, the transcription factor AP2-G is required and sufficient for this switch, but how a particular sex is determined in a haploid parasite remains unknown. Using a global screen of barcoded mutants, we here identify genes essential for the formation of either male or female sexual forms and validate their importance for transmission. High-resolution single-cell transcriptomics of ten mutant parasites portrays the developmental bifurcation and reveals a regulatory cascade of putative gene functions in the determination and subsequent differentiation of each sex. A male-determining gene with a LOTUS/OST-HTH domain as well as the protein interactors of a female-determining zinc-finger protein indicate that germ-granule-like ribonucleoprotein complexes complement transcriptional processes in the regulation of both male and female development of a malaria parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theo Sanderson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK; Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Ellen Bushell
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK; Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden; Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden
| | - Arthur M Talman
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK; MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Burcu Anar
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
| | | | - Mirjam Hunziker
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden; Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden
| | - Robyn S Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Julie S Martin
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Tom Metcalf
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK
| | | | - Vikash Pandey
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden; Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden
| | | | - A Brett Roberts
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Claire Sayers
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden; Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden
| | | | | | - Julian C Rayner
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Thierry Voet
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Leuven, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics, LISCO, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katarzyna K Modrzynska
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Andrew P Waters
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK.
| | | | - Oliver Billker
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden; Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden.
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22
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Zeeshan M, Rea E, Abel S, Vukušić K, Markus R, Brady D, Eze A, Rashpa R, Balestra AC, Bottrill AR, Brochet M, Guttery DS, Tolić IM, Holder AA, Le Roch KG, Tromer EC, Tewari R. Plasmodium ARK2-EB1 axis drives the unconventional spindle dynamics, scaffold formation and chromosome segregation of sexual transmission stages. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2539372. [PMID: 36798191 PMCID: PMC9934748 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2539372/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Mechanisms of cell division are remarkably diverse, suggesting the underlying molecular networks among eukaryotes differ extensively. The Aurora family of kinases orchestrates the process of chromosome segregation and cytokinesis during cell division through precise spatiotemporal regulation of their catalytic activities by distinct scaffolds. Plasmodium spp., the causative agents of malaria, are unicellular eukaryotes that have three divergent aurora-related kinases (ARKs) and lack most canonical scaffolds/activators. The parasite uses unconventional modes of chromosome segregation during endomitosis and meiosis in sexual transmission stages within mosquito host. This includes a rapid threefold genome replication from 1N to 8N with successive cycles of closed mitosis, spindle formation and chromosome segregation within eight minutes (termed male gametogony). Kinome studies had previously suggested likely essential functions for all three Plasmodium ARKs during asexual mitotic cycles; however, little is known about their location, function, or their scaffolding molecules during unconventional sexual proliferative stages. Using a combination of super-resolution microscopy, mass spectrometry, omics and live-cell fluorescence imaging, we set out to investigate the contribution of the atypical Aurora paralog ARK2 to proliferative sexual stages using rodent malaria model Plasmodium berghei. We find that ARK2 primarily localises to the spindle apparatus associated with kinetochores during both mitosis and meiosis. Interactomics and co-localisation studies reveal a unique ARK2 scaffold at the spindle including the microtubule plus end-binding protein EB1 and lacking some other conserved molecules. Gene function studies indicate complementary functions of ARK2 and EB1 in driving endomitotic divisions and thereby parasite transmission. Our discovery of a novel Aurora spindle scaffold underlines the emerging flexibility of molecular networks to rewire and drive unconventional mechanisms of chromosome segregation in the malaria parasite Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Zeeshan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Edward Rea
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Steven Abel
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, USA
| | - Kruno Vukušić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Robert Markus
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Declan Brady
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Antonius Eze
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ravish Rashpa
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Andrew R. Bottrill
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Mathieu Brochet
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David S. Guttery
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Iva M. Tolić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anthony A. Holder
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Karine G. Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, USA
| | - Eelco C. Tromer
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Cell Biochemistry, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rita Tewari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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23
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Liu J, Shi F, Zhang Y, Tang X, Wang C, Gao Y, Suo J, Yu Y, Chen L, Zhang N, Sun P, Liu X, Suo X. Evidence of high-efficiency cross fertilization in Eimeria acervulina revealed using two lines of transgenic parasites. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:81-89. [PMID: 36549444 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Eimeria species are apicomplexan parasites with a direct life cycle consisting of a replicative phase involving multiple rounds of asexual replication in the intestine or other organs including kidneys, liver, and gallbladder, depending on the species, followed by a sexual phase or gamogony involving the development and fertilization of gametes, an essential process for Eimeria transmission. Recent advances in the genetic manipulation of these parasites made it possible to conduct genetic crosses combined with genomic approaches to elucidate the genetic determinants of Eimeria development, virulence, drug resistance, and immune evasion. Here, we employed genetic techniques to generate two transgenic Eimeria acervulina lines, EaGAM56 and EaHAP2, each expressing two unique fluorescent proteins, with one controlled by a constitutive promotor for cross-efficiency analysis and the other by a male or female gametocyte stage-specific promoter to observe sexual development. The expression of fluorescent proteins in the transgenic lines was analyzed in different developmental stages of the E. acervulina life cycle by immunoblotting and by examination of frozen sections using fluorescence microscopy. The effect of infective doses on cross-fertilization was further investigated by conducting several genetic crosses between the two transgenic lines at different doses and ratios. Two transgenic lines expressing constitutive and gametocyte-specific fluorescence proteins were generated and characterized. These transgenic parasites display synchronous development in chickens, comparable with that of the wild type. Genetic crosses between the two transgenic parasites showed that a high rate of oocysts co-expressing the two reporters could be achieved following inoculation with high doses of infective oocysts. We further showed that the proportion of co-transfected oocysts can be modulated by altering the ratio of the transgenic parental lines. Higher infective doses and similar numbers of functional gametocytes from the parents increase the rate of cross-fertilization. Our data highlight the usefulness of genetic manipulation and fluorescently-labeled transgenic gametocytes as tools to study Eimeria development and to elucidate the factors that modulate sexual development. This work sets the stage for the implementation of novel approaches to investigate other aspects of Eimeria pathogenesis, virulence, and drug susceptibility and resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Fangyun Shi
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, 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 100193 China
| | - Xinming Tang
- Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chaoyue Wang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yang Gao
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jingxia Suo
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ying Yu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Linlin Chen
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Pei Sun
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xianyong Liu
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xun Suo
- National Animal Protozoa Laboratory & College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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24
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Zeeshan M, Rea E, Abel S, Vukušić K, Markus R, Brady D, Eze A, Raspa R, Balestra A, Bottrill AR, Brochet M, Guttery DS, Tolić IM, Holder AA, Roch KGL, Tromer EC, Tewari R. Plasmodium ARK2-EB1 axis drives the unconventional spindle dynamics, scaffold formation and chromosome segregation of sexual transmission stages. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.29.526106. [PMID: 36778504 PMCID: PMC9915484 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.29.526106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Mechanisms of cell division are remarkably diverse, suggesting the underlying molecular networks among eukaryotes differ extensively. The Aurora family of kinases orchestrates the process of chromosome segregation and cytokinesis during cell division through precise spatiotemporal regulation of their catalytic activities by distinct scaffolds. Plasmodium spp., the causative agents of malaria, are unicellular eukaryotes that have three divergent aurora-related kinases (ARKs) and lack most canonical scaffolds/activators. The parasite uses unconventional modes of chromosome segregation during endomitosis and meiosis in sexual transmission stages within mosquito host. This includes a rapid threefold genome replication from 1N to 8N with successive cycles of closed mitosis, spindle formation and chromosome segregation within eight minutes (termed male gametogony). Kinome studies had previously suggested likely essential functions for all three Plasmodium ARKs during asexual mitotic cycles; however, little is known about their location, function, or their scaffolding molecules during unconventional sexual proliferative stages. Using a combination of super-resolution microscopy, mass spectrometry, and live-cell fluorescence imaging, we set out to investigate the role of the atypical Aurora paralog ARK2 to proliferative sexual stages using rodent malaria model Plasmodium berghei . We find that ARK2 primarily localises to the spindle apparatus in the vicinity of kinetochores during both mitosis and meiosis. Interactomics and co-localisation studies reveal a unique ARK2 scaffold at the spindle including the microtubule plus end-binding protein EB1, lacking conserved Aurora scaffold proteins. Gene function studies indicate complementary functions of ARK2 and EB1 in driving endomitotic divisions and thereby parasite transmission. Our discovery of a novel Aurora kinase spindle scaffold underlines the emerging flexibility of molecular networks to rewire and drive unconventional mechanisms of chromosome segregation in the malaria parasite Plasmodium .
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25
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Brukman NG, Nakajima KP, Valansi C, Flyak K, Li X, Higashiyama T, Podbilewicz B. A novel function for the sperm adhesion protein IZUMO1 in cell-cell fusion. J Cell Biol 2022; 222:213693. [PMID: 36394541 PMCID: PMC9671554 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202207147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian sperm-egg adhesion depends on the trans-interaction between the sperm-specific type I glycoprotein IZUMO1 and its oocyte-specific GPI-anchored receptor JUNO. However, the mechanisms and proteins (fusogens) that mediate the following step of gamete fusion remain unknown. Using live imaging and content mixing assays in a heterologous system and structure-guided mutagenesis, we unveil an unexpected function for IZUMO1 in cell-to-cell fusion. We show that IZUMO1 alone is sufficient to induce fusion, and that this ability is retained in a mutant unable to bind JUNO. On the other hand, a triple mutation in exposed aromatic residues prevents this fusogenic activity without impairing JUNO interaction. Our findings suggest a second function for IZUMO1 as a unilateral mouse gamete fusogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas G. Brukman
- Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Kohdai P. Nakajima
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Clari Valansi
- Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Kateryna Flyak
- Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Department of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Tetsuya Higashiyama
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan,Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan,Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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26
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Lu Y, Ikawa M. Eukaryotic fertilization and gamete fusion at a glance. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:jcs260296. [PMID: 36416181 PMCID: PMC10658792 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260296] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In sexually reproducing organisms, the genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next via the merger of male and female gametes. Gamete fusion is a two-step process involving membrane recognition and apposition through ligand-receptor interactions and lipid mixing mediated by fusion proteins. HAP2 (also known as GCS1) is a bona fide gamete fusogen in flowering plants and protists. In vertebrates, a multitude of surface proteins have been demonstrated to be pivotal for sperm-egg fusion, yet none of them exhibit typical fusogenic features. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we summarize recent advances in the mechanistic understanding of gamete fusion in eukaryotes, with a particular focus on mammalian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonggang Lu
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Laboratory of Reproductive Systems Biology, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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27
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DMP8 and 9 regulate HAP2/GCS1 trafficking for the timely acquisition of sperm fusion competence. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2207608119. [PMID: 36322734 PMCID: PMC9659367 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207608119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual reproduction involves the fusion of two gametes of opposite sex. Although the sperm-expressed fusogen HAPLESS 2 (HAP2) or GENERATIVE CELL SPECIFIC 1 (GCS1) plays a vital role in this process in many eukaryotic organisms and an understanding of its regulation is emerging in unicellular systems [J. Zhang et al., Nat. Commun. 12, 4380 (2021); J. F. Pinello et al. Dev. Cell 56, 3380-3392.e9 (2021)], neither HAP2/GCS1 interactors nor mechanisms for delivery and activation at the fusion site are known in multicellular plants. Here, we show that Arabidopsis thaliana HAP2/GCS1 interacts with two sperm DUF679 membrane proteins (DMP8 and DMP9), which are required for the EGG CELL 1 (EC1)-induced translocation of HAP2/GCS1 from internal storage vesicle to the sperm plasma membrane to ensure successful fertilization. Our studies in Arabidopsis and tobacco provide evidence for a conserved function of DMP8/9-like proteins as HAP2/GCS1 partner in seed plants. Our data suggest that seed plants evolved a DMP8/9-dependent fusogen translocation process to achieve timely acquisition of sperm fusion competence in response to egg cell-derived signals, revealing a previously unknown critical step for successful fertilization.
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28
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Thrombospondin-Related Anonymous Protein (TRAP) Family Expression by Babesia bovis Life Stages within the Mammalian Host and Tick Vector. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112173. [DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The tick-transmitted disease bovine babesiosis causes significant economic losses in many countries around the world. Current control methods include modified live-attenuated vaccines that have limited efficacy. Recombinant proteins could provide effective, safe, and low-cost alternative vaccines. We compared the expression of the Babesia bovis thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) family from parasites in bovine blood, in vitro induced sexual stages, and kinetes from tick hemolymph. Quantitative PCR showed that in blood and sexual stages, TRAP3 was highly transcribed as compared to the other TRAPs. In contrast, the TRAP1 gene was highly transcribed in kinetes as compared to the other TRAPs. Fixed immunofluorescence assays showed that TRAP2, 3, and 4 proteins were expressed by both blood and sexual stages. Conversely, TRAP1 protein, undetected on blood and induced sexual stages, was the only family member expressed by kinetes. Live IFA revealed that TRAP2, 3, and 4 proteins were expressed on the surface of both B. bovis blood and sexual stages. Modeling of B. bovis TRAP1 and TRAP4 tertiary structure demonstrated both proteins folded the metal-ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) domain structure of Plasmodium TRAP. In conclusion, TRAP proteins may serve as potential vaccine targets to prevent infection of bovine and ticks with B. bovis essential for controlling the spread of bovine babesiosis.
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Kumar S, Valansi C, Haile MT, Li X, Flyak K, Dwivedy A, Abatiyow BA, Leeb AS, Kennedy SY, Camargo NM, Vaughan AM, Brukman NG, Podbilewicz B, Kappe SHI. Malaria parasites utilize two essential plasma membrane fusogens for gamete fertilization. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:549. [PMID: 36241929 PMCID: PMC9568910 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04583-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Cell fusion of female and male gametes is the climax of sexual reproduction. In many organisms, the Hapless 2 (HAP2) family of proteins play a critical role in gamete fusion. We find that Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of human malaria, expresses two HAP2 proteins: PfHAP2 and PfHAP2p. These proteins are present in stage V gametocytes and localize throughout the flagellum of male gametes. Gene deletion analysis and genetic crosses show that PfHAP2 and PfHAP2p individually are essential for male fertility and thereby, parasite transmission to the mosquito. Using a cell fusion assay, we demonstrate that PfHAP2 and PfHAP2p are both authentic plasma membrane fusogens. Our results establish nonredundant essential roles for PfHAP2 and PfHAP2p in mediating gamete fusion in Plasmodium and suggest avenues in the design of novel strategies to prevent malaria parasite transmission from humans to mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Clari Valansi
- The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Meseret T Haile
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Xiaohui Li
- The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Kateryna Flyak
- The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Abhisek Dwivedy
- Nucleic Acids Programming Laboratory, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Biley A Abatiyow
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amanda S Leeb
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Spencer Y Kennedy
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nelly M Camargo
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ashley M Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | | | | | - Stefan H I Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. .,Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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30
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Snell WJ. Uncovering an ancestral green ménage à trois: Contributions of Chlamydomonas to the discovery of a broadly conserved triad of plant fertilization proteins. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 69:102275. [PMID: 36007296 PMCID: PMC9899528 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
During sexual reproduction in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas, gametes undergo the conserved cellular events that define fertilization across the tree of life. After initial ciliary adhesion, plus and minus gametes attach to each other at plasma membrane sites specialized for fusion, their bilayers merge, and cell coalescence into a quadri-ciliated cell signals for nuclear fusion. Recent findings show that these conserved cellular events are driven by 3 conserved protein families, FUS1/GEX2, HAP2/GCS1, and KAR5/GEX1. New results also show that species-specific recognition in Chlamydomonas activates the ancestral, viral-like fusogen HAP2 to drive fusion; that the conserved nuclear envelope fusion protein KAR5/GEX1 is also essential for nuclear fusion in Arabidopsis; and that heterodimerization of BELL-KNOX proteins signals for nuclear fusion in Chlamydomonas through early diverging land plants. This review outlines how Chlamydomonas's Janus-like position in evolution along with the ease of working with its gametes have revealed broadly conserved mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Snell
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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31
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Vance TDR, Yip P, Jiménez E, Li S, Gawol D, Byrnes J, Usón I, Ziyyat A, Lee JE. SPACA6 ectodomain structure reveals a conserved superfamily of gamete fusion-associated proteins. Commun Biol 2022; 5:984. [PMID: 36115925 PMCID: PMC9482655 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03883-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
SPACA6 is a sperm-expressed surface protein that is critical for gamete fusion during mammalian sexual reproduction. Despite this fundamental role, little is known about how SPACA6 specifically functions. We elucidated the crystal structure of the SPACA6 ectodomain at 2.2-Å resolution, revealing a two-domain protein containing a four-helix bundle and Ig-like β-sandwich connected via a quasi-flexible linker. This structure is reminiscent of IZUMO1, another gamete fusion-associated protein, making SPACA6 and IZUMO1 founding members of a superfamily of fertilization-associated proteins, herein dubbed the IST superfamily. The IST superfamily is defined structurally by its distorted four-helix bundle and a pair of disulfide-bonded CXXC motifs. A structure-based search of the AlphaFold human proteome identified more protein members to this superfamily; remarkably, many of these proteins are linked to gamete fusion. The SPACA6 structure and its connection to other IST-superfamily members provide a missing link in our knowledge of mammalian gamete fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler D R Vance
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Patrick Yip
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elisabet Jiménez
- Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sheng Li
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Diana Gawol
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James Byrnes
- National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA
| | - Isabel Usón
- Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC), 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ahmed Ziyyat
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Cochin, F-75014, Paris, France
- Service d'Histologie, d'Embryologie, Biologie de la Reproduction, AP-HP, Hôpital Cochin, F-75014, Paris, France
| | - Jeffrey E Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Design and development of a self-assembling protein nanoparticle displaying PfHAP2 antigenic determinants recognized by natural acquired antibodies. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274275. [PMID: 36094917 PMCID: PMC9467374 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Backgrounds In order to move towards the elimination and eradication of malaria in the world, the development of vaccines is inevitable. Many modern vaccines are based on recombinant technology; however, they may not provide a fully protective, long-lasting immune response. One of the strategies to improve recombinant vaccines is designing the nanovaccines such as self-assembling protein nanoparticles (SAPNs). Hence, the presentation of epitopes in a repeat array and correct conformation should be considered. P. falciparum generative cell-specific 1 (PfGCS1) is a main transmission-blocking vaccine candidate with two highly conserved fragments, HAP2-GCS1 and cd loop, inducing partial malaria transmission inhibitory antibodies. Therefore, to design an effective malaria vaccine, we used cd loop and HAP2-GCS1 fragments at the amino and carboxy terminuses of the SAPN-forming amino acid sequence, respectively. Methodology/Principal findings The SAPN monomer (PfGCS1-SAPN) sequence was designed, and the three-dimensional (3D) structure was predicted. The result of this prediction ensured the presence of antigens on the SAPN surface. Then the accuracy of the predicted 3D structure and its stability were confirmed by 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The designed SAPN substructure sequence was synthesized, cloned, and expressed in Escherichia coli. With a gradual decrease in urea concentration in dialysis solutions, the purified proteins progressed to the final desired structure of the SAPN, which then was confirmed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) tests. According to the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), antigenic determinants were presented on the SAPN surface and interacted with antibodies in the serum of malaria patients. Conclusions/Significance Our results show that the SAPN formed by PfGCS1-SAPN has produced the correct shape and size, and the antigenic determinants are presented on the surface of the SAPN, which indicates that the designed SAPN has great potential to be used in the future as a malaria vaccine.
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Bianchi E, Jimenez-Movilla M, Krauchunas AR. Editorial: Fertilization in the spotlight: Dynamics and mechanisms of sperm-egg interaction. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:993865. [PMID: 36158186 PMCID: PMC9493349 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.993865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Enrica Bianchi
- Department of Biology, Hull York Medical School, York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Enrica Bianchi, ; Maria Jimenez-Movilla, ; Amber R. Krauchunas,
| | - Maria Jimenez-Movilla
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, IMIB, Murcia, Spain
- *Correspondence: Enrica Bianchi, ; Maria Jimenez-Movilla, ; Amber R. Krauchunas,
| | - Amber R. Krauchunas
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States
- *Correspondence: Enrica Bianchi, ; Maria Jimenez-Movilla, ; Amber R. Krauchunas,
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Guttery DS, Zeeshan M, Ferguson DJP, Holder AA, Tewari R. Division and Transmission: Malaria Parasite Development in the Mosquito. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:113-134. [PMID: 35609946 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-041320-010046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The malaria parasite life cycle alternates between two hosts: a vertebrate and the female Anopheles mosquito vector. Cell division, proliferation, and invasion are essential for parasite development, transmission, and survival. Most research has focused on Plasmodium development in the vertebrate, which causes disease; however, knowledge of malaria parasite development in the mosquito (the sexual and transmission stages) is now rapidly accumulating, gathered largely through investigation of the rodent malaria model, with Plasmodium berghei. In this review, we discuss the seminal genome-wide screens that have uncovered key regulators of cell proliferation, invasion, and transmission during Plasmodium sexual development. Our focus is on the roles of transcription factors, reversible protein phosphorylation, and molecular motors. We also emphasize the still-unanswered important questions around key pathways in cell division during the vector transmission stages and how they may be targeted in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Guttery
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; ,
- Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom;
| | - Mohammad Zeeshan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; ,
| | - David J P Ferguson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom;
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony A Holder
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom;
| | - Rita Tewari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom; ,
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35
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Carter R, Miller LH, Culleton R. On Malaria Transmission and Transmission Blocking Immunity. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:tpmd211319. [PMID: 35895377 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Louis H Miller
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Richard Culleton
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Japan
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36
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Discovery of archaeal fusexins homologous to eukaryotic HAP2/GCS1 gamete fusion proteins. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3880. [PMID: 35794124 PMCID: PMC9259645 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31564-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractSexual reproduction consists of genome reduction by meiosis and subsequent gamete fusion. The presence of genes homologous to eukaryotic meiotic genes in archaea and bacteria suggests that DNA repair mechanisms evolved towards meiotic recombination. However, fusogenic proteins resembling those found in gamete fusion in eukaryotes have so far not been found in prokaryotes. Here, we identify archaeal proteins that are homologs of fusexins, a superfamily of fusogens that mediate eukaryotic gamete and somatic cell fusion, as well as virus entry. The crystal structure of a trimeric archaeal fusexin (Fusexin1 or Fsx1) reveals an archetypical fusexin architecture with unique features such as a six-helix bundle and an additional globular domain. Ectopically expressed Fusexin1 can fuse mammalian cells, and this process involves the additional globular domain and a conserved fusion loop. Furthermore, archaeal fusexin genes are found within integrated mobile elements, suggesting potential roles in cell-cell fusion and gene exchange in archaea, as well as different scenarios for the evolutionary history of fusexins.
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37
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de Jong RM, Singh SK, Teelen K, van de Vegte-Bolmer M, van Gemert GJ, Stone WJR, Locke E, Plieskatt J, Theisen M, Bousema T, Jore MM. Heterologous Expression and Evaluation of Novel Plasmodium falciparum Transmission Blocking Vaccine Candidates. Front Immunol 2022; 13:909060. [PMID: 35812379 PMCID: PMC9259988 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.909060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria transmission blocking vaccines (TBV) aim to induce antibodies that can interrupt Plasmodium falciparum development in the mosquito midgut and thereby prevent onward malaria transmission. A limited number of TBV candidates have been identified and only three (Pfs25, Pfs230 and Pfs48/45) have entered clinical testing. While one of these candidates may emerge as a highly potent TBV candidate, it is premature to determine if they will generate sufficiently potent and sustained responses. It is therefore important to explore novel candidate antigens. We recently analyzed sera from naturally exposed individuals and found that the presence and/or intensity of antibodies against 12 novel putative surface expressed gametocyte antigens was associated with transmission reducing activity. In this study, protein fragments of these novel TBV candidates were designed and heterologously expressed in Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells and Lactococcus lactis. Eleven protein fragments, covering seven TBV candidates, were successfully produced. All tested antigens were recognized by antibodies from individuals living in malaria-endemic areas, indicating that native epitopes are present. All antigens induced antigen-specific antibody responses in mice. Two antigens induced antibodies that recognized a native protein in gametocyte extract, and antibodies elicited by four antigens recognized whole gametocytes. In particular, we found that antigen Pf3D7_0305300, a putative transporter, is abundantly expressed on the surface of gametocytes. However, none of the seven novel TBV candidates expressed here induced an antibody response that reduced parasite development in the mosquito midgut as assessed in the standard membrane feeding assay. Altogether, the antigen fragments used in this study did not prove to be promising transmission blocking vaccine constructs, but led to the identification of two gametocyte surface proteins that may provide new leads for studying gametocyte biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roos M. de Jong
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Susheel K. Singh
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karina Teelen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Will J. R. Stone
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Locke
- PATH‘s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Jordan Plieskatt
- PATH‘s Malaria Vaccine Initiative, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Michael Theisen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Teun Bousema
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Matthijs M. Jore
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Matthijs M. Jore,
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38
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Dash M, Sachdeva S, Bansal A, Sinha A. Gametogenesis in Plasmodium: Delving Deeper to Connect the Dots. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:877907. [PMID: 35782151 PMCID: PMC9241518 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.877907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In the coming decades, eliminating malaria is the foremost goal of many tropical countries. Transmission control, along with an accurate and timely diagnosis of malaria, effective treatment and prevention are the different aspects that need to be met synchronously to accomplish the goal. The current review is focused on one of these aspects i.e., transmission control, by looking deeper into the event called gametogenesis. In the Plasmodium life cycle, gametocytes are the first life forms of the sexual phase. The transmission of the parasite and the disease is critically dependent on the number, viability and sex ratio of mature gametocytes and their further development inside mosquito vectors. Gametogenesis, the process of conversion of gametocytes into viable gametes, takes place inside the mosquito midgut, and is a tightly regulated event with fast and multiple rounds of DNA replication and diverse cellular changes going on within a short period. Interrupting the gametocyte-gamete transition is ought to restrict the successful transmission and progression of the disease and hence an area worth exploring for designing transmission-blocking strategies. This review summarizes an in-depth and up-to-date understanding of the biochemical and physiological mechanism of gametogenesis in Plasmodium, which could be targeted to control parasite and malaria transmission. This review also raises certain key questions regarding gametogenesis biology in Plasmodium and brings out gaps that still accompany in understanding the spectacular process of gametogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoswini Dash
- Parasite Host Biology, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
- Central Molecular Laboratory, Govind Ballabh (GB) Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Sherry Sachdeva
- Parasite Host Biology, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Abhisheka Bansal
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Abhinav Sinha
- Parasite Host Biology, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Abhinav Sinha,
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Ferreira TR, Sacks DL. Experimental Hybridization in Leishmania: Tools for the Study of Genetic Exchange. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11050580. [PMID: 35631101 PMCID: PMC9144296 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11050580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite major advances over the last decade in our understanding of Leishmania reproductive strategies, the sexual cycle in Leishmania has defied direct observation and remains poorly investigated due to experimental constraints. Here, we summarize the findings and conclusions drawn from genetic analysis of experimental hybrids generated in sand flies and highlight the recent advances in generating hybrids in vitro. The ability to hybridize between culture forms of different species and strains of Leishmania should invite more intensive investigation of the mechanisms underlying genetic exchange and provide a rich source of recombinant parasites for future genetic analyses.
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Awasthi M, Ranjan P, Kelterborn S, Hegemann P, Snell WJ. A cytoplasmic protein kinase couples engagement of Chlamydomonas ciliary receptors to cAMP-dependent cellular responses. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:275490. [PMID: 35502650 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259814] [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: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary cilium is a cellular compartment specialized for receipt of extracellular signals essential for development and homeostasis. Although intraciliary responses to engagement of ciliary receptors are well studied, fundamental questions remain about the mechanisms and molecules that transduce ciliary signals into responses in the cytoplasm. During fertilization in the bi-ciliated alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, ciliary adhesion between plus and minus gametes triggers an immediate ∼10-fold increase in cellular cAMP and consequent responses in the cytoplasm required for cell-cell fusion. Here, we identify a new participant in ciliary signaling, Gamete-Specific Protein Kinase (GSPK). GSPK is essential for the adhesion-induced cAMP increase and for rapid gamete fusion. The protein is in the cytoplasm and the entire cellular complement responds to a signal from the cilium by becoming phosphorylated within 1 minute after ciliary receptor engagement. Unlike all other cytoplasmic events in ciliary signaling, GSPK phosphorylation is not responsive to exogenously added cAMP. Thus, during ciliary signaling in Chlamydomonas, a cytoplasmic protein is required to rapidly interpret a still uncharacterized ciliary signal to generate a cytoplasmic response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayanka Awasthi
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Peeyush Ranjan
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Simon Kelterborn
- Experimental Biophysics, Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Translational Physiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Hegemann
- Experimental Biophysics, Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - William J Snell
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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41
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Satouh Y, Inoue N. Involvement of cellular protrusions in gamete interactions. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 129:93-102. [PMID: 35370088 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Gamete fusion is of considerable importance in reproductive events, as it determines the gamete pairs or chromosomes that the next generation will inherit. To preserve species specificity with an appropriate karyotype, the fusion between gametes requires regulatory mechanisms to ensure limited fusion competency. In many organisms, gamete surfaces are not smooth, but present constitutive or transient cellular protrusions suggested to be involved in gamete fusion. However, the molecular mechanisms and the factors essential for the membrane-membrane fusion process and cellular protrusion involvement have remained unclear. Recent advances in the identification and functional analysis of the essential factors for gamete interaction have revealed the molecular mechanisms underlying their activity regulation and dynamics. In homogametic fertilization, dynamic regulation of the fusion core machinery on cellular protrusions was precisely uncovered. In heterogametic fertilization, oocyte fusion competency was suggested to correlate with the compartmentalization of the fusion essential factor and protrusion formation. These findings shed light on the significance of cellular protrusions in gamete fusion as a physically and functionally specialized site for cellular fusion. In this review, we consider the developments in gamete interaction research in various species with different fertilization modes, highlighting the commonalities in the relationship between gamete fusion and cellular protrusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhkoh Satouh
- Laboratory of Molecular Traffic, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.
| | - Naokazu Inoue
- Department of Cell Science, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan.
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42
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Plasmodium falciparum Cysteine Rich Secretory Protein uniquely localizes to one end of male gametes. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2022; 248:111447. [PMID: 34998927 PMCID: PMC8904303 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Fertilization is a central event during the life cycle of most eukaryotic organisms and involves gamete recognition and fusion, ultimately resulting in zygote formation. Gamete fertilization in the malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites occurs inside the mosquito midgut and represents a major bottleneck in the life cycle. Cysteine Rich Secretory Proteins (CRISPs) are key molecules involved in fertilization in vertebrates and the presence of a CRISP ortholog in human malaria infective Plasmodium falciparum suggested a possible role in fertilization. Strikingly, P. falciparum CRISP exhibited a unique terminal localization in the male microgamete. Parasites with a CRISP gene deletion (P. falciparum crisp-) proliferated asexually similar to wildtype NF54 parasites and differentiated into gametocytes. Further analysis showed that Plasmodium falciparum crisp- gametocytes underwent exflagellation to form male gametes and no apparent defect in transmission to the mosquito vector was observed. These data show that P. falciparum CRISP is a marker for the apical end of the microgamete and that it might only have an ancillary or redundant function in the male sexual stages.
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Zhang H, Ma H, Yang X, Fan L, Tian S, Niu R, Yan M, Zheng M, Zhang S. Cell Fusion-Related Proteins and Signaling Pathways, and Their Roles in the Development and Progression of Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:809668. [PMID: 35178400 PMCID: PMC8846309 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.809668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell fusion is involved in many physiological and pathological processes, including gamete binding, and cancer development. The basic processes of cell fusion include membrane fusion, cytoplasmic mixing, and nuclear fusion. Cell fusion is regulated by different proteins and signaling pathways. Syncytin-1, syncytin-2, glial cell missing 1, galectin-1 and other proteins (annexins, myomaker, myomerger etc.) involved in cell fusion via the cyclic adenosine-dependent protein kinase A, mitogen-activated protein kinase, wingless/integrase-1, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathways. In the progression of malignant tumors, cell fusion is essential during the organ-specific metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transformation, the formation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), cancer angiogenesis and cancer immunity. In addition, diploid cells can be induced to form polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) via cell fusion under many kinds of stimuli, including cobalt chloride, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and traditional Chinese medicine. PGCCs have CSC-like properties, and the daughter cells derived from PGCCs have a mesenchymal phenotype and exhibit strong migration, invasion, and proliferation abilities. Therefore, exploring the molecular mechanisms of cell fusion can enable us better understand the development of malignant tumors. In this review, the basic process of cell fusion and its significance in cancer is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Hong Ma
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaohui Yang
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Linlin Fan
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Shifeng Tian
- Graduate School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Rui Niu
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Man Yan
- Graduate School, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Minying Zheng
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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Brukman NG, Li X, Podbilewicz B. Fusexins, HAP2/GCS1 and Evolution of Gamete Fusion. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:824024. [PMID: 35083224 PMCID: PMC8784728 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.824024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Gamete fusion is the climax of fertilization in all sexually reproductive organisms, from unicellular fungi to humans. Similarly to other cell-cell fusion events, gamete fusion is mediated by specialized proteins, named fusogens, that overcome the energetic barriers during this process. In recent years, HAPLESS 2/GENERATIVE CELL-SPECIFIC 1 (HAP2/GCS1) was identified as the fusogen mediating sperm-egg fusion in flowering plants and protists, being both essential and sufficient for the membrane merger in some species. The identification of HAP2/GCS1 in invertebrates, opens the possibility that a similar fusogen may be used in vertebrate fertilization. HAP2/GCS1 proteins share a similar structure with two distinct families of exoplasmic fusogens: the somatic Fusion Family (FF) proteins discovered in nematodes, and class II viral glycoproteins (e.g., rubella and dengue viruses). Altogether, these fusogens form the Fusexin superfamily. While some attributes are shared among fusexins, for example the overall structure and the possibility of assembly into trimers, some other characteristics seem to be specific, such as the presence or not of hydrophobic loops or helices at the distal tip of the protein. Intriguingly, HAP2/GCS1 or other fusexins have neither been identified in vertebrates nor in fungi, raising the question of whether these genes were lost during evolution and were replaced by other fusion machinery or a significant divergence makes their identification difficult. Here, we discuss the biology of HAP2/GCS1, its involvement in gamete fusion and the structural, mechanistic and evolutionary relationships with other fusexins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas G Brukman
- Department of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Xiaohui Li
- Department of Biology, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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Matsumura T, Noda T, Satouh Y, Morohoshi A, Yuri S, Ogawa M, Lu Y, Isotani A, Ikawa M. Sperm IZUMO1 Is Required for Binding Preceding Fusion With Oolemma in Mice and Rats. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:810118. [PMID: 35096839 PMCID: PMC8790511 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.810118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fertilization occurs as the culmination of multi-step complex processes. First, mammalian spermatozoa undergo the acrosome reaction to become fusion-competent. Then, the acrosome-reacted spermatozoa penetrate the zona pellucida and adhere to and finally fuse with the egg plasma membrane. IZUMO1 is the first sperm protein proven to be essential for sperm-egg fusion in mammals, as Izumo1 knockout mouse spermatozoa adhere to but fail to fuse with the oolemma. However, the IZUMO1 function in other species remains largely unknown. Here, we generated Izumo1 knockout rats by CRISPR/Cas9 and found the male rats were infertile. Unlike in mice, Izumo1 knockout rat spermatozoa failed to bind to the oolemma. Further investigation revealed that the acrosome-intact sperm binding conceals a decreased number of the acrosome-reacted sperm bound to the oolemma in Izumo1 knockout mice. Of note, we could not see any apparent defects in the binding of the acrosome-reacted sperm to the oolemma in the mice lacking recently found fusion-indispensable genes, Fimp, Sof1, Spaca6, or Tmem95. Collectively, our data suggest that IZUMO1 is required for the sperm-oolemma binding prior to fusion at least in rat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takafumi Matsumura
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Taichi Noda
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Division of Reproductive Biology, Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Priority Organization for Innovation and Excellence, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yuhkoh Satouh
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Akane Morohoshi
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Yuri
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan
| | - Masaki Ogawa
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Yonggang Lu
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Ayako Isotani
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Laboratory of Reproductive Systems Biology, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Pinello JF, Clark TG. HAP2-Mediated Gamete Fusion: Lessons From the World of Unicellular Eukaryotes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:807313. [PMID: 35071241 PMCID: PMC8777248 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.807313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Most, if not all the cellular requirements for fertilization and sexual reproduction arose early in evolution and are retained in extant lineages of single-celled organisms including a number of important model organism species. In recent years, work in two such species, the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and the free-living ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila, have lent important new insights into the role of HAP2/GCS1 as a catalyst for gamete fusion in organisms ranging from protists to flowering plants and insects. Here we summarize the current state of knowledge around how mating types from these algal and ciliate systems recognize, adhere and fuse to one another, current gaps in our understanding of HAP2-mediated gamete fusion, and opportunities for applying what we know in practical terms, especially for the control of protozoan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer F. Pinello
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Theodore G. Clark
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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Louradour I, Ferreira TR, Duge E, Karunaweera N, Paun A, Sacks D. Stress conditions promote Leishmania hybridization in vitro marked by expression of the ancestral gamete fusogen HAP2 as revealed by single-cell RNA-seq. eLife 2022; 11:73488. [PMID: 34994687 PMCID: PMC8794473 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania are protozoan parasites transmitted by the bite of sand fly vectors producing a wide spectrum of diseases in their mammalian hosts. These diverse clinical outcomes are directly associated with parasite strain and species diversity. Although Leishmania reproduction is mainly clonal, a cryptic sexual cycle capable of producing hybrid genotypes has been inferred from population genetic studies and directly demonstrated by laboratory crosses. Experimentally, mating competence has been largely confined to promastigotes developing in the sand fly midgut. The ability to hybridize culture promastigotes in vitro has been limited so far to low-efficiency crosses between two Leishmania tropica strains, L747 and MA37, that mate with high efficiency in flies. Here, we show that exposure of promastigote cultures to DNA damage stress produces a remarkably enhanced efficiency of in vitro hybridization of the L. tropica strains and extends to other species, including Leishmania donovani, Leishmania infantum, and Leishmania braziliensis, a capacity to generate intra- and interspecific hybrids. Whole-genome sequencing and total DNA content analyses indicate that the hybrids are in each case full genome, mostly tetraploid hybrids. Single-cell RNA sequencing of the L747 and MA37 parental lines highlights the transcriptome heterogeneity of culture promastigotes and reveals discrete clusters that emerge post-irradiation in which genes potentially involved in genetic exchange are expressed, including the ancestral gamete fusogen HAP2. By generating reporter constructs for HAP2, we could select for promastigotes that could either hybridize or not in vitro. Overall, this work reveals that there are specific populations involved in Leishmania hybridization associated with a discernible transcriptomic signature, and that stress facilitated in vitro hybridization can be a transformative approach to generate large numbers of hybrid genotypes between diverse species and strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Louradour
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, United States
| | - Tiago Rodrigues Ferreira
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, United States
| | - Emma Duge
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, United States
| | - Nadira Karunaweera
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Andrea Paun
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, United States
| | - David Sacks
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, United States
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Molino JVD, Carpine R, Gademann K, Mayfield S, Sieber S. Development of a cell surface display system in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. ALGAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Rashpa R, Brochet M. Expansion microscopy of Plasmodium gametocytes reveals the molecular architecture of a bipartite microtubule organisation centre coordinating mitosis with axoneme assembly. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010223. [PMID: 35077503 PMCID: PMC8789139 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmission of malaria-causing parasites to mosquitoes relies on the production of gametocyte stages and their development into gametes. These stages display various microtubule cytoskeletons and the architecture of the corresponding microtubule organisation centres (MTOC) remains elusive. Combining ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) with bulk proteome labelling, we first reconstructed in 3D the subpellicular microtubule network which confers cell rigidity to Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes. Upon activation, as the microgametocyte undergoes three rounds of endomitosis, it also assembles axonemes to form eight flagellated microgametes. U-ExM combined with Pan-ExM further revealed the molecular architecture of the bipartite MTOC coordinating mitosis with axoneme formation. This MTOC spans the nuclear membrane linking cytoplasmic basal bodies to intranuclear bodies by proteinaceous filaments. In P. berghei, the eight basal bodies are concomitantly de novo assembled in a SAS6- and SAS4-dependent manner from a deuterosome-like structure, where centrin, γ-tubulin, SAS4 and SAS6 form distinct subdomains. Basal bodies display a fusion of the proximal and central cores where centrin and SAS6 are surrounded by a SAS4-toroid in the lumen of the microtubule wall. Sequential nucleation of axonemes and mitotic spindles is associated with a dynamic movement of γ-tubulin from the basal bodies to the intranuclear bodies. This dynamic architecture relies on two non-canonical regulators, the calcium-dependent protein kinase 4 and the serine/arginine-protein kinase 1. Altogether, these results provide insights into the molecular organisation of a bipartite MTOC that may reflect a functional transition of a basal body to coordinate axoneme assembly with mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravish Rashpa
- University of Geneva, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Brochet
- University of Geneva, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
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Feng J, Dong X, DeCosta A, Su Y, Angrisano F, Sala KA, Blagborough AM, Lu C, Springer TA. Structural basis of malaria transmission blockade by a monoclonal antibody to gamete fusogen HAP2. eLife 2021; 10:74707. [PMID: 34939934 PMCID: PMC8806182 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HAP2 is a transmembrane gamete fusogen found in multiple eukaryotic kingdoms and is structurally homologous to viral class II fusogens. Studies in Plasmodium have suggested that HAP2 is an attractive target for vaccines that block transmission of malaria. HAP2 has three extracellular domains, arranged in the order D2, D1, and D3. Here, we report monoclonal antibodies against the D3 fragment of Plasmodium berghei HAP2 and crystal structures of D3 in complex with Fab fragments of two of these antibodies, one of which blocks fertilization of Plasmodium berghei in vitro and transmission of malaria in mosquitoes. We also show how this Fab binds the complete HAP2 ectodomain with electron microscopy. The two antibodies cross-react with HAP2 among multiple plasmodial species. Our characterization of the Plasmodium D3 structure, HAP2 ectodomain architecture, and mechanism of inhibition provide insights for the development of a vaccine to block malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Feng
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital
| | | | - Adam DeCosta
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital
| | - Yang Su
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital
| | | | | | | | - Chafen Lu
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital
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