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Anand A, Chandana M, Ghosh S, Das R, Singh N, Vaishalli PM, Gantasala NP, Padmanaban G, Nagaraj VA. Significance of Plasmodium berghei Amino Acid Transporter 1 in Food Vacuole Functionality and Its Association with Cerebral Pathogenesis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0494322. [PMID: 36976018 PMCID: PMC10101031 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04943-22] [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: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The food vacuole plays a central role in the blood stage of parasite development by digesting host hemoglobin acquired from red blood cells and detoxifying the host heme released during hemoglobin digestion into hemozoin. Blood-stage parasites undergo periodic schizont bursts, releasing food vacuoles containing hemozoin. Clinical studies in malaria-infected patients and in vivo animal studies have shown the association of hemozoin with disease pathogenesis and abnormal host immune responses in malaria. Here, we perform a detailed in vivo characterization of putative Plasmodium berghei amino acid transporter 1 localized in the food vacuole to understand its significance in the malaria parasite. We show that the targeted deletion of amino acid transporter 1 in Plasmodium berghei leads to a swollen food vacuole phenotype with the accumulation of host hemoglobin-derived peptides. Plasmodium berghei amino acid transporter 1-knockout parasites produce less hemozoin, and the hemozoin crystals display a thin morphology compared with wild-type parasites. The knockout parasites show reduced sensitivity to chloroquine and amodiaquine by showing recrudescence. More importantly, mice infected with the knockout parasites are protected from cerebral malaria and display reduced neuronal inflammation and cerebral complications. Genetic complementation of the knockout parasites restores the food vacuole morphology with hemozoin levels similar to that of wild-type parasites, causing cerebral malaria in the infected mice. The knockout parasites also show a significant delay in male gametocyte exflagellation. Our findings highlight the significance of amino acid transporter 1 in food vacuole functionality and its association with malaria pathogenesis and gametocyte development. IMPORTANCE Food vacuoles of the malaria parasite are involved in the degradation of red blood cell hemoglobin. The amino acids derived from hemoglobin degradation support parasite growth, and the heme released is detoxified into hemozoin. Antimalarials such as quinolines target hemozoin formation in the food vacuole. Food vacuole transporters transport hemoglobin-derived amino acids and peptides from the food vacuole to the parasite cytosol. Such transporters are also associated with drug resistance. Here, we show that the deletion of amino acid transporter 1 in Plasmodium berghei leads to swollen food vacuoles with the accumulation of hemoglobin-derived peptides. The transporter-deleted parasites generate less hemozoin with thin crystal morphology and show reduced sensitivity to quinolines. Mice infected with transporter-deleted parasites are protected from cerebral malaria. There is also a delay in male gametocyte exflagellation, affecting transmission. Our findings uncover the functional significance of amino acid transporter 1 in the life cycle of the malaria parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Anand
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Manjunatha Chandana
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Sourav Ghosh
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Rahul Das
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Nalini Singh
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
| | - Pradeep Mini Vaishalli
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Haryana, India
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2
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Wang Y, Tian J, Chen J, Ni S, Yao Y, Wang L, Wu X, Song R, Chen J. Nontargeted metabolomics integrated with 1 H NMR and LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS methods to depict a more comprehensive metabolic profile in response to chrysosplenetin and artemisinin co-treatment against artemisinin-sensitive and -resistant Plasmodium berghei K173. Biomed Chromatogr 2023; 37:e5561. [PMID: 36471489 DOI: 10.1002/bmc.5561] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Our previous work revealed mutual and specific metabolites/pathways in artemisinin-sensitive and -resistant Plasmodium berghei K173-infected mice. In this study, we further investigated whether chrysosplenetin, a candidate chemical to prevent artemisinin resistance, can regulate these metabolites/pathways by integrating nontargeted metabolomics with 1 H NMR and LC-Q-TOF-MS/MS spectrum. The nuclear magnetic resonance method generated specifically altered metabolites in response to co-treatment with chrysosplenetin, including: the products of glycolysis such as glucose, pyruvate, lactate and alanine; taurine, closely associated with liver injury; arginine and proline as essential amino acids for parasites; TMAO, a biomarker for dysbacteriosis and renal function; and tyrosine, which is used to generate levodopa and dopamine and may improve the torpor state of mice. Importantly, we noticed that chrysosplenetin might depress the activated glycolysis induced by sensitive parasites, but oppositely promoted the inhibited glycolysis to generate more lactate, which suppresses the proliferation of resistant parasites. Moreover, chrysosplentin possibly disturbs the heme biosynthetic pathway in mitochondria. The MS method yielded changed coenzyme A, phosphatidylcholine and ceramides, closely related to mitochondria β-oxidation, cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. These two means shared no overlapped metabolites and formed a more broader metabolic map to study the potential mechanisms of chrysosplenetin as a promising artemisinin resistance inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yisen Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jingxuan Tian
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jie Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Shanhong Ni
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Ying Yao
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Lirong Wang
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Xiuli Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Ruilong Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Senile Diseases, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
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3
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Recent metabolomic developments for antimalarial drug discovery. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3351-3380. [PMID: 36194273 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07673-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a parasitic disease that remains a global health issue, responsible for a significant death and morbidity toll. Various factors have impacted the use and delayed the development of antimalarial therapies, such as the associated financial cost and parasitic resistance. In order to discover new drugs and validate parasitic targets, a powerful omics tool, metabolomics, emerged as a reliable approach. However, as a fairly recent method in malaria, new findings are timely and original practices emerge frequently. This review aims to discuss recent research towards the development of new metabolomic methods in the context of uncovering antiplasmodial mechanisms of action in vitro and to point out innovative metabolic pathways that can revitalize the antimalarial pipeline.
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Rajaram K, Tewari SG, Wallqvist A, Prigge ST. Metabolic changes accompanying the loss of fumarate hydratase and malate-quinone oxidoreductase in the asexual blood stage of Plasmodium falciparum. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101897. [PMID: 35398098 PMCID: PMC9118666 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101897] [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: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In the glucose-rich milieu of red blood cells, asexually replicating malarial parasites mainly rely on glycolysis for ATP production, with limited carbon flux through the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. By contrast, gametocytes and mosquito-stage parasites exhibit an increased dependence on the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation for more economical energy generation. Prior genetic studies supported these stage-specific metabolic preferences by revealing that six of eight TCA cycle enzymes are completely dispensable during the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum, with only fumarate hydratase (FH) and malate-quinone oxidoreductase (MQO) being refractory to deletion. Several hypotheses have been put forth to explain the possible essentiality of FH and MQO, including their participation in a malate shuttle between the mitochondrial matrix and the cytosol. However, using newer genetic techniques like CRISPR and dimerizable Cre, we were able to generate deletion strains of FH and MQO in P. falciparum. We employed metabolomic analyses to characterize a double knockout mutant of FH and MQO (ΔFM) and identified changes in purine salvage and urea cycle metabolism that may help to limit fumarate accumulation. Correspondingly, we found that the ΔFM mutant was more sensitive to exogenous fumarate, which is known to cause toxicity by modifying and inactivating proteins and metabolites. Overall, our data indicate that P. falciparum is able to adequately compensate for the loss of FH and MQO, rendering them unsuitable targets for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krithika Rajaram
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shivendra G Tewari
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, Maryland, USA; The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Anders Wallqvist
- Department of Defense Biotechnology High Performance Computing Software Applications Institute, Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, Maryland, USA
| | - Sean T Prigge
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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Proteome of Stored RBC Membrane and Vesicles from Heterozygous Beta Thalassemia Donors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22073369. [PMID: 33806028 PMCID: PMC8037027 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic characteristics of blood donors may impact the storability of blood products. Despite higher basal stress, red blood cells (RBCs) from eligible donors that are heterozygous for beta-thalassemia traits (βThal+) possess a differential nitrogen-related metabolism, and cope better with storage stress compared to the control. Nevertheless, not much is known about how storage impacts the proteome of membrane and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in βThal+. For this purpose, RBC units from twelve βThal+ donors were studied through proteomics, immunoblotting, electron microscopy, and functional ELISA assays, versus units from sex- and aged-matched controls. βThal+ RBCs exhibited less irreversible shape modifications. Their membrane proteome was characterized by different levels of structural, lipid raft, transport, chaperoning, redox, and enzyme components. The most prominent findings include the upregulation of myosin proteoforms, arginase-1, heat shock proteins, and protein kinases, but the downregulation of nitrogen-related transporters. The unique membrane proteome was also mirrored, in part, to that of βThal+ EVs. Network analysis revealed interesting connections of membrane vesiculation with storage and stress hemolysis, along with proteome control modulators of the RBC membrane. Our findings, which are in line with the mild but consistent oxidative stress these cells experience in vivo, provide insight into the physiology and aging of stored βThal+ RBCs.
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Krishnan A, Soldati-Favre D. Amino Acid Metabolism in Apicomplexan Parasites. Metabolites 2021; 11:61. [PMID: 33498308 PMCID: PMC7909243 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11020061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Obligate intracellular pathogens have coevolved with their host, leading to clever strategies to access nutrients, to combat the host's immune response, and to establish a safe niche for intracellular replication. The host, on the other hand, has also developed ways to restrict the replication of invaders by limiting access to nutrients required for pathogen survival. In this review, we describe the recent advancements in both computational methods and high-throughput -omics techniques that have been used to study and interrogate metabolic functions in the context of intracellular parasitism. Specifically, we cover the current knowledge on the presence of amino acid biosynthesis and uptake within the Apicomplexa phylum, focusing on human-infecting pathogens: Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum. Given the complex multi-host lifecycle of these pathogens, we hypothesize that amino acids are made, rather than acquired, depending on the host niche. We summarize the stage specificities of enzymes revealed through transcriptomics data, the relevance of amino acids for parasite pathogenesis in vivo, and the role of their transporters. Targeting one or more of these pathways may lead to a deeper understanding of the specific contributions of biosynthesis versus acquisition of amino acids and to design better intervention strategies against the apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarti Krishnan
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, University of Geneva, CMU, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland;
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7
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Yu X, Feng G, Zhang Q, Cao J. From Metabolite to Metabolome: Metabolomics Applications in Plasmodium Research. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:626183. [PMID: 33505389 PMCID: PMC7829456 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.626183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in research over the past few decades have greatly improved metabolomics-based approaches in studying parasite biology and disease etiology. This improves the investigation of varied metabolic requirements during life stages or when following transmission to their hosts, and fulfills the demand for improved diagnostics and precise therapeutics. Therefore, this review highlights the progress of metabolomics in malaria research, including metabolic mapping of Plasmodium vertebrate life cycle stages to investigate antimalarials mode of actions and underlying complex host-parasite interactions. Also, we discuss current limitations as well as make several practical suggestions for methodological improvements which could drive metabolomics progress for malaria from a comprehensive perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Yu
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China.,Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Gaoqian Feng
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Qingfeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Arrhythmias of the Ministry of Education of China, Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Cao
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, China.,Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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8
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Tounta V, Liu Y, Cheyne A, Larrouy-Maumus G. Metabolomics in infectious diseases and drug discovery. Mol Omics 2021; 17:376-393. [PMID: 34125125 PMCID: PMC8202295 DOI: 10.1039/d1mo00017a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Metabolomics has emerged as an invaluable tool that can be used along with genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics to understand host–pathogen interactions at small-molecule levels. Metabolomics has been used to study a variety of infectious diseases and applications. The most common application of metabolomics is for prognostic and diagnostic purposes, specifically the screening of disease-specific biomarkers by either NMR-based or mass spectrometry-based metabolomics. In addition, metabolomics is of great significance for the discovery of druggable metabolic enzymes and/or metabolic regulators through the use of state-of-the-art flux analysis, for example, via the elucidation of metabolic mechanisms. This review discusses the application of metabolomics technologies to biomarker screening, the discovery of drug targets in infectious diseases such as viral, bacterial and parasite infections and immunometabolomics, highlights the challenges associated with accessing metabolite compartmentalization and discusses the available tools for determining local metabolite concentrations. Metabolomics has emerged as an invaluable tool that can be used along with genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics to understand host–pathogen interactions at small-molecule levels.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Tounta
- MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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9
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Martin RE. The transportome of the malaria parasite. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 95:305-332. [PMID: 31701663 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Membrane transport proteins, also known as transporters, control the movement of ions, nutrients, metabolites, and waste products across the membranes of a cell and are central to its biology. Proteins of this type also serve as drug targets and are key players in the phenomenon of drug resistance. The malaria parasite has a relatively reduced transportome, with only approximately 2.5% of its genes encoding transporters. Even so, assigning functions and physiological roles to these proteins, and ascertaining their contributions to drug action and drug resistance, has been very challenging. This review presents a detailed critique and synthesis of the disruption phenotypes, protein subcellular localisations, protein functions (observed or predicted), and links to antimalarial drug resistance for each of the parasite's transporter genes. The breadth and depth of the gene disruption data are particularly impressive, with at least one phenotype determined in the parasite's asexual blood stage for each transporter gene, and multiple phenotypes available for 76% of the genes. Analysis of the curated data set revealed there to be relatively little redundancy in the Plasmodium transportome; almost two-thirds of the parasite's transporter genes are essential or required for normal growth in the asexual blood stage of the parasite, and this proportion increased to 78% when the disruption phenotypes available for the other parasite life stages were included in the analysis. These observations, together with the finding that 22% of the transportome is implicated in the parasite's resistance to existing antimalarials and/or drugs within the development pipeline, indicate that transporters are likely to serve, or are already serving, as drug targets. Integration of the different biological and bioinformatic data sets also enabled the selection of candidates for transport processes known to be essential for parasite survival, but for which the underlying proteins have thus far remained undiscovered. These include potential transporters of pantothenate, isoleucine, or isopentenyl diphosphate, as well as putative anion-selective channels that may serve as the pore component of the parasite's 'new permeation pathways'. Other novel insights into the parasite's biology included the identification of transporters for the potential development of antimalarial treatments, transmission-blocking drugs, prophylactics, and genetically attenuated vaccines. The syntheses presented herein set a foundation for elucidating the functions and physiological roles of key members of the Plasmodium transportome and, ultimately, to explore and realise their potential as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowena E Martin
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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10
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Sexton AE, Doerig C, Creek DJ, Carvalho TG. Post-Genomic Approaches to Understanding Malaria Parasite Biology: Linking Genes to Biological Functions. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:1269-1278. [PMID: 31243988 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium species are evolutionarily distant from model eukaryotes, and as a consequence they exhibit many non-canonical cellular processes. In the post-genomic era, functional "omics" disciplines (transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) have accelerated our understanding of unique aspects of the biology of malaria parasites. Functional "omics" tools, in combination with genetic manipulations, have offered new opportunities to investigate the function of previously uncharacterized genes. Knowledge of basic parasite biology is fundamental to understanding drug modes of action, mechanisms of drug resistance, and relevance of vaccine candidates. This Perspective highlights recent "omics"-based discoveries in basic biology and gene function of the most virulent human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna E. Sexton
- Drug Delivery Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Christian Doerig
- Centre for Chronic, Inflammatory and Infectious Diseases, Biomedical Sciences Cluster, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, 264 Plenty Road, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Darren J. Creek
- Drug Delivery Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Teresa G. Carvalho
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Kingsbury Drive, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
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11
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Leopold SJ, Apinan S, Ghose A, Kingston HW, Plewes KA, Hossain A, Dutta AK, Paul S, Barua A, Sattar A, Day NPJ, Tarning J, Winterberg M, White NJ, Dondorp AM. Amino acid derangements in adults with severe falciparum malaria. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6602. [PMID: 31036854 PMCID: PMC6488658 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43044-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Amino acid derangements are common in severe falciparum malaria and have been associated with endothelial dysfunction (L-arginine), metabolic acidosis (alanine and lactate), and disease severity (phenylalanine and tryptophan metabolites). Whether these amino acid perturbations reflect isolated pathogenic mechanisms or if they are part of overall changes in amino acid metabolism is unclear. To investigate this, we prospectively simultaneously quantified a broad range of plasma free amino acids (PFAA) using HPLC-MRM-Mass spectrometry in relation to presenting symptoms in adults with severe malaria (n = 88), septicaemia (n = 88), uncomplicated malaria (n = 71), and healthy controls (n = 48) from Bangladesh. The total plasma concentration of measured amino acids was significantly reduced in each of the patient groups when compared to normal levels observed in healthy local controls: uncomplicated malaria -54%, severe malaria -23%, and sepsis -32%, (p = <0.001). Inspection of amino acid profiles revealed that in each group the majority of amino acids were below normal levels, except for phenylalanine. Among patients with severe malaria, L-lactate was strongly associated with an increase of the total amino acid concentration, likely because this reflects tissue hypoxia. Our data confirm previously described amino acid abnormalities, likely resulting from overall changes in the concentration of PFAA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stije J Leopold
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Siribha Apinan
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Aniruddha Ghose
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Hugh W Kingston
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Katherine A Plewes
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Amir Hossain
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Asok Kumar Dutta
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Sujat Paul
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Anupam Barua
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Abdus Sattar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Nicholas P J Day
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Joel Tarning
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Markus Winterberg
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J White
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Arjen M Dondorp
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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12
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Gramaglia I, Velez J, Chang YS, Caparros-Wanderley W, Combes V, Grau G, Stins MF, van der Heyde HC. Citrulline protects mice from experimental cerebral malaria by ameliorating hypoargininemia, urea cycle changes and vascular leak. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213428. [PMID: 30849122 PMCID: PMC6407779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical and model studies indicate that low nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability due in part to profound hypoargininemia contributes to cerebral malaria (CM) pathogenesis. Protection against CM pathogenesis may be achieved by altering the diet before infection with Plasmodium falciparum infection (nutraceutical) or by administering adjunctive therapy that decreases CM mortality (adjunctive therapy). This hypothesis was tested by administering citrulline or arginine in experimental CM (eCM). We report that citrulline injected as prophylaxis immediately post infection (PI) protected virtually all mice by ameliorating (i) hypoargininemia, (ii) urea cycle impairment, and (iii) disruption of blood brain barrier. Citrulline prophylaxis inhibited plasma arginase activity. Parasitemia was similar in citrulline- and vehicle control-groups, indicating that protection from pathogenesis was not due to decreased parasitemia. Both citrulline and arginine administered from day 1 PI in the drinking water significantly protected mice from eCM. These observations collectively indicate that increasing dietary citrulline or arginine decreases eCM mortality. Citrulline injected ip on day 4 PI with quinine-injected ip on day 6 PI partially protected mice from eCM; citrulline plus scavenging of superoxide with pegylated superoxide dismutase and pegylated catalase protected all recipients from eCM. These findings indicate that ameliorating hypoargininemia with citrulline plus superoxide scavenging decreases eCM mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Gramaglia
- La Jolla Infectious Disease Institute, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Joyce Velez
- La Jolla Infectious Disease Institute, San Diego, CA, United States of America
| | | | | | - Valery Combes
- La Jolla Infectious Disease Institute, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Georges Grau
- La Jolla Infectious Disease Institute, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Vascular Immunology Unit, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Monique F. Stins
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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13
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Ghosh S, Pathak S, Sonawat HM, Sharma S, Sengupta A. Metabolomic changes in vertebrate host during malaria disease progression. Cytokine 2018; 112:32-43. [PMID: 30057363 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2018.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Metabolomics refers to top-down systems biological analysis of metabolites in biological specimens. Phenotypic proximity of metabolites makes them interesting candidates for studying biomarkers of environmental stressors such as parasitic infections. Moreover, the host-parasite interaction directly impinges upon metabolic pathways since the parasite uses the host metabolite pool as a biosynthetic resource. Malarial infection, although not recognized as a classic metabolic disorder, often leads to severe metabolic changes such as hypoglycemia and lactic acidosis. Thus, metabolomic analysis of the infection has become an invaluable tool for promoting a better understanding of the host-parasite interaction and for the development of novel therapeutics. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge obtained from metabolomic studies of malarial infection in rodent models and human patients. Metabolomic analysis of experimental rodent malaria has provided significant insights into the mechanisms of disease progression including utilization of host resources by the parasite, sexual dimorphism in metabolic phenotypes, and cellular changes in host metabolism. Moreover, these studies also provide proof of concept for prediction of cerebral malaria. On the other hand, metabolite analysis of patient biofluids generates extensive data that could be of use in identifying biomarkers of infection severity and in monitoring disease progression. Through the use of metabolomic datasets one hopes to assess crucial infection-specific issues such as clinical severity, drug resistance, therapeutic targets, and biomarkers. Also discussed are nascent or newly emerging areas of metabolomics such as pre-erythrocytic stages of the infection and the host immune response. This review is organized in four broad sections-methodologies for metabolomic analysis, rodent infection models, studies of human clinical specimens, and potential of immunometabolomics. Data summarized in this review should serve as a springboard for novel hypothesis testing and lead to a better understanding of malarial infection and parasite biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumita Ghosh
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Sulabha Pathak
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 1, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Haripalsingh M Sonawat
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 1, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Shobhona Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 1, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005, India
| | - Arjun Sengupta
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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14
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Tindall SM, Vallières C, Lakhani DH, Islahudin F, Ting KN, Avery SV. Heterologous Expression of a Novel Drug Transporter from the Malaria Parasite Alters Resistance to Quinoline Antimalarials. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2464. [PMID: 29410428 PMCID: PMC5802821 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20816-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimalarial drug resistance hampers effective malaria treatment. Critical SNPs in a particular, putative amino acid transporter were recently linked to chloroquine (CQ) resistance in malaria parasites. Here, we show that this conserved protein (PF3D7_0629500 in Plasmodium falciparum; AAT1 in P. chabaudi) is a structural homologue of the yeast amino acid transporter Tat2p, which is known to mediate quinine uptake and toxicity. Heterologous expression of PF3D7_0629500 in yeast produced CQ hypersensitivity, coincident with increased CQ uptake. PF3D7_0629500-expressing cultures were also sensitized to related antimalarials; amodiaquine, mefloquine and particularly quinine. Drug sensitivity was reversed by introducing a SNP linked to CQ resistance in the parasite. Like Tat2p, PF3D7_0629500-dependent quinine hypersensitivity was suppressible with tryptophan, consistent with a common transport mechanism. A four-fold increase in quinine uptake by PF3D7_0629500 expressing cells was abolished by the resistance SNP. The parasite protein localised primarily to the yeast plasma membrane. Its expression varied between cells and this heterogeneity was used to show that high-expressing cell subpopulations were the most drug sensitive. The results reveal that the PF3D7_0629500 protein can determine the level of sensitivity to several major quinine-related antimalarials through an amino acid-inhibitable drug transport function. The potential clinical relevance is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Tindall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Cindy Vallières
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Dev H Lakhani
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Farida Islahudin
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, Malaysia
| | - Kang-Nee Ting
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Malaysia
| | - Simon V Avery
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
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15
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Bangirana P, Conroy AL, Opoka RO, Hawkes MT, Hermann L, Miller C, Namasopo S, Liles WC, John CC, Kain KC. Inhaled nitric oxide and cognition in pediatric severe malaria: A randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191550. [PMID: 29370261 PMCID: PMC5784958 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe malaria is a leading cause of acquired neurodisability in Africa and is associated with reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. A neuroprotective role for inhaled NO has been reported in animal studies, and administration of inhaled NO in preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome is associated with a 47% reduced risk of cognitive impairment at two years of age. METHODS A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of inhaled NO versus placebo as an adjunctive therapy for severe malaria was conducted in Uganda between 2011 and 2013. Children received study gas for a maximum 72 hours (inhaled NO, 80 parts per million; room air placebo). Neurocognitive testing was performed on children<5 years at 6 month follow-up. The neurocognitive outcomes assessed were overall cognition (a composite of fine motor, visual reception, receptive language, and expressive language), attention, associative memory, and the global executive composite. Main outcomes were attention, associative memory, and overall cognitive ability. RESULTS Sixty-one children receiving iNO and 59 children receiving placebo were evaluated. Forty-two children (35.0%) were impaired in at least one neurocognitive domain. By intention-to-treat analysis, there were no differences in unadjusted or unadjusted age-adjusted z-scores for overall cognition (β (95% CI): 0.26 (-0.19, 0.72), p = 0.260), attention (0.18 (-0.14, 0.51), p = 0.267), or memory (0.14 (-0.02, 0.30), p = 0.094) between groups by linear regression. Children receiving inhaled NO had a 64% reduced relative risk of fine motor impairment than children receiving placebo (relative risk, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.14-0.96) by log binomial regression following adjustment for anticonvulsant use. CONCLUSIONS Severe malaria is associated with high rates of neurocognitive impairment. Treatment with inhaled NO was associated with reduced risk of fine motor impairment. These results need to be prospectively validated in a larger study powered to assess cognitive outcomes in order to evaluate whether strategies to increase bioavailable NO are neuroprotective in children with severe malaria. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01255215.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Bangirana
- Department of Psychiatry, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Andrea L Conroy
- Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Robert O Opoka
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Michael T Hawkes
- Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Laura Hermann
- Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christopher Miller
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sophie Namasopo
- Department of Paediatrics, Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, Jinja, Uganda
| | - W Conrad Liles
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Chandy C John
- Ryan White Center for Pediatric Infectious Disease and Global Health, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Kevin C Kain
- Sandra A. Rotman Laboratories, Sandra Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network-Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Tropical Disease Unit, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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16
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Lavazec C. Molecular mechanisms of deformability of Plasmodium -infected erythrocytes. Curr Opin Microbiol 2017; 40:138-144. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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17
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Abstract
Prior to infecting erythrocytes and causing malaria symptoms, Plasmodium parasites undergo an obligatory phase of invasion and extensive replication inside their mammalian host's liver cells that depends on the parasite's ability to obtain the nutrients it requires for its intra-hepatic growth and multiplication. Here, we show that L-arginine (Arg) uptake through the host cell's SLC7A2-encoded transporters is essential for the parasite's development and maturation in the liver. Our data suggest that the Arg that is taken up is primarily metabolized by the arginase pathway to produce the polyamines required for Plasmodium growth. Although the parasite may hijack the host's biosynthesis pathway, it relies mainly upon its own arginase-AdoMetDC/ODC pathway to acquire the polyamines it needs to develop. These results identify for the first time a pivotal role for Arg-dependent polyamine production during Plasmodium's hepatic development and pave the way to the exploitation of strategies to impact liver infection by the malaria parasite through the modulation of Arg uptake and polyamine synthesis.
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18
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Rajendran E, Hapuarachchi SV, Miller CM, Fairweather SJ, Cai Y, Smith NC, Cockburn IA, Bröer S, Kirk K, van Dooren GG. Cationic amino acid transporters play key roles in the survival and transmission of apicomplexan parasites. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14455. [PMID: 28205520 PMCID: PMC5316894 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexans are obligate intracellular parasites that scavenge essential nutrients from their hosts via transporter proteins on their plasma membrane. The identities of the transporters that mediate amino acid uptake into apicomplexans are unknown. Here we demonstrate that members of an apicomplexan-specific protein family-the Novel Putative Transporters (NPTs)-play key roles in the uptake of cationic amino acids. We show that an NPT from Toxoplasma gondii (TgNPT1) is a selective arginine transporter that is essential for parasite survival and virulence. We also demonstrate that a homologue of TgNPT1 from the malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei (PbNPT1), shown previously to be essential for the sexual gametocyte stage of the parasite, is a cationic amino acid transporter. This reveals a role for cationic amino acid scavenging in gametocyte biology. Our study demonstrates a critical role for amino acid transporters in the survival, virulence and life cycle progression of these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Rajendran
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Sanduni V Hapuarachchi
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Catherine M Miller
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Smithfield, Queensland 4878, Australia
| | - Stephen J Fairweather
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Yeping Cai
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Nicholas C Smith
- Queensland Tropical Health Alliance Research Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, Queensland 4878, Australia
| | - Ian A Cockburn
- John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Stefan Bröer
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Kiaran Kirk
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Giel G van Dooren
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
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