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Schwarzer E, Skorokhod O. Post-Translational Modifications of Proteins of Malaria Parasites during the Life Cycle. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6145. [PMID: 38892332 PMCID: PMC11173270 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential for regulating protein functions, influencing various fundamental processes in eukaryotes. These include, but are not limited to, cell signaling, protein trafficking, the epigenetic control of gene expression, and control of the cell cycle, as well as cell proliferation, differentiation, and interactions between cells. In this review, we discuss protein PTMs that play a key role in the malaria parasite biology and its pathogenesis. Phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, lipidation and lipoxidation, glycosylation, ubiquitination and sumoylation, nitrosylation and glutathionylation, all of which occur in malarial parasites, are reviewed. We provide information regarding the biological significance of these modifications along all phases of the complex life cycle of Plasmodium spp. Importantly, not only the parasite, but also the host and vector protein PTMs are often crucial for parasite growth and development. In addition to metabolic regulations, protein PTMs can result in epitopes that are able to elicit both innate and adaptive immune responses of the host or vector. We discuss some existing and prospective results from antimalarial drug discovery trials that target various PTM-related processes in the parasite or host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelin Schwarzer
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Oleksii Skorokhod
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
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2
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Qu Z, Li Y, Li W, Zhang N, Olajide JS, Mi X, Fu B. Global profiling of protein S-palmitoylation in the second-generation merozoites of Eimeria tenella. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:190. [PMID: 38647704 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08204-2] [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: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan Eimeria tenella is responsible for avian coccidiosis which is characterized by host intestinal damage. During developmental cycle, E. tenella undergoes versatile transitional stages such as oocyst, sporozoites, merozoites, and gametocytes. These developmental transitions involve changes in cell shape and cell size requiring cytoskeletal remodeling and changes in membrane proteins, which may require transcriptional and translational regulations as well as post-translational modification of proteins. Palmitoylation is a post-translational modification (PTM) of protein that orchestrates protein targeting, folding, stability, regulated enzymatic activity and even epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Previous research revealed that protein palmitoylation play essential role in Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi, Trichomonas vaginalis, and several Plasmodium parasites. Until now, there is little information on the enzymes related to palmitoylation and role of protein acylation or palmitoylation in E. tenella. Therefore, palmitome of the second-generation merozoite of E. tenella was investigated. We identified a total of 2569 palmitoyl-sites that were assigned to 2145 palmitoyl-peptides belonging to 1561 protein-groups that participated in biological processes including parasite morphology, motility and host cell invasion. In addition, RNA biosynthesis, protein biosynthesis, folding, proteasome-ubiquitin degradation, and enzymes involved in PTMs, carbohydrate metabolism, glycan biosynthesis, and mitochondrial respiratory chain as well as vesicle trafficking were identified. The study allowed us to decipher the broad influence of palmitoylation in E. tenella biology, and its potential roles in the pathobiology of E. tenella infection. Raw data are publicly available at iProX with the dataset identifier PXD045061.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zigang Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- 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
| | - Yuqiong Li
- Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, 750002, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenhui Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- 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
| | - Nianzhang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- 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
| | - Joshua Seun Olajide
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China
- 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
| | - Xiaoyun Mi
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Animal Infectious Diseases, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830013, People's Republic of China.
| | - Baoquan Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730046, People's Republic of China.
- 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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3
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Rios KT, McGee JP, Sebastian A, Moritz RL, Feric M, Absalon S, Swearingen KE, Lindner SE. Global Release of Translational Repression Across Plasmodium's Host-to-Vector Transmission Event. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.01.577866. [PMID: 38352447 PMCID: PMC10862809 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.01.577866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Malaria parasites must be able to respond quickly to changes in their environment, including during their transmission between mammalian hosts and mosquito vectors. Therefore, before transmission, female gametocytes proactively produce and translationally repress mRNAs that encode essential proteins that the zygote requires to establish a new infection. This essential regulatory control requires the orthologues of DDX6 (DOZI), LSM14a (CITH), and ALBA proteins to form a translationally repressive complex in female gametocytes that associates with many of the affected mRNAs. However, while the release of translational repression of individual mRNAs has been documented, the details of the global release of translational repression have not. Moreover, the changes in spatial arrangement and composition of the DOZI/CITH/ALBA complex that contribute to translational control are also not known. Therefore, we have conducted the first quantitative, comparative transcriptomics and DIA-MS proteomics of Plasmodium parasites across the host-to-vector transmission event to document the global release of translational repression. Using female gametocytes and zygotes of P. yoelii, we found that nearly 200 transcripts are released for translation soon after fertilization, including those with essential functions for the zygote. However, we also observed that some transcripts remain repressed beyond this point. In addition, we have used TurboID-based proximity proteomics to interrogate the spatial and compositional changes in the DOZI/CITH/ALBA complex across this transmission event. Consistent with recent models of translational control, proteins that associate with either the 5' or 3' end of mRNAs are in close proximity to one another during translational repression in female gametocytes and then dissociate upon release of repression in zygotes. This observation is cross-validated for several protein colocalizations in female gametocytes via ultrastructure expansion microscopy and structured illumination microscopy. Moreover, DOZI exchanges its interaction from NOT1-G in female gametocytes to the canonical NOT1 in zygotes, providing a model for a trigger for the release of mRNAs from DOZI. Finally, unenriched phosphoproteomics revealed the modification of key translational control proteins in the zygote. Together, these data provide a model for the essential translational control mechanisms used by malaria parasites to promote their efficient transmission from their mammalian host to their mosquito vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly T. Rios
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - James P. McGee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | - Aswathy Sebastian
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
| | | | - Marina Feric
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | | | - Scott E. Lindner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Huck Center for Malaria Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
- Center for Eukaryotic Gene Regulation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802
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4
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Counihan NA, Chernih HC, de Koning-Ward TF. Post-translational lipid modifications in Plasmodium parasites. Curr Opin Microbiol 2022; 69:102196. [PMID: 36037636 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Most eukaryotic proteins undergo post-translational modifications (PTMs) that significantly alter protein properties, regulate diverse cellular processes and increase proteome complexity. Among these PTMs, lipidation plays a unique and key role in subcellular trafficking, signalling and membrane association of proteins through altering substrate function, and hydrophobicity via the addition and removal of lipid groups. Three prevalent classes of lipid modifications in Plasmodium parasites include prenylation, myristoylation, and palmitoylation that are important for regulating parasite-specific molecular processes. The enzymes that catalyse these lipid attachments have also been explored as potential drug targets for antimalarial development. In this review, we discuss these lipidation processes in Plasmodium spp. and the methodologies that have been used to identify these modifications in the deadliest species of malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. We also discuss the development status of inhibitors that block these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie A Counihan
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hope C Chernih
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tania F de Koning-Ward
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia; The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
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5
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Kehrer J, Formaglio P, Muthinja JM, Weber S, Baltissen D, Lance C, Ripp J, Grech J, Meissner M, Funaya C, Amino R, Frischknecht F. Plasmodium
sporozoite disintegration during skin passage limits malaria parasite transmission. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e54719. [PMID: 35403820 PMCID: PMC9253755 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202254719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During transmission of malaria‐causing parasites from mosquitoes to mammals, Plasmodium sporozoites migrate rapidly in the skin to search for a blood vessel. The high migratory speed and narrow passages taken by the parasites suggest considerable strain on the sporozoites to maintain their shape. Here, we show that the membrane‐associated protein, concavin, is important for the maintenance of the Plasmodium sporozoite shape inside salivary glands of mosquitoes and during migration in the skin. Concavin‐GFP localizes at the cytoplasmic periphery and concavin(−) sporozoites progressively round up upon entry of salivary glands. Rounded concavin(−) sporozoites fail to pass through the narrow salivary ducts and are rarely ejected by mosquitoes, while normally shaped concavin(−) sporozoites are transmitted. Strikingly, motile concavin(−) sporozoites disintegrate while migrating through the skin leading to parasite arrest or death and decreased transmission efficiency. Collectively, we suggest that concavin contributes to cell shape maintenance by riveting the plasma membrane to the subtending inner membrane complex. Interfering with cell shape maintenance pathways might hence provide a new strategy to prevent a malaria infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kehrer
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
- Infectious Diseases Imaging Platform Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Pauline Formaglio
- Malaria Infection and Immunity Unit Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors Institut Pasteur Paris France
| | - Julianne Mendi Muthinja
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Sebastian Weber
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany
| | - Danny Baltissen
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Christopher Lance
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Johanna Ripp
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
| | - Janessa Grech
- Experimental Parasitology Ludwig Maximilian University Munich Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
| | - Markus Meissner
- Experimental Parasitology Ludwig Maximilian University Munich Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
| | - Charlotta Funaya
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility Heidelberg University Heidelberg Germany
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Malaria Infection and Immunity Unit Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors Institut Pasteur Paris France
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology Center for Infectious Diseases Heidelberg University Medical School Heidelberg Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Heidelberg Heidelberg Germany
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6
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Qian P, Wang X, Zhong CQ, Wang J, Cai M, Nguitragool W, Li J, Cui H, Yuan J. Inner membrane complex proteomics reveals a palmitoylation regulation critical for intraerythrocytic development of malaria parasite. eLife 2022; 11:77447. [PMID: 35775739 PMCID: PMC9293000 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is caused by infection of the erythrocytes by the parasites Plasmodium. Inside the erythrocytes, the parasites multiply via schizogony, an unconventional cell division mode. The inner membrane complex (IMC), an organelle located beneath the parasite plasma membrane, serving as the platform for protein anchorage, is essential for schizogony. So far, the complete repertoire of IMC proteins and their localization determinants remain unclear. Here we used biotin ligase (TurboID)-based proximity labeling to compile the proteome of the schizont IMC of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii. In total, 300 TurboID-interacting proteins were identified. 18 of 21 selected candidates were confirmed to localize in the IMC, indicating good reliability. In light of the existing palmitome of Plasmodium falciparum, 83 proteins of the P. yoelii IMC proteome are potentially palmitoylated. We further identified DHHC2 as the major resident palmitoyl-acyl-transferase of the IMC. Depletion of DHHC2 led to defective schizont segmentation and growth arrest both in vitro and in vivo. DHHC2 was found to palmitoylate two critical IMC proteins CDPK1 and GAP45 for their IMC localization. In summary, this study reports an inventory of new IMC proteins and demonstrates a central role of DHHC2 in governing the IMC localization of proteins during the schizont development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengge Qian
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Chuan-Qi Zhong
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jiaxu Wang
- Xiamen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xiamen, China
| | - Mengya Cai
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jian Li
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huiting Cui
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Wang PP, Jiang X, Bai J, Yang F, Yu X, Wu Y, Zheng W, Zhang Y, Cui L, Liu F, Zhu X, Cao Y. Characterization of PSOP26 as an ookinete surface antigen with improved transmission-blocking activity when fused with PSOP25. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:175. [PMID: 35606790 PMCID: PMC9125894 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05294-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Plasmodium zygote-to-ookinete developmental transition is an essential step for establishing an infection in the mosquito vector, and antigens expressed during this stage are potential targets for transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs). The secreted ookinete protein 26 (PSOP26) is a newly identified ookinete surface protein. The anti-PSOP26 serum has moderate transmission-blocking activity, indicating the benefit of further investigating this protein as a target for TBVs. Methods The function of psop26 was analyzed by targeted gene disruption. A chimeric PSOP25-PSOP26 protein was expressed in the Escherichia coli system. The PSOP25-PSOP26 fusion protein, along with mixed (PSOP25 + PSOP26) or single proteins (PSOP26 or PSOP25), were used for the immunization of mice. The antibody titers and immunogenicity of individual sera were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and Western blot. The transmission-blocking activity of sera from different immunization schemes was assessed using in vitro and in vivo assays. Results PSOP26 is a surface protein expressed in Plasmodium gametes and ookinetes. The protein is dispensable for asexual blood-stage development, gametogenesis, and zygote formation, but is essential for the zygote-to-ookinete developmental transition. Specifically, both the prevalence of infections and oocyst densities were decreased in mosquitoes fed on psop26-null mutants. Mixtures of individual PSOP25 and PSOP26 fragments (PSOP25 + PSOP26), as well as chimeras (PSOP25-PSOP26), elicited high antibody levels in mice, with no immunological interference. Antisera against the mixed and fusion proteins elicited higher transmission-reducing activity (TRA) than antisera against the single PSOP26 antigen, but comparable to antisera against PSOP25 antigen alone. Conclusions PSOP26 plays a critical role in the zygote-to-ookinete developmental transition. PSOP25 is a promising TBV candidate that could be used alone to target the ookinete stage. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05294-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Peng Wang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Xuefeng Jiang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Jie Bai
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Xinxin Yu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Yudi Wu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China
| | - Wenqi Zheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolian Medical University, Inner Mongolia, Huhhot, 150000, China
| | - Yongzhe Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China.,Department of Nephrology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning, China
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 304, Tampa, FL, 33612-9415, USA
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China.
| | - Xiaotong Zhu
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China.
| | - Yaming Cao
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, Liaoning, China.
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8
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Blocking Palmitoylation of Toxoplasma gondii Myosin Light Chain 1 Disrupts Glideosome Composition but Has Little Impact on Parasite Motility. mSphere 2021; 6:6/3/e00823-20. [PMID: 34011689 PMCID: PMC8265671 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00823-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread apicomplexan parasite that causes severe disease in immunocompromised individuals and the developing fetus. Like other apicomplexans, T. gondii uses an unusual form of substrate-dependent gliding motility to invade cells of its hosts and to disseminate throughout the body during infection. It is well established that a myosin motor consisting of a class XIVa heavy chain (TgMyoA) and two light chains (TgMLC1 and TgELC1/2) plays an important role in parasite motility. The ability of the motor to generate force at the parasite periphery is thought to be reliant upon its anchoring and immobilization within a peripheral membrane-bound compartment, the inner membrane complex (IMC). The motor does not insert into the IMC directly; rather, this interaction is believed to be mediated by the binding of TgMLC1 to the IMC-anchored protein, TgGAP45. Therefore, the binding of TgMLC1 to TgGAP45 is considered a key element in the force transduction machinery of the parasite. TgMLC1 is palmitoylated, and we show here that palmitoylation occurs on two N-terminal cysteine residues, C8 and C11. Mutations that block TgMLC1 palmitoylation completely abrogate the binding of TgMLC1 to TgGAP45. Surprisingly, the loss of TgMLC1 binding to TgGAP45 in these mutant parasites has little effect on their ability to initiate or sustain movement. These results question a key tenet of the current model of apicomplexan motility and suggest that our understanding of gliding motility in this important group of human and animal pathogens is not yet complete. IMPORTANCE Gliding motility plays a central role in the life cycle of T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites. The myosin motor thought to power motility is essential for virulence but distinctly different from the myosins found in humans. Consequently, an understanding of the mechanism(s) underlying parasite motility and the role played by this unusual myosin may reveal points of vulnerability that can be targeted for disease prevention or treatment. We show here that mutations that uncouple the motor from what is thought to be a key structural component of the motility machinery have little impact on parasite motility. This finding runs counter to predictions of the current, widely held “linear motor” model of motility, highlighting the need for further studies to fully understand how apicomplexan parasites generate the forces necessary to move into, out of, and between cells of the hosts they infect.
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9
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Ukegbu CV, Christophides GK, Vlachou D. Identification of Three Novel Plasmodium Factors Involved in Ookinete to Oocyst Developmental Transition. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:634273. [PMID: 33791240 PMCID: PMC8005625 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.634273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a major cause of global morbidity and mortality, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. The numbers of new malaria cases and deaths have been stable in the last years despite intense efforts for disease elimination, highlighting the need for new approaches to stop disease transmission. Further understanding of the parasite transmission biology could provide a framework for the development of such approaches. We phenotypically and functionally characterized three novel genes, PIMMS01, PIMMS57, and PIMMS22, using targeted disruption of their orthologs in the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei. PIMMS01 and PIMMS57 are specifically and highly expressed in ookinetes, while PIMMS22 transcription starts already in gametocytes and peaks in sporozoites. All three genes show strong phenotypes associated with the ookinete to oocyst transition, as their disruption leads to very low numbers of oocysts and complete abolishment of transmission. PIMMS22 has a secondary essential function in the oocyst. Our results enrich the molecular understanding of the parasite-vector interactions and identify PIMMS01, PIMMS57, and PIMMS22 as new targets of transmission blocking interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiamaka V Ukegbu
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - George K Christophides
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Dina Vlachou
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
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10
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Ferreira JL, Heincke D, Wichers JS, Liffner B, Wilson DW, Gilberger TW. The Dynamic Roles of the Inner Membrane Complex in the Multiple Stages of the Malaria Parasite. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 10:611801. [PMID: 33489940 PMCID: PMC7820811 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.611801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites, such as human malaria parasites, have complex lifecycles encompassing multiple and diverse environmental niches. Invading, replicating, and escaping from different cell types, along with exploiting each intracellular niche, necessitate large and dynamic changes in parasite morphology and cellular architecture. The inner membrane complex (IMC) is a unique structural element that is intricately involved with these distinct morphological changes. The IMC is a double membrane organelle that forms de novo and is located beneath the plasma membrane of these single-celled organisms. In Plasmodium spp. parasites it has three major purposes: it confers stability and shape to the cell, functions as an important scaffolding compartment during the formation of daughter cells, and plays a major role in motility and invasion. Recent years have revealed greater insights into the architecture, protein composition and function of the IMC. Here, we discuss the multiple roles of the IMC in each parasite lifecycle stage as well as insights into its sub-compartmentalization, biogenesis, disassembly and regulation during stage conversion of P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie Liane Ferreira
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Heinrich Pette Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dorothee Heincke
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Stephan Wichers
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Liffner
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Danny W. Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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11
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Wang X, Qian P, Cui H, Yao L, Yuan J. A protein palmitoylation cascade regulates microtubule cytoskeleton integrity in Plasmodium. EMBO J 2020; 39:e104168. [PMID: 32395856 PMCID: PMC7327484 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019104168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphogenesis of many protozoans depends on a polarized establishment of cytoskeletal structures. In malaria-causing parasites, this can be observed when a round zygote develops into an elongated motile ookinete within the mosquito stomach. This morphogenesis is mediated by the pellicle cytoskeletal structures, including the inner membrane complex (IMC) and the underlying subpellicular microtubules (SPMs). How the parasite maintains the IMC-SPM connection and establishes a dome-like structure of SPM to support cell elongation is unclear. Here, we show that palmitoylation of N-terminal cysteines of two IMC proteins (ISP1/ISP3) regulates the IMC localization of ISP1/ISP3 and zygote-to-ookinete differentiation. Palmitoylation of ISP1/ISP3 is catalyzed by an IMC-residing palmitoyl-S-acyl-transferase (PAT) DHHC2. Surprisingly, DHHC2 undergoes self-palmitoylation at C-terminal cysteines via its PAT activity, which controls DHHC2 localization in IMC after zygote formation. IMC-anchored ISP1 and ISP3 interact with microtubule component β-tubulin, serving as tethers to maintain the proper structure of SPM during zygote elongation. This study identifies the first PAT-substrate pair in malaria parasites and uncovers a protein palmitoylation cascade regulating microtubule cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Pengge Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Huiting Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Luming Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signal Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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12
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Hopp CS, Bennett BL, Mishra S, Lehmann C, Hanson KK, Lin JW, Rousseau K, Carvalho FA, van der Linden WA, Santos NC, Bogyo M, Khan SM, Heussler V, Sinnis P. Deletion of the rodent malaria ortholog for falcipain-1 highlights differences between hepatic and blood stage merozoites. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006586. [PMID: 28922424 PMCID: PMC5602738 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteases have been implicated in a variety of developmental processes during the malaria parasite lifecycle. In particular, invasion and egress of the parasite from the infected hepatocyte and erythrocyte, critically depend on protease activity. Although falcipain-1 was the first cysteine protease to be characterized in P. falciparum, its role in the lifecycle of the parasite has been the subject of some controversy. While an inhibitor of falcipain-1 blocked erythrocyte invasion by merozoites, two independent studies showed that falcipain-1 disruption did not affect growth of blood stage parasites. To shed light on the role of this protease over the entire Plasmodium lifecycle, we disrupted berghepain-1, its ortholog in the rodent parasite P. berghei. We found that this mutant parasite displays a pronounced delay in blood stage infection after inoculation of sporozoites. Experiments designed to pinpoint the defect of berghepain-1 knockout parasites found that it was not due to alterations in gliding motility, hepatocyte invasion or liver stage development and that injection of berghepain-1 knockout merosomes replicated the phenotype of delayed blood stage growth after sporozoite inoculation. We identified an additional role for berghepain-1 in preparing blood stage merozoites for infection of erythrocytes and observed that berghepain-1 knockout parasites exhibit a reticulocyte restriction, suggesting that berghepain-1 activity broadens the erythrocyte repertoire of the parasite. The lack of berghepain-1 expression resulted in a greater reduction in erythrocyte infectivity in hepatocyte-derived merozoites than it did in erythrocyte-derived merozoites. These observations indicate a role for berghepain-1 in processing ligands important for merozoite infectivity and provide evidence supporting the notion that hepatic and erythrocytic merozoites, though structurally similar, are not identical. Malaria affects hundreds of millions of people and is the cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. Infection begins with the inoculation of sporozoites into the skin during the bite of an infected mosquito. Sporozoites subsequently travel to the liver, where they invade and replicate in hepatocytes, eventually releasing the stage of the parasite that is infectious for red blood cells, termed merozoites. Hepatic merozoites initiate blood stage infection, the stage that is responsible for the clinical symptoms of malaria. The blood stage of the parasite grows through repeated rounds of invasion, development and egress of blood stage merozoites, which then continue the cycle. Proteases are among the enzymes that are essential for parasite survival and their functions range from invasion of red blood cells, to the breakdown of red cell hemoglobin, to the release of parasites from red cells. As the function of the cysteine protease falcipain-1 in the lifecycle of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum remains poorly understood, we decided to study berghepain-1, the orthologue of the rodent malaria parasite P. berghei by generating a berghepain-1 deletion parasite. Using this mutant, we demonstrate that berghepain-1 has a critical role in both hepatic and erythrocytic merozoite infectivity. Little is known about differences between these two types of merozoites and our data leads us to conclude that these merozoites are not identical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine S. Hopp
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CSH); (BLB); (PS)
| | - Brandy L. Bennett
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CSH); (BLB); (PS)
| | - Satish Mishra
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Kirsten K. Hanson
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Jing-wen Lin
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden Malaria Research Group, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Kimberly Rousseau
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Filomena A. Carvalho
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Wouter A. van der Linden
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Nuno C. Santos
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Matthew Bogyo
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Shahid M. Khan
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden Malaria Research Group, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Volker Heussler
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Photini Sinnis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CSH); (BLB); (PS)
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13
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Protein S-palmitoylation in cellular differentiation. Biochem Soc Trans 2017; 45:275-285. [PMID: 28202682 PMCID: PMC5310721 DOI: 10.1042/bst20160236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Reversible protein S-palmitoylation confers spatiotemporal control of protein function by modulating protein stability, trafficking and activity, as well as protein-protein and membrane-protein associations. Enabled by technological advances, global studies revealed S-palmitoylation to be an important and pervasive posttranslational modification in eukaryotes with the potential to coordinate diverse biological processes as cells transition from one state to another. Here, we review the strategies and tools to analyze in vivo protein palmitoylation and interrogate the functions of the enzymes that put on and take off palmitate from proteins. We also highlight palmitoyl proteins and palmitoylation-related enzymes that are associated with cellular differentiation and/or tissue development in yeasts, protozoa, mammals, plants and other model eukaryotes.
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14
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Brown RWB, Sharma AI, Engman DM. Dynamic protein S-palmitoylation mediates parasite life cycle progression and diverse mechanisms of virulence. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2017; 52:145-162. [PMID: 28228066 PMCID: PMC5560270 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2017.1287161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic parasites possess complex life cycles and utilize an assortment of molecular mechanisms to overcome physical barriers, suppress and/or bypass the host immune response, including invading host cells where they can replicate in a protected intracellular niche. Protein S-palmitoylation is a dynamic post-translational modification in which the fatty acid palmitate is covalently linked to cysteine residues on proteins by the enzyme palmitoyl acyltransferase (PAT) and can be removed by lysosomal palmitoyl-protein thioesterase (PPT) or cytosolic acyl-protein thioesterase (APT). In addition to anchoring proteins to intracellular membranes, functions of dynamic palmitoylation include - targeting proteins to specific intracellular compartments via trafficking pathways, regulating the cycling of proteins between membranes, modulating protein function and regulating protein stability. Recent studies in the eukaryotic parasites - Plasmodium falciparum, Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma brucei, Cryptococcus neoformans and Giardia lamblia - have identified large families of PATs and palmitoylated proteins. Many palmitoylated proteins are important for diverse aspects of pathogenesis, including differentiation into infective life cycle stages, biogenesis and tethering of secretory organelles, assembling the machinery powering motility and targeting virulence factors to the plasma membrane. This review aims to summarize our current knowledge of palmitoylation in eukaryotic parasites, highlighting five exemplary mechanisms of parasite virulence dependent on palmitoylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W B Brown
- a Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine , Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , Los Angeles , CA , USA
| | - Aabha I Sharma
- b Departments of Pathology and Microbiology-Immunology , Northwestern University , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - David M Engman
- a Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine , Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , Los Angeles , CA , USA
- b Departments of Pathology and Microbiology-Immunology , Northwestern University , Chicago , IL , USA
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15
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New developments in probing and targeting protein acylation in malaria, leishmaniasis and African sleeping sickness. Parasitology 2017; 145:157-174. [PMID: 28270257 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017000282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Infections by protozoan parasites, such as Plasmodium falciparum or Leishmania donovani, have a significant health, social and economic impact and threaten billions of people living in tropical and sub-tropical regions of developing countries worldwide. The increasing range of parasite strains resistant to frontline therapeutics makes the identification of novel drug targets and the development of corresponding inhibitors vital. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are important modulators of biology and inhibition of protein lipidation has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for treatment of parasitic diseases. In this review we summarize the latest insights into protein lipidation in protozoan parasites. We discuss how recent chemical proteomic approaches have delivered the first global overviews of protein lipidation in these organisms, contributing to our understanding of the role of this PTM in critical metabolic and cellular functions. Additionally, we highlight the development of new small molecule inhibitors to target parasite acyl transferases.
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16
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Tremp AZ, Al-Khattaf FS, Dessens JT. Palmitoylation of Plasmodium alveolins promotes cytoskeletal function. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2017; 213:16-21. [PMID: 28223095 PMCID: PMC5388192 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2017.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The alveolin IMC1c is palmitoylated on a conserved cysteine motif. Non-palmitoylated IMC1c exhibits normal stability and trafficking. Palmitoylation of Plasmodium alveolins enhances tensile strength.
S-palmitoylation is a post-translational lipid modification that is widespread among Plasmodium proteins and essential for parasite development. Little is known about the contribution of palmitoylation to the function of individual parasite molecules and structures. Alveolins are major components of the subpellicular network (SPN), a cortical cytoskeleton primarily involved in providing mechanical strength to the cell. We show here that the alveolin IMC1c is palmitoylated on a conserved cysteine motif, and that non-palmitoylated IMC1c displays normal expression, stability and trafficking. However, mutant parasites exhibit reduced osmotic stress resistance and tensile strength. These findings support the hypothesis that alveolin palmitoylation enhances cytoskeletal function by strengthening the connection between the SPN and the adjoining inner membrane complex via lipid anchoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Z Tremp
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Fatimah S Al-Khattaf
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Johannes T Dessens
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
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