1
|
Pasupureddy R, Verma S, Goyal B, Pant A, Sharma R, Bhatt S, Vashisht K, Singh S, Saxena AK, Dixit R, Chakraborti S, Pandey KC. Understanding the complex formation of falstatin; an endogenous macromolecular inhibitor of falcipains. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 265:130420. [PMID: 38460641 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130420] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Proteolytic activity constitutes a fundamental process essential for the survival of the malaria parasite and is thus highly regulated. Falstatin, a protease inhibitor of Plasmodium falciparum, tightly regulates the activity of cysteine hemoglobinases, falcipain-2 and 3 (FP2, FP3), by inhibiting FP2 through a single surface exposed loop. However, the multimeric nature of falstatin and its interaction with FP2 remained unexplored. Here we report that the N-terminal falstatin region is highly disordered, and needs chaperone activity (heat-shock protein 70, HSP70) for its folding. Protein-protein interaction assays showed a significant interaction between falstatin and HSP70. Further, characterization of the falstatin multimer through a series of biophysical techniques identified the formation of a falstatin decamer, which was extremely thermostable. Computational analysis of the falstatin decamer showed the presence of five falstatin dimers, with each dimer aligned in a head-to-tail orientation. Further, the falstatin C-terminal region was revealed to be primarily involved in the oligomerization process. Stoichiometric analysis of the FP2-falstatin multimer showed the formation of a heterooligomeric complex in a 1:1 ratio, with the participation of ten subunits of each protein. Taken together, our results report a novel protease-inhibitor complex and strengthens our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of major plasmodium hemoglobinases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Pasupureddy
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India.
| | - Sonia Verma
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Department of Biotechnology, Noida Institute of Engineering & Technology, UP, India
| | - Bharti Goyal
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP, India
| | - Akansha Pant
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Ruby Sharma
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Shruti Bhatt
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India.
| | - Kapil Vashisht
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Shailja Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
| | - Ajay K Saxena
- School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
| | - Rajnikant Dixit
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP, India.
| | - Soumyananda Chakraborti
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP, India.
| | - Kailash C Pandey
- Parasite-Host Biology Group, ICMR National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, UP, India.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Andradi-Brown C, Wichers-Misterek JS, von Thien H, Höppner YD, Scholz JAM, Hansson H, Filtenborg Hocke E, Gilberger TW, Duffy MF, Lavstsen T, Baum J, Otto TD, Cunnington AJ, Bachmann A. A novel computational pipeline for var gene expression augments the discovery of changes in the Plasmodium falciparum transcriptome during transition from in vivo to short-term in vitro culture. eLife 2024; 12:RP87726. [PMID: 38270586 PMCID: PMC10945709 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria involves cytoadhesive microvascular sequestration of infected erythrocytes, mediated by P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). PfEMP1 variants are encoded by the highly polymorphic family of var genes, the sequences of which are largely unknown in clinical samples. Previously, we published new approaches for var gene profiling and classification of predicted binding phenotypes in clinical P. falciparum isolates (Wichers et al., 2021), which represented a major technical advance. Building on this, we report here a novel method for var gene assembly and multidimensional quantification from RNA-sequencing that outperforms the earlier approach of Wichers et al., 2021, on both laboratory and clinical isolates across a combination of metrics. Importantly, the tool can interrogate the var transcriptome in context with the rest of the transcriptome and can be applied to enhance our understanding of the role of var genes in malaria pathogenesis. We applied this new method to investigate changes in var gene expression through early transition of parasite isolates to in vitro culture, using paired sets of ex vivo samples from our previous study, cultured for up to three generations. In parallel, changes in non-polymorphic core gene expression were investigated. Modest but unpredictable var gene switching and convergence towards var2csa were observed in culture, along with differential expression of 19% of the core transcriptome between paired ex vivo and generation 1 samples. Our results cast doubt on the validity of the common practice of using short-term cultured parasites to make inferences about in vivo phenotype and behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clare Andradi-Brown
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South KensingtonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jan Stephan Wichers-Misterek
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-StrasseHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Heidrun von Thien
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-StrasseHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Yannick D Höppner
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-StrasseHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Judith AM Scholz
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-StrasseHamburgGermany
| | - Helle Hansson
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University HospitalCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Emma Filtenborg Hocke
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University HospitalCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Tim Wolf Gilberger
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-StrasseHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Michael F Duffy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Thomas Lavstsen
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University HospitalCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South KensingtonLondonUnited Kingdom
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health, UNSW, KensingtonSydneyUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas D Otto
- School of Infection & Immunity, MVLS, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | - Aubrey J Cunnington
- Section of Paediatric Infectious Disease, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Paediatrics and Child Health, Imperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-StrasseHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-RiemsHamburgGermany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lawrence M, Khurana J, Gupta A. Identification, characterization, and CADD analysis of Plasmodium DMAP1 reveals it as a potential molecular target for new anti-malarial discovery. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38217317 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2302923] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Developing drug resistance in the malaria parasite is a reason for apprehension compelling the scientific community to focus on identifying new molecular targets that can be exploited for developing new anti-malarial compounds. Despite the availability of the Plasmodium genome, many protein-coding genes in Plasmodium are still not characterized or very less information is available about their functions. DMAP1 protein is known to be essential for growth and plays an important role in maintaining genomic integrity and transcriptional repression in vertebrate organisms. In this study, we have identified a homolog of DMAP1 in P. falciparum. Our sequence and structural analysis showed that although PfDMAP1 possesses a conserved SANT domain, parasite protein displays significant structural dissimilarities from human homolog at full-length protein level as well as within its SANT domain. PPIN analysis of PfDMAP1 revealed it to be vital for parasite and virtual High-throughput screening of various pharmacophore libraries using BIOVIA platform-identified compounds that pass ADMET profiling and showed specific binding with PfDMAP1. Based on MD simulations and protein-ligand interaction studies two best hits were identified that could be novel potent inhibitors of PfDMAP1 protein.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Merlyne Lawrence
- Epigenetics and Human Disease Laboratory, Centre of Excellence in Epigenetics, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Deemed to be University, Delhi, NCR, India
| | - Juhi Khurana
- Epigenetics and Human Disease Laboratory, Centre of Excellence in Epigenetics, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Deemed to be University, Delhi, NCR, India
| | - Ashish Gupta
- Epigenetics and Human Disease Laboratory, Centre of Excellence in Epigenetics, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Deemed to be University, Delhi, NCR, India
- SNU-Dassault Centre of Excellence, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Deemed to be University, Delhi, NCR, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Schmidt S, Wichers-Misterek JS, Behrens HM, Birnbaum J, Henshall IG, Dröge J, Jonscher E, Flemming S, Castro-Peña C, Mesén-Ramírez P, Spielmann T. The Kelch13 compartment contains highly divergent vesicle trafficking proteins in malaria parasites. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011814. [PMID: 38039338 PMCID: PMC10718435 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Single amino acid changes in the parasite protein Kelch13 (K13) result in reduced susceptibility of P. falciparum parasites to artemisinin and its derivatives (ART). Recent work indicated that K13 and other proteins co-localising with K13 (K13 compartment proteins) are involved in the endocytic uptake of host cell cytosol (HCCU) and that a reduction in HCCU results in reduced susceptibility to ART. HCCU is critical for parasite survival but is poorly understood, with the K13 compartment proteins among the few proteins so far functionally linked to this process. Here we further defined the composition of the K13 compartment by analysing more hits from a previous BioID, showing that MyoF and MCA2 as well as Kelch13 interaction candidate (KIC) 11 and 12 are found at this site. Functional analyses, tests for ART susceptibility as well as comparisons of structural similarities using AlphaFold2 predictions of these and previously identified proteins showed that vesicle trafficking and endocytosis domains were frequent in proteins involved in resistance or endocytosis (or both), comprising one group of K13 compartment proteins. While this strengthened the link of the K13 compartment to endocytosis, many proteins of this group showed unusual domain combinations and large parasite-specific regions, indicating a high level of taxon-specific adaptation of this process. Another group of K13 compartment proteins did not influence endocytosis or ART susceptibility and lacked detectable vesicle trafficking domains. We here identified the first protein of this group that is important for asexual blood stage development and showed that it likely is involved in invasion. Overall, this work identified novel proteins functioning in endocytosis and at the K13 compartment. Together with comparisons of structural predictions it provides a repertoire of functional domains at the K13 compartment that indicate a high level of adaption of endocytosis in malaria parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Schmidt
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Jakob Birnbaum
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Jana Dröge
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ernst Jonscher
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sven Flemming
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Tobias Spielmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum, the human malaria parasite, infects two hosts and various cell types, inducing distinct morphological and physiological changes in the parasite in response to different environmental conditions. These variations required the parasite to adapt and develop elaborate molecular mechanisms to ensure its spread and transmission. Recent findings have significantly improved our understanding of the regulation of gene expression in P. falciparum. Here, we provide an up-to-date overview of technologies used to highlight the transcriptomic adjustments occurring in the parasite throughout its life cycle. We also emphasize the complementary and complex epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression in malaria parasites. This review concludes with an outlook on the chromatin architecture, the remodeling systems, and how this 3D genome organization is critical in various biological processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hollin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA;
| | - Zeinab Chahine
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA;
| | - Karine G Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Burda PC, Ramaprasad A, Bielfeld S, Pietsch E, Woitalla A, Söhnchen C, Singh MN, Strauss J, Sait A, Collinson LM, Schwudke D, Blackman MJ, Gilberger TW. Global analysis of putative phospholipases in Plasmodium falciparum reveals an essential role of the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C in parasite maturation. mBio 2023; 14:e0141323. [PMID: 37489900 PMCID: PMC10470789 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01413-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
For its replication within red blood cells, the malaria parasite depends on a highly active and regulated lipid metabolism. Enzymes involved in lipid metabolic processes such as phospholipases are, therefore, potential drug targets. Here, using reverse genetics approaches, we show that only 1 out of the 19 putative phospholipases expressed in asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum is essential for proliferation in vitro, pointing toward a high level of redundancy among members of this enzyme family. Using conditional mislocalization and gene disruption techniques, we show that this essential phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC, PF3D7_1013500) has a previously unrecognized essential role during intracellular parasite maturation, long before its previously perceived role in parasite egress and invasion. Subsequent lipidomic analysis suggests that PI-PLC mediates cleavage of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate (PIP2) in schizont-stage parasites, underlining its critical role in regulating phosphoinositide levels in the parasite. IMPORTANCE The clinical symptoms of malaria arise due to repeated rounds of replication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells (RBCs). Central to this is an intense period of membrane biogenesis. Generation of membranes not only requires de novo synthesis and acquisition but also the degradation of phospholipids, a function that is performed by phospholipases. In this study, we investigate the essentiality of the 19 putative phospholipase enzymes that the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum expresses during its replication within RBCs. We not only show that a high level of functional redundancy exists among these enzymes but, at the same time, also identify an essential role for the phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C in parasite development and cleavage of the phospholipid phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sabrina Bielfeld
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Woitalla
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Christoph Söhnchen
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mehar Nihal Singh
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Strauss
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aaron Sait
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy M. Collinson
- Electron Microscopy Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dominik Schwudke
- Division of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Thematic Translational Unit Tuberculosis, Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Borstel, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Airway Research Center North (ARCN), Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center, Borstel, Germany
| | - Michael J. Blackman
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wichers-Misterek JS, Krumkamp R, Held J, von Thien H, Wittmann I, Höppner YD, Ruge JM, Moser K, Dara A, Strauss J, Esen M, Fendel R, Sulyok Z, Jeninga MD, Kremsner PG, Sim BKL, Hoffman SL, Duffy MF, Otto TD, Gilberger TW, Silva JC, Mordmüller B, Petter M, Bachmann A. The exception that proves the rule: Virulence gene expression at the onset of Plasmodium falciparum blood stage infections. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011468. [PMID: 37384799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Controlled human malaria infections (CHMI) are a valuable tool to study parasite gene expression in vivo under defined conditions. In previous studies, virulence gene expression was analyzed in samples from volunteers infected with the Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) NF54 isolate, which is of African origin. Here, we provide an in-depth investigation of parasite virulence gene expression in malaria-naïve European volunteers undergoing CHMI with the genetically distinct Pf 7G8 clone, originating in Brazil. Differential expression of var genes, encoding major virulence factors of Pf, PfEMP1s, was assessed in ex vivo parasite samples as well as in parasites from the in vitro cell bank culture that was used to generate the sporozoites (SPZ) for CHMI (Sanaria PfSPZ Challenge (7G8)). We report broad activation of mainly B-type subtelomeric located var genes at the onset of a 7G8 blood stage infection in naïve volunteers, mirroring the NF54 expression study and suggesting that the expression of virulence-associated genes is generally reset during transmission from the mosquito to the human host. However, in 7G8 parasites, we additionally detected a continuously expressed single C-type variant, Pf7G8_040025600, that was most highly expressed in both pre-mosquito cell bank and volunteer samples, suggesting that 7G8, unlike NF54, maintains expression of some previously expressed var variants during transmission. This suggests that in a new host, the parasite may preferentially express the variants that previously allowed successful infection and transmission. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov - NCT02704533; 2018-004523-36.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Stephan Wichers-Misterek
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Krumkamp
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Hamburg/Borstel/Lübeck/Riems, Germany
| | - Jana Held
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Heidrun von Thien
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Irene Wittmann
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yannick Daniel Höppner
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Hamburg/Borstel/Lübeck/Riems, Germany
| | - Julia M Ruge
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Hamburg/Borstel/Lübeck/Riems, Germany
| | - Kara Moser
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Antoine Dara
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jan Strauss
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Meral Esen
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence: EXC 2124: Controlling Microbes to Fight Infection, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rolf Fendel
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Zita Sulyok
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Myriam D Jeninga
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter G Kremsner
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - B Kim Lee Sim
- Sanaria Inc., Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Michael F Duffy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thomas D Otto
- School of Infection & Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Joana C Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, UNL, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Benjamin Mordmüller
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michaela Petter
- Institute of Microbiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Hamburg/Borstel/Lübeck/Riems, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Aghabi D, Sloan M, Gill G, Hartmann E, Antipova O, Dou Z, Guerra AJ, Carruthers VB, Harding CR. The vacuolar iron transporter mediates iron detoxification in Toxoplasma gondii. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3659. [PMID: 37339985 PMCID: PMC10281983 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39436-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is essential to cells as a cofactor in enzymes of respiration and replication, however without correct storage, iron leads to the formation of dangerous oxygen radicals. In yeast and plants, iron is transported into a membrane-bound vacuole by the vacuolar iron transporter (VIT). This transporter is conserved in the apicomplexan family of obligate intracellular parasites, including in Toxoplasma gondii. Here, we assess the role of VIT and iron storage in T. gondii. By deleting VIT, we find a slight growth defect in vitro, and iron hypersensitivity, confirming its essential role in parasite iron detoxification, which can be rescued by scavenging of oxygen radicals. We show VIT expression is regulated by iron at transcript and protein levels, and by altering VIT localization. In the absence of VIT, T. gondii responds by altering expression of iron metabolism genes and by increasing antioxidant protein catalase activity. We also show that iron detoxification has an important role both in parasite survival within macrophages and in virulence in a mouse model. Together, by demonstrating a critical role for VIT during iron detoxification in T. gondii, we reveal the importance of iron storage in the parasite and provide the first insight into the machinery involved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dana Aghabi
- Wellcome Centre of Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Megan Sloan
- Wellcome Centre of Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Grace Gill
- Wellcome Centre of Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Elena Hartmann
- Wellcome Centre of Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Olga Antipova
- X-Ray Sciences Division, Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, USA
| | - Zhicheng Dou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Alfredo J Guerra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Cayman Chemical Company, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vern B Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Clare R Harding
- Wellcome Centre of Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Reers AB, Bautista R, McLellan J, Morales B, Garza R, Bol S, Hanson KK, Bunnik EM. Histone modification analysis reveals common regulators of gene expression in liver and blood stage merozoites of Plasmodium parasites. Epigenetics Chromatin 2023; 16:25. [PMID: 37322481 PMCID: PMC10268464 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-023-00500-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene expression in malaria parasites is subject to various layers of regulation, including histone post-translational modifications (PTMs). Gene regulatory mechanisms have been extensively studied during the main developmental stages of Plasmodium parasites inside erythrocytes, from the ring stage following invasion to the schizont stage leading up to egress. However, gene regulation in merozoites that mediate the transition from one host cell to the next is an understudied area of parasite biology. Here, we sought to characterize gene expression and the corresponding histone PTM landscape during this stage of the parasite lifecycle through RNA-seq and ChIP-seq on P. falciparum blood stage schizonts, merozoites, and rings, as well as P. berghei liver stage merozoites. In both hepatic and erythrocytic merozoites, we identified a subset of genes with a unique histone PTM profile characterized by a region of H3K4me3 depletion in their promoter. These genes were upregulated in hepatic and erythrocytic merozoites and rings, had roles in protein export, translation, and host cell remodeling, and shared a DNA motif. These results indicate that similar regulatory mechanisms may underlie merozoite formation in the liver and blood stages. We also observed that H3K4me2 was deposited in gene bodies of gene families encoding variant surface antigens in erythrocytic merozoites, which may facilitate switching of gene expression between different members of these families. Finally, H3K18me and H2K27me were uncoupled from gene expression and were enriched around the centromeres in erythrocytic schizonts and merozoites, suggesting potential roles in the maintenance of chromosomal organization during schizogony. Together, our results demonstrate that extensive changes in gene expression and histone landscape occur during the schizont-to-ring transition to facilitate productive erythrocyte infection. The dynamic remodeling of the transcriptional program in hepatic and erythrocytic merozoites makes this stage attractive as a target for novel anti-malarial drugs that may have activity against both the liver and blood stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley B Reers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Rodriel Bautista
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - James McLellan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Beatriz Morales
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Rolando Garza
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sebastiaan Bol
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kirsten K Hanson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Evelien M Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wichers-Misterek JS, Binder AM, Mesén-Ramírez P, Dorner LP, Safavi S, Fuchs G, Lenz TL, Bachmann A, Wilson D, Frischknecht F, Gilberger TW. A Microtubule-Associated Protein Is Essential for Malaria Parasite Transmission. mBio 2023; 14:e0331822. [PMID: 36625655 PMCID: PMC9973338 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03318-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Mature gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum display a banana (falciform) shape conferred by a complex array of subpellicular microtubules (SPMT) associated with the inner membrane complex (IMC). Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) define MT populations and modulate interaction with pellicular components. Several MAPs have been identified in Toxoplasma gondii, and homologues can be found in the genomes of Plasmodium species, but the function of these proteins for asexual and sexual development of malaria parasites is still unknown. Here, we identified a novel subpellicular MAP, termed SPM3, that is conserved within the genus Plasmodium, especially within the subgenus Laverania, but absent in other Apicomplexa. Conditional knockdown and targeted gene disruption of Pfspm3 in Plasmodium falciparum cause severe morphological defects during gametocytogenesis, leading to round, nonfalciform gametocytes with an aberrant SPMT pattern. In contrast, Pbspm3 knockout in Plasmodium berghei, a species with round gametocytes, caused no defect in gametocytogenesis, but sporozoites displayed an aberrant motility and a dramatic defect in invasion of salivary glands, leading to a decreased efficiency in transmission. Electron microscopy revealed a dissociation of the SPMT from the IMC in Pbspm3 knockout parasites, suggesting a function of SPM3 in anchoring MTs to the IMC. Overall, our results highlight SPM3 as a pellicular component with essential functions for malaria parasite transmission. IMPORTANCE A key structural feature driving the transition between different life cycle stages of the malaria parasite is the unique three-membrane pellicle, consisting of the parasite plasma membrane (PPM) and a double membrane structure underlying the PPM termed the inner membrane complex (IMC). Additionally, there are numerous linearly arranged intramembranous particles (IMPs) linked to the IMC, which likely link the IMC to the subpellicular microtubule cytoskeleton. Here, we identified, localized, and characterized a novel subpellicular microtubule-associated protein unique to the genus Plasmodium. The knockout of this protein in the human-pathogenic species P. falciparum resulted in malformed gametocytes and aberrant microtubules. We confirmed the microtubule association in the P. berghei rodent malaria homologue and show that its knockout results in a perturbed microtubule architecture, aberrant sporozoite motility, and decreased transmission efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Stephan Wichers-Misterek
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Annika M. Binder
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paolo Mesén-Ramírez
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lilian Patrick Dorner
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Soraya Safavi
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gwendolin Fuchs
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias L. Lenz
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Unit for Evolutionary Immunogenomics, Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kimmel J, Schmitt M, Sinner A, Jansen PWTC, Mainye S, Ramón-Zamorano G, Toenhake CG, Wichers-Misterek JS, Cronshagen J, Sabitzki R, Mesén-Ramírez P, Behrens HM, Bártfai R, Spielmann T. Gene-by-gene screen of the unknown proteins encoded on Plasmodium falciparum chromosome 3. Cell Syst 2023; 14:9-23.e7. [PMID: 36657393 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.12.001] [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: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Taxon-specific proteins are key determinants defining the biology of all organisms and represent prime drug targets in pathogens. However, lacking comparability with proteins in other lineages makes them particularly difficult to study. In malaria parasites, this is exacerbated by technical limitations. Here, we analyzed the cellular location, essentiality, function, and, in selected cases, interactome of all unknown non-secretory proteins encoded on an entire P. falciparum chromosome. The nucleus was the most common localization, indicating that it is a hotspot of parasite-specific biology. More in-depth functional studies with four proteins revealed essential roles in DNA replication and mitosis. The mitosis proteins defined a possible orphan complex and a highly diverged complex needed for spindle-kinetochore connection. Structure-function comparisons indicated that the taxon-specific proteins evolved by different mechanisms. This work demonstrates the feasibility of gene-by-gene screens to elucidate the biology of malaria parasites and reveal critical parasite-specific processes of interest as drug targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kimmel
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marius Schmitt
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexej Sinner
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Sheila Mainye
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gala Ramón-Zamorano
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christa Geeke Toenhake
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jakob Cronshagen
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ricarda Sabitzki
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paolo Mesén-Ramírez
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Michaela Behrens
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Richárd Bártfai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Tobias Spielmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Balbin JM, Heinemann GK, Yeoh LM, Gilberger TW, Armstrong M, Duffy MF, Gilson PR, Wilson DW. Characterisation of PfCZIF1 and PfCZIF2 in Plasmodium falciparum asexual stages. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:27-41. [PMID: 36400305 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum exerts strong temporal control of gene expression across its lifecycle. Proteins expressed exclusively during late schizogony of blood stages, for example, often have a role in facilitating merozoite invasion of the host red blood cell (RBC), through merozoite development, egress, invasion or early establishment of infection in the RBC. Here, we characterise P. falciparum C3H1 zinc finger 1 (PfCZIF1, Pf3D7_1468400) and P. falciparum C3H1 zinc finger 2 (PfCZIF2, Pf3D7_0818100) which we identified as the only C3H1-type zinc finger proteins with peak expression at schizogony. Previous studies reported that antibodies against PfCZIF1 inhibit merozoite invasion, suggesting this protein may have a potential role during RBC invasion. We show using C-terminal truncations and gene knockouts of each of Pfczif1 and Pfczif2 that neither are essential for blood stage growth. However, they could not both be knocked out simultaneously, suggesting that at least one is needed for parasite growth in vitro. Immunofluorescence localisation of PfCZIF1 and PfCZIF2 indicated that both proteins occur in discrete foci on the periphery of the parasite's cytosol and biochemical assays suggest they are peripherally associated to a membrane. Transcriptomic analyses for the C-terminal truncation mutants reveal no significant expression perturbations with PfCZIF1 truncation. However, modification of PfCZIF2 appears to modify the expression for some exported proteins including PfKAHRP. This study does not support a role for PfCZIF1 or PfCZIF2 in merozoite invasion of the RBC and suggests that these proteins may help regulate the expression of proteins exported into the RBC cytosol after merozoite invasion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan M Balbin
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia. https://twitter.com/jmiguel_balbin
| | - Gary K Heinemann
- Experimental Therapeutics Laboratory, Clinical and Health Science Unit, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Lee M Yeoh
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne 3004, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Michael F Duffy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul R Gilson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne 3004, Victoria, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia; Burnet Institute, Melbourne 3004, Victoria, Australia; Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), University of Adelaide, 5005 SA, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Duffy MF, Tonkin-Hill GQ, Trianty L, Noviyanti R, Nguyen HHT, Rambhatla JS, McConville MJ, Rogerson SJ, Brown GV, Price RN, Anstey NM, Day KP, Papenfuss AT. Relationship of circulating Plasmodium falciparum lifecycle stage to circulating parasitemia and total parasite biomass. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5557. [PMID: 36151085 PMCID: PMC9508081 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32996-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Duffy
- Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | | | - Leily Trianty
- The Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Hanh H T Nguyen
- Department of Medicine and Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Janavi S Rambhatla
- Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medicine and Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Malcolm J McConville
- Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephen J Rogerson
- Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medicine and Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Graham V Brown
- The Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ric N Price
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas M Anstey
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia
| | - Karen P Day
- Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony T Papenfuss
- Bioinformatics Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Functional inactivation of Plasmodium falciparum glycogen synthase kinase GSK3 modulates erythrocyte invasion and blocks gametocyte maturation. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102360. [PMID: 35961464 PMCID: PMC9478393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. The lack of an effective vaccine and the global spread of multidrug resistant parasites hampers the fight against the disease and underlines the need for new antimalarial drugs. Central to the pathogenesis of malaria is the proliferation of Plasmodium parasites within human erythrocytes. Parasites invade erythrocytes via a coordinated sequence of receptor–ligand interactions between the parasite and the host cell. Posttranslational modifications such as protein phosphorylation are known to be key regulators in this process and are mediated by protein kinases. For several parasite kinases, including the Plasmodium falciparum glycogen synthase kinase 3 (PfGSK3), inhibitors have been shown to block erythrocyte invasion. Here, we provide an assessment of PfGSK3 function by reverse genetics. Using targeted gene disruption, we show the active gene copy, PfGSK3β, is not essential for asexual blood stage proliferation, although it modulates efficient erythrocyte invasion. We found functional inactivation leads to a 69% decreased growth rate and confirmed this growth defect by rescue experiments with wildtype and catalytically inactive mutants. Functional knockout of PfGSK3β does not lead to transcriptional upregulation of the second copy of PfGSK3. We further analyze expression, localization, and function of PfGSK3β during gametocytogenesis using a parasite line allowing conditional induction of sexual commitment. We demonstrate PfGSK3β-deficient gametocytes show a strikingly malformed morphology leading to the death of parasites in later stages of gametocyte development. Taken together, these findings are important for our understanding and the development of PfGSK3 as an antimalarial target.
Collapse
|
15
|
Kubota R, Ishino T, Iwanaga S, Shinzawa N. Evaluation of the Effect of Gene Duplication by Genome Editing on Drug Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:915656. [PMID: 35865822 PMCID: PMC9294729 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.915656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and spread of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum have compromised antimalarial efficacy and threatened the global malaria elimination campaign using artemisinin combination therapies. The impacts of amino acid substitutions in antimalarial drug resistance-associated genes on drug susceptibility have been investigated; however, the effects of amplification of those genes remain unexplored due to the lack of robust genetic approaches. Here, we generated transgenic P. falciparum parasites with an additional copy of a drug resistance-associated gene using the highly efficient CRISPR/Cas9 system and investigated their drug response. Insertion of a drug resistance-associated gene expression cassette in the genome resulted in a roughly twofold increase of mRNA levels of the target gene mdr1, which encodes multidrug resistance protein 1. The gene duplication event contributed to resistance to mefloquine, lumefantrine, and dihydroartemisinin, while the duplication of a genomic region encoding plasmepsin 2 and plasmepsin 3 did not affect resistance to antimalarial drugs, including piperaquine. We further demonstrated that mdr1 mRNA expression levels are strongly associated with mefloquine resistance in several field-derived P. falciparum lines with various genetic backgrounds. This study provides compelling evidence that mdr1 could serve as a molecular marker for the surveillance of mefloquine-resistant parasites. Long DNA integration into parasite genomes using the CRISPR/Cas9 system provides a useful tool for the evaluation of the effect of copy number variation on drug response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rie Kubota
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ishino
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shiroh Iwanaga
- Department of Molecular Protozoology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Naoaki Shinzawa
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Naoaki Shinzawa,
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sakoguchi A, Arase H. Mechanisms for Host Immune Evasion Mediated by Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocyte Surface Antigens. Front Immunol 2022; 13:901864. [PMID: 35784341 PMCID: PMC9240312 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.901864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum infection causes the most severe form of malaria. It has been hypothesized that P. falciparum directly suppresses host immune responses because sufficient acquired immunity is often not induced even by repeated P. falciparum infections in malaria-endemic areas. It is known that many kinds of P. falciparum-derived proteins are expressed on the surface of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IEs), and these proteins have long been thought to be a key to the elucidation of the host immune evasion mechanisms. Our recent studies have revealed that the P. falciparum-derived erythrocyte surface antigen, RIFIN, the largest multiple gene family protein in the P. falciparum genome, suppresses host immune cell activation through direct interaction with human inhibitory immune receptors. In this review, we will discuss the molecular mechanisms for host immune evasion by P. falciparum-infected erythrocyte surface antigens. In addition, we will discuss the recently identified host immune response to P. falciparum using specialized antibodies that target host-P. falciparum-derived molecule interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akihito Sakoguchi
- Department of Molecular Protozoology, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Hisashi Arase
- Department of Immunochemistry, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Laboratory of Immunochemistry, WPI Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- *Correspondence: Hisashi Arase,
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Rehn T, Lubiana P, Nguyen THT, Pansegrau E, Schmitt M, Roth LK, Brehmer J, Roeder T, Cadar D, Metwally NG, Bruchhaus I. Ectopic Expression of Plasmodium vivax vir Genes in P. falciparum Affects Cytoadhesion via Increased Expression of Specific var Genes. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061183. [PMID: 35744701 PMCID: PMC9230084 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (PfIEs) adhere to endothelial cell receptors (ECRs) of blood vessels mainly via PfEMP1 proteins to escape elimination via the spleen. Evidence suggests that P. vivax-infected reticulocytes (PvIRs) also bind to ECRs, presumably enabled by VIR proteins, as shown by inhibition experiments and studies with transgenic P. falciparum expressing vir genes. To test this hypothesis, our study investigated the involvement of VIR proteins in cytoadhesion using vir gene-expressing P. falciparum transfectants. Those VIR proteins with a putative transmembrane domain were present in Maurer's clefts, and some were also present in the erythrocyte membrane. The VIR protein without a transmembrane domain (PVX_050690) was not exported. Five of the transgenic P. falciparum cell lines, including the one expressing PVX_050690, showed binding to CD36. We observed highly increased expression of specific var genes encoding PfEMP1s in all CD36-binding transfectants. These results suggest that ectopic vir expression regulates var expression through a yet unknown mechanism. In conclusion, the observed cytoadhesion of P. falciparum expressing vir genes depended on PfEMP1s, making this experimental unsuitable for characterizing VIR proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Torben Rehn
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Pedro Lubiana
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Thi Huyen Trang Nguyen
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Eva Pansegrau
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Marius Schmitt
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Lisa Katharina Roth
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Jana Brehmer
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Thomas Roeder
- Molecular Physiology Department, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany;
- Airway Research Center North (ARCN), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Dániel Cadar
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Nahla Galal Metwally
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
| | - Iris Bruchhaus
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (T.R.); (P.L.); (T.H.T.N.); (E.P.); (M.S.); (L.K.R.); (J.B.); (D.C.); (N.G.M.)
- Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, 22601 Hamburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Quinn JE, Jeninga MD, Limm K, Pareek K, Meißgeier T, Bachmann A, Duffy MF, Petter M. The Putative Bromodomain Protein PfBDP7 of the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum Cooperates With PfBDP1 in the Silencing of Variant Surface Antigen Expression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:816558. [PMID: 35493110 PMCID: PMC9039026 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.816558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation is a critical mechanism in controlling virulence, differentiation, and survival of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium (P.) falciparum. Bromodomain proteins contribute to this process by binding to acetylated lysine residues of histones and thereby targeting the gene regulatory machinery to gene promoters. A protein complex containing the P. falciparum bromodomain proteins (PfBDP) 1 and PfBDP2 (BDP1/BDP2 core complex) was previously shown to play an essential role for the correct transcription of invasion related genes. Here, we performed a functional characterization of a third component of this complex, which we dubbed PfBDP7, because structural modelling predicted a typical bromodomain fold. We confirmed that PfBDP7 is a nuclear protein that interacts with PfBDP1 at invasion gene promoters in mature schizont stage parasites and contributes to their transcription. Although partial depletion of PfBDP7 showed no significant effect on parasite viability, conditional knock down of either PfBDP7 or PfBDP1 resulted in the de-repression of variant surface antigens (VSA), which are important pathogenicity factors. This de-repression was evident both on mRNA and protein level. To understand the underlying mechanism, we mapped the genome wide binding sites of PfBDP7 by ChIPseq and showed that in early schizonts, PfBDP7 and PfBDP1 are commonly enriched in heterochromatic regions across the gene body of all VSA families, including genes coding for PfEMP1, RIFIN, STEVOR, and PfMC-2TM. This suggests that PfBDP7 and PfBDP1 contribute to the silencing of VSAs by associating with heterochromatin. In conclusion, we identified PfBDP7 as a chromatin binding protein that is a constitutive part of the P. falciparum BDP1/BDP2 core complex and established PfBDP1 and PfBDP7 as novel players in the silencing of heterochromatin regulated virulence gene families of the malaria parasite P. falciparum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E. Quinn
- Mikrobiologisches Institut—Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Myriam D. Jeninga
- Mikrobiologisches Institut—Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Katharina Limm
- Institute of Functional Genomics, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kapil Pareek
- Mikrobiologisches Institut—Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tina Meißgeier
- Mikrobiologisches Institut—Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Department of Cellular Parasitology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael F. Duffy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Bio21 Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Michaela Petter
- Mikrobiologisches Institut—Klinische Mikrobiologie, Immunologie und Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- *Correspondence: Michaela Petter,
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
PMRT1, a
Plasmodium
-Specific Parasite Plasma Membrane Transporter, Is Essential for Asexual and Sexual Blood Stage Development. mBio 2022; 13:e0062322. [PMID: 35404116 PMCID: PMC9040750 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00623-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum
-infected erythrocytes possess multiple compartments with designated membranes. Transporter proteins embedded in these membranes not only facilitate movement of nutrients, metabolites, and other molecules between these compartments, but also are common therapeutic targets and can confer antimalarial drug resistance.
Collapse
|
20
|
Cell biological analysis reveals an essential role for Pfcerli2 in erythrocyte invasion by malaria parasites. Commun Biol 2022; 5:121. [PMID: 35140336 PMCID: PMC8828742 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03020-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Merozoite invasion of host red blood cells (RBCs) is essential for survival of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Proteins involved with RBC binding and invasion are secreted from dual-club shaped organelles at the apical tip of the merozoite called the rhoptries. Here we characterise P. falciparum Cytosolically Exposed Rhoptry Leaflet Interacting protein 2 (PfCERLI2), as a rhoptry bulb protein that is essential for merozoite invasion. Phylogenetic analyses show that cerli2 arose through an ancestral gene duplication of cerli1. We show that PfCERLI2 is essential for blood-stage growth and localises to the cytosolic face of the rhoptry bulb. Inducible knockdown of PfCERLI2 led to a proportion of merozoites failing to invade and was associated with elongation of the rhoptry organelle during merozoite development and inhibition of rhoptry antigen processing. These findings identify PfCERLI2 as a protein that has key roles in rhoptry biology during merozoite invasion. Benjamin Liffner and Miguel Balbin et al. report that the Plasmodium falciparum protein, PfCERLI2, localises to the cytosolic face of the parasite’s rhoptry bulb and is essential for invasion and growth within human red blood cells.
Collapse
|
21
|
Fenollar À, Ros-Lucas A, Pía Alberione M, Martínez-Peinado N, Ramírez M, Ángel Rosales-Motos M, Y. Lee L, Alonso-Padilla J, Izquierdo L. Compounds targeting GPI biosynthesis or N-glycosylation are active against Plasmodium falciparum. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:850-863. [PMID: 35222844 PMCID: PMC8841962 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Compounds targeting key steps in GPI biosynthesis abrogate P. falciparum growth. N-glycosylation disruption halts parasite development and induces delayed death. Tunicamycin-induced delayed death is not linked with the synthesis of isoprenoids. In summary, two metabolic pathways are outlined for further drug target exploration.
The emergence of resistance to first-line antimalarials, including artemisinin, the last effective malaria therapy in some regions, stresses the urgent need to develop new effective treatments against this disease. The identification and validation of metabolic pathways that could be targeted for drug development may strongly contribute to accelerate this process. In this study, we use fully characterized specific inhibitors targeting glycan biosynthetic pathways as research tools to analyze their effects on the growth of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and to validate these metabolic routes as feasible chemotherapeutic targets. Through docking simulations using models predicted by AlphaFold, we also shed new light into the modes of action of some of these inhibitors. Molecules inhibiting N-acetylglucosaminyl-phosphatidylinositol de-N-acetylase (GlcNAc-PI de-N-acetylase, PIGL/GPI12) or the inositol acyltransferase (GWT1), central for glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis, halt the growth of intraerythrocytic asexual parasites during the trophozoite stages of the intraerythrocytic developmental cycle (IDC). Remarkably, the nucleoside antibiotic tunicamycin, which targets UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:dolichyl-phosphate N-acetylglucosaminephosphotransferase (ALG7) and N-glycosylation in other organisms, induces a delayed-death effect and inhibits parasite growth during the second IDC after treatment. Our data indicate that tunicamycin induces a specific inhibitory effect, hinting to a more substantial role of the N-glycosylation pathway in P. falciparum intraerythrocytic asexual stages than previously thought. To sum up, our results place GPI biosynthesis and N-glycosylation pathways as metabolic routes with potential to yield much-needed therapeutic targets against the parasite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Àngel Fenollar
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Ros-Lucas
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Pía Alberione
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nieves Martínez-Peinado
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miriam Ramírez
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Rosales-Motos
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ling Y. Lee
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Izquierdo
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Madrid, Spain
- Corresponding author at: Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic—University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Morita M, Kanoi BN, Shinzawa N, Kubota R, Takeda H, Sawasaki T, Tsuboi T, Takashima E. AGIA Tag System for Ultrastructural Protein Localization Analysis in Blood-Stage Plasmodium falciparum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:777291. [PMID: 34976861 PMCID: PMC8714843 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.777291] [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: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Precise subcellular localization of proteins is the key to elucidating the physiological role of these molecules in malaria parasite development, understanding of pathogenesis, and protective immunity. In Plasmodium falciparum, however, detection of proteins in the blood-stage parasites is greatly hampered by the lack of versatile protein tags which can intrinsically label such molecules. Thus, in this study, to develop a novel system that can be used to evaluate subcellular localization of known and novel proteins, we assessed the application of AGIA tag, consisting of 9 amino acids (EEAAGIARP), in P. falciparum blood-stage parasites. Specifically, AGIA-tagged ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (RESA-AGIA) was episomally expressed in P. falciparum 3D7 strain. The RESA-AGIA protein was detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using recombinant rabbit anti-AGIA tag monoclonal antibody (mAb) with a high signal/noise ratio. Similarly, AGIA-tagged multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1-AGIA), as an example of polyptic transmembrane protein, was endogenously expressed and detected by Western blotting and IFA with anti-AGIA tag mAb. Immunoelectron microscopy of the RESA-AGIA transfected merozoites revealed that mouse anti-RESA and the rabbit anti-AGIA mAb signals could definitively co-localize to the dense granules. Put together, this study demonstrates AGIA tag/anti-AGIA rabbit mAb system as a potentially useful tool for elucidating the subcellular localization of new and understudied proteins in blood-stage malaria parasites at the nanometer-level resolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Morita
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Bernard N Kanoi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Naoaki Shinzawa
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rie Kubota
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Takeda
- Division of Proteo-Drug-Discovery, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Sawasaki
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Cell-Free Sciences, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Eizo Takashima
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
N-terminal phosphorylation regulates the activity of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 from Plasmodium falciparum. Biochem J 2022; 479:337-356. [PMID: 35023554 PMCID: PMC8883495 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210829] [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: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
As the decline of malaria cases stalled over the last five years, novel targets in Plasmodium falciparum are necessary for the development of new drugs. Glycogen Synthase Kinase (PfGSK3) has been identified as a potential target, since its selective inhibitors were shown to disrupt the parasitès life cycle. In the uncanonical N-terminal region of the parasite enzyme, we identified several autophosphorylation sites and probed their role in activity regulation of PfGSK3. By combining molecular modeling with experimental small-angle X-ray scattering data, we show that increased PfGSK3 activity is promoted by conformational changes in the PfGSK3 N-terminus, triggered by N-terminal phosphorylation. Our work provides novel insights into the structure and regulation of the malarial PfGSK3.
Collapse
|
24
|
Hou N, Li S, Jiang N, Piao X, Ma Y, Liu S, Chen Q. Merozoite Proteins Discovered by qRT-PCR-Based Transcriptome Screening of Plasmodium falciparum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:777955. [PMID: 34956931 PMCID: PMC8696357 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.777955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of malaria vaccines and medicines depends on the discovery of novel malaria protein targets, but the functions of more than 40% of P. falciparum genes remain unknown. Asexual parasites are the critical stage that leads to serious clinical symptoms and that can be modulated by malaria treatments and vaccines. To identify critical genes involved in the development of Plasmodium parasites within erythrocytes, the expression profile of more than 5,000 genes distributed across the 14 chromosomes of the PF3D7 strain during its six critical developmental stages (merozoite, early-ring, late-ring, early trophozoite, late-trophozoite, and middle-schizont) was evaluated. Hence, a qRT-PCR-based transcriptome of the erythrocytic developmental process of P. falciparum was revealed. Weighted gene coexpression network analyses revealed that a large number of genes are upregulated during the merozoite release process. Further gene ontology analysis revealed that a cluster of genes is associated with merozoite and may be apical complex components. Among these genes, 135 were comprised within chromosome 14, and 80% of them were previously unknown in functions. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays using newly developed corresponding antibodies showed that some of these newly discovered proteins are highly expressed in merozoites. Further invasion inhibition assays revealed that specific antibodies against several novel merozoite proteins can interfere with parasite invasion. Taken together, our study provides a developmental transcriptome of the asexual parasites of P. falciparum and identifies a group of previously unknown merozoite proteins that may play important roles in the process of merozoite invasion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Hou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.,The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Xianyu Piao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Ma
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qijun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China.,The Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Band G, Leffler EM, Jallow M, Sisay-Joof F, Ndila CM, Macharia AW, Hubbart C, Jeffreys AE, Rowlands K, Nguyen T, Gonçalves S, Ariani CV, Stalker J, Pearson RD, Amato R, Drury E, Sirugo G, d'Alessandro U, Bojang KA, Marsh K, Peshu N, Saelens JW, Diakité M, Taylor SM, Conway DJ, Williams TN, Rockett KA, Kwiatkowski DP. Malaria protection due to sickle haemoglobin depends on parasite genotype. Nature 2021; 602:106-111. [PMID: 34883497 PMCID: PMC8810385 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04288-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Host genetic factors can confer resistance against malaria1, raising the question of whether this has led to evolutionary adaptation of parasite populations. Here we searched for association between candidate host and parasite genetic variants in 3,346 Gambian and Kenyan children with severe malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. We identified a strong association between sickle haemoglobin (HbS) in the host and three regions of the parasite genome, which is not explained by population structure or other covariates, and which is replicated in additional samples. The HbS-associated alleles include nonsynonymous variants in the gene for the acyl-CoA synthetase family member2–4PfACS8 on chromosome 2, in a second region of chromosome 2, and in a region containing structural variation on chromosome 11. The alleles are in strong linkage disequilibrium and have frequencies that covary with the frequency of HbS across populations, in particular being much more common in Africa than other parts of the world. The estimated protective effect of HbS against severe malaria, as determined by comparison of cases with population controls, varies greatly according to the parasite genotype at these three loci. These findings open up a new avenue of enquiry into the biological and epidemiological significance of the HbS-associated polymorphisms in the parasite genome and the evolutionary forces that have led to their high frequency and strong linkage disequilibrium in African P. falciparum populations. A strong association has been found between three regions of the Plasmodium falciparum genome and sickle haemoglobin in children with severe malaria, suggesting parasites have adapted to overcome natural host immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gavin Band
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK. .,Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK. .,Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health and Information Discovery, Old Road Campus, Oxford, USA.
| | - Ellen M Leffler
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Muminatou Jallow
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia.,Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital (formerly Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital), Independence Drive, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Fatoumatta Sisay-Joof
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Carolyne M Ndila
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya
| | | | - Christina Hubbart
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK
| | - Anna E Jeffreys
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK
| | - Kate Rowlands
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK
| | - Thuy Nguyen
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Jim Stalker
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | - Richard D Pearson
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.,Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health and Information Discovery, Old Road Campus, Oxford, USA
| | | | | | - Giorgio Sirugo
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia.,Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Umberto d'Alessandro
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Kalifa A Bojang
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia
| | - Kevin Marsh
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya.,Nuffield Department of Medicine, NDM Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Norbert Peshu
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Joseph W Saelens
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Mahamadou Diakité
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Steve M Taylor
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.,Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David J Conway
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Atlantic Boulevard, Fajara, The Gambia.,Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK
| | - Thomas N Williams
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya.,Institute for Global Health Innovation, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College, London, London, UK
| | - Kirk A Rockett
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK. .,Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Dominic P Kwiatkowski
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, UK. .,Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK. .,Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health and Information Discovery, Old Road Campus, Oxford, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Characterization of Apicomplexan Amino Acid Transporters (ApiATs) in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. mSphere 2021; 6:e0074321. [PMID: 34756057 PMCID: PMC8579892 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00743-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During the symptomatic human blood phase, malaria parasites replicate within red blood cells. Parasite proliferation relies on the uptake of nutrients, such as amino acids, from the host cell and blood plasma, requiring transport across multiple membranes. Amino acids are delivered to the parasite through the parasite-surrounding vacuolar compartment by specialized nutrient-permeable channels of the erythrocyte membrane and the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). However, further transport of amino acids across the parasite plasma membrane (PPM) is currently not well characterized. In this study, we focused on a family of Apicomplexan amino acid transporters (ApiATs) that comprises five members in Plasmodium falciparum. First, we localized four of the P. falciparum ApiATs (PfApiATs) at the PPM using endogenous green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagging. Next, we applied reverse genetic approaches to probe into their essentiality during asexual replication and gametocytogenesis. Upon inducible knockdown and targeted gene disruption, a reduced asexual parasite proliferation was detected for PfApiAT2 and PfApiAT4. Functional inactivation of individual PfApiATs targeted in this study had no effect on gametocyte development. Our data suggest that individual PfApiATs are partially redundant during asexual in vitro proliferation and fully redundant during gametocytogenesis of P. falciparum parasites. IMPORTANCE Malaria parasites live and multiply inside cells. To facilitate their extremely fast intracellular proliferation, they hijack and transform their host cells. This also requires the active uptake of nutrients, such as amino acids, from the host cell and the surrounding environment through various membranes that are the consequence of the parasite’s intracellular lifestyle. In this paper, we focus on a family of putative amino acid transporters termed ApiAT. We show expression and localization of four transporters in the parasite plasma membrane of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes that represent one interface of the pathogen to its host cell. We probed into the impact of functional inactivation of individual transporters on parasite growth in asexual and sexual blood stages of P. falciparum and reveal that only two of them show a modest but significant reduction in parasite proliferation but no impact on gametocytogenesis, pointing toward dispensability within this transporter family.
Collapse
|
27
|
Wichers JS, Wunderlich J, Heincke D, Pazicky S, Strauss J, Schmitt M, Kimmel J, Wilcke L, Scharf S, von Thien H, Burda PC, Spielmann T, Löw C, Filarsky M, Bachmann A, Gilberger TW. Identification of novel inner membrane complex and apical annuli proteins of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cell Microbiol 2021; 23:e13341. [PMID: 33830607 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The inner membrane complex (IMC) is a defining feature of apicomplexan parasites, which confers stability and shape to the cell, functions as a scaffolding compartment during the formation of daughter cells and plays an important role in motility and invasion during different life cycle stages of these single-celled organisms. To explore the IMC proteome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum we applied a proximity-dependent biotin identification (BioID)-based proteomics approach, using the established IMC marker protein Photosensitized INA-Labelled protein 1 (PhIL1) as bait in asexual blood-stage parasites. Subsequent mass spectrometry-based peptide identification revealed enrichment of 12 known IMC proteins and several uncharacterized candidate proteins. We validated nine of these previously uncharacterized proteins by endogenous GFP-tagging. Six of these represent new IMC proteins, while three proteins have a distinct apical localization that most likely represents structures described as apical annuli in Toxoplasma gondii. Additionally, various Kelch13 interacting candidates were identified, suggesting an association of the Kelch13 compartment and the IMC in schizont and merozoite stages. This work extends the number of validated IMC proteins in the malaria parasite and reveals for the first time the existence of apical annuli proteins in P. falciparum. Additionally, it provides evidence for a spatial association between the Kelch13 compartment and the IMC in late blood-stage parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Stephan Wichers
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Juliane Wunderlich
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dorothee Heincke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Samuel Pazicky
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Strauss
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marius Schmitt
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jessica Kimmel
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Louisa Wilcke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Scharf
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Heidrun von Thien
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Spielmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Löw
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Unit, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Filarsky
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Tim W Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.,Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.,University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Gonzales SJ, Reyes RA, Braddom AE, Batugedara G, Bol S, Bunnik EM. Naturally Acquired Humoral Immunity Against Plasmodium falciparum Malaria. Front Immunol 2020; 11:594653. [PMID: 33193447 PMCID: PMC7658415 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.594653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a significant contributor to the global burden of disease, with around 40% of the world's population at risk of Plasmodium infections. The development of an effective vaccine against the malaria parasite would mark a breakthrough in the fight to eradicate the disease. Over time, natural infection elicits a robust immune response against the blood stage of the parasite, providing protection against malaria. In recent years, we have gained valuable insight into the mechanisms by which IgG acts to prevent pathology and inhibit parasite replication, as well as the potential role of immunoglobulin M (IgM) in these processes. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms, acquisition, and maintenance of naturally acquired immunity, and the relevance of these discoveries for the development of a potential vaccine against the blood stage of Plasmodium falciparum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Evelien M. Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Kanoi BN, Nagaoka H, White MT, Morita M, Palacpac NMQ, Ntege EH, Balikagala B, Yeka A, Egwang TG, Horii T, Tsuboi T, Takashima E. Global Repertoire of Human Antibodies Against Plasmodium falciparum RIFINs, SURFINs, and STEVORs in a Malaria Exposed Population. Front Immunol 2020; 11:893. [PMID: 32477363 PMCID: PMC7235171 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical immunity to malaria develops after repeated exposure to Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Broadly reactive antibodies against parasite antigens expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes (variable surface antigens; VSAs) are candidates for anti-malaria therapeutics and vaccines. Among the VSAs, several RIFIN, STEVOR, and SURFIN family members have been demonstrated to be targets of naturally acquired immunity against malaria. For example, RIFIN family members are important ligands for opsonization of P. falciparum infected erythrocytes with specific immunoglobulins (IgG) acquiring broad protective reactivity. However, the global repertoire of human anti-VSAs IgG, its variation in children, and the key protective targets remain poorly understood. Here, we report wheat germ cell-free system-based production and serological profiling of a comprehensive library of A-RIFINs, B-RIFINs, STEVORs, and SURFINs derived from the P. falciparum 3D7 parasite strain. We observed that >98% of assayed proteins (n = 265) were immunogenic in malaria-exposed individuals in Uganda. The overall breadth of immune responses was significantly correlated with age but not with clinical malaria outcome among the study volunteers. However, children with high levels of antibodies to four RIFINs (PF3D7_0201000, PF3D7_1254500, PF3D7_1040600, PF3D7_1041100), STEVOR (PF3D7_0732000), and SURFIN 1.2 (PF3D7_0113600) had prospectively reduced the risk of developing febrile malaria, suggesting that the 5 antigens are important targets of protective immunity. Further studies on the significance of repeated exposure to malaria infection and maintenance of such high-level antibodies would contribute to a better understanding of susceptibility and naturally acquired immunity to malaria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernard N Kanoi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Hikaru Nagaoka
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Michael T White
- Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France
| | - Masayuki Morita
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Nirianne M Q Palacpac
- Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Edward H Ntege
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine and Hospital, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Betty Balikagala
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Adoke Yeka
- Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Toshihiro Horii
- Department of Malaria Vaccine Development, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Eizo Takashima
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Andersson A, Kudva R, Magoulopoulou A, Lejarre Q, Lara P, Xu P, Goel S, Pissi J, Ru X, Hessa T, Wahlgren M, von Heijne G, Nilsson I, Tellgren-Roth Å. Membrane integration and topology of RIFIN and STEVOR proteins of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. FEBS J 2019; 287:2744-2762. [PMID: 31821735 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 10/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The malarial parasite Plasmodium exports its own proteins to the cell surfaces of red blood cells (RBCs) during infection. Examples of exported proteins include members of the repetitive interspersed family (RIFIN) and subtelomeric variable open reading frame (STEVOR) family of proteins from Plasmodium falciparum. The presence of these parasite-derived proteins on surfaces of infected RBCs triggers the adhesion of infected cells to uninfected cells (rosetting) and to the vascular endothelium potentially obstructing blood flow. While there is a fair amount of information on the localization of these proteins on the cell surfaces of RBCs, less is known about how they can be exported to the membrane and the topologies they can adopt during the process. The first step of export is plausibly the cotranslational insertion of proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of the parasite, and here, we investigate the insertion of three RIFIN and two STEVOR proteins into the ER membrane. We employ a well-established experimental system that uses N-linked glycosylation of sites within the protein as a measure to assess the extent of membrane insertion and the topology it assumes when inserted into the ER membrane. Our results indicate that for all the proteins tested, transmembranes (TMs) 1 and 3 integrate into the membrane, so that the protein assumes an overall topology of Ncyt-Ccyt. We also show that the segment predicted to be TM2 for each of the proteins likely does not reside in the membrane, but is translocated to the lumen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annika Andersson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Renuka Kudva
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Anastasia Magoulopoulou
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden.,Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Quentin Lejarre
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Patricia Lara
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Peibo Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Suchi Goel
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jennifer Pissi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Xing Ru
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Tara Hessa
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Mats Wahlgren
- Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden
| | - Gunnar von Heijne
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden.,Center for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - IngMarie Nilsson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - Åsa Tellgren-Roth
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Geiger M, Brown C, Wichers JS, Strauss J, Lill A, Thuenauer R, Liffner B, Wilcke L, Lemcke S, Heincke D, Pazicky S, Bachmann A, Löw C, Wilson DW, Filarsky M, Burda PC, Zhang K, Junop M, Gilberger TW. Structural Insights Into PfARO and Characterization of its Interaction With PfAIP. J Mol Biol 2019; 432:878-896. [PMID: 31877322 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites contain rhoptries, which are specialized secretory organelles that coordinate host cell invasion. During the process of invasion, rhoptries secrete their contents to facilitate interaction with, and entry into, the host cell. Here, we report the crystal structure of the rhoptry protein Armadillo Repeats-Only (ARO) from the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum (PfARO). The structure of PfARO comprises five tandem Armadillo-like (ARM) repeats, with adjacent ARM repeats stacked in a head-to-tail orientation resulting in PfARO adopting an elongated curved shape. Interestingly, the concave face of PfARO contains two distinct patches of highly conserved residues that appear to play an important role in protein-protein interaction. We functionally characterized the P. falciparum homolog of ARO interacting protein (PfAIP) and demonstrate that it localizes to the rhoptries. We show that conditional mislocalization of PfAIP leads to deficient red blood cell invasion. Guided by the structure, we identified mutations of PfARO that lead to mislocalization of PfAIP. Using proximity-based biotinylation we probe into PfAIP interacting proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Geiger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Chris Brown
- Western University, Department of Biochemistry, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jan Stephan Wichers
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Strauss
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andrés Lill
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Roland Thuenauer
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Liffner
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Louisa Wilcke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Lemcke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dorothee Heincke
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Samuel Pazicky
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Unit c/o Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Löw
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Hamburg Unit c/o Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Notkestrasse 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny William Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, 3004, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Filarsky
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paul-Christian Burda
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kun Zhang
- Western University, Department of Biochemistry, London, ON, Canada
| | - Murray Junop
- Western University, Department of Biochemistry, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Tim Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht-Strasse 74, 20359, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Neveu G, Lavazec C. Erythrocyte Membrane Makeover by Plasmodium falciparum Gametocytes. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2652. [PMID: 31787966 PMCID: PMC6856072 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum sexual parasites, called gametocytes, are the only parasite stages responsible for transmission from humans to Anopheles mosquitoes. During their maturation, P. falciparum gametocytes remodel the structural and mechanical properties of the membrane of their erythrocyte host. This remodeling is induced by the export of several parasite proteins and a dynamic reorganization of the erythrocyte cytoskeleton. Some of these modifications are specific for sexual stages and play a key role for gametocyte maturation, sequestration in internal organs, subsequent release in the bloodstream and ability to persist in circulation. Here we discuss the mechanisms developed by gametocytes to remodel their host cell and the functional relevance of these modifications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Neveu
- Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, Paris, France.,Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Lavazec
- Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR 8104, Université de Paris, Institut Cochin, Paris, France.,Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|