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Cassiano GC, Martinelli A, Mottin M, Neves BJ, Andrade CH, Ferreira PE, Cravo P. Whole genome sequencing identifies novel mutations in malaria parasites resistant to artesunate (ATN) and to ATN + mefloquine combination. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1353057. [PMID: 38495651 PMCID: PMC10940360 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1353057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The global evolution of resistance to Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs) by malaria parasites, will severely undermine our ability to control this devastating disease. Methods Here, we have used whole genome sequencing to characterize the genetic variation in the experimentally evolved Plasmodium chabaudi parasite clone AS-ATNMF1, which is resistant to artesunate + mefloquine. Results and discussion Five novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified, one of which was a previously undescribed E738K mutation in a 26S proteasome subunit that was selected for under artesunate pressure (in AS-ATN) and retained in AS-ATNMF1. The wild type and mutated three-dimensional (3D) structure models and molecular dynamics simulations of the P. falciparum 26S proteasome subunit Rpn2 suggested that the E738K mutation could change the toroidal proteasome/cyclosome domain organization and change the recognition of ubiquitinated proteins. The mutation in the 26S proteasome subunit may therefore contribute to altering oxidation-dependent ubiquitination of the MDR-1 and/or K13 proteins and/or other targets, resulting in changes in protein turnover. In light of the alarming increase in resistance to artemisin derivatives and ACT partner drugs in natural parasite populations, our results shed new light on the biology of resistance and provide information on novel molecular markers of resistance that may be tested (and potentially validated) in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Capatti Cassiano
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, (LA-REAL), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
| | | | - Melina Mottin
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Bruno Junior Neves
- Laboratory or Cheminformatics (LabChem), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
- Center for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and Molecular Targets (CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Pedro Eduardo Ferreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Pedro Cravo
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health, (LA-REAL), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal
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2
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Xu R, Lin L, Jiao Z, Liang R, Guo Y, Zhang Y, Shang X, Wang Y, Wang X, Yao L, Liu S, Deng X, Yuan J, Su XZ, Li J. Deaggregation of mutant Plasmodium yoelii de-ubiquitinase UBP1 alters MDR1 localization to confer multidrug resistance. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1774. [PMID: 38413566 PMCID: PMC10899652 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46006-3] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in a Plasmodium de-ubiquitinase UBP1 have been linked to antimalarial drug resistance. However, the UBP1-mediated drug-resistant mechanism remains unknown. Through drug selection, genetic mapping, allelic exchange, and functional characterization, here we show that simultaneous mutations of two amino acids (I1560N and P2874T) in the Plasmodium yoelii UBP1 can mediate high-level resistance to mefloquine, lumefantrine, and piperaquine. Mechanistically, the double mutations are shown to impair UBP1 cytoplasmic aggregation and de-ubiquitinating activity, leading to increased ubiquitination levels and altered protein localization, from the parasite digestive vacuole to the plasma membrane, of the P. yoelii multidrug resistance transporter 1 (MDR1). The MDR1 on the plasma membrane enhances the efflux of substrates/drugs out of the parasite cytoplasm to confer multidrug resistance, which can be reversed by inhibition of MDR1 transport. This study reveals a previously unknown drug-resistant mechanism mediated by UBP1 through altered MDR1 localization and substrate transport direction in a mouse model, providing a new malaria treatment strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixue Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Lirong Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Zhiwei Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Rui Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Yazhen Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Yixin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Xiaoxu Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Yuezhou Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Xu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Luming Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Shengfa Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Xianming Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Jing Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China.
| | - Xin-Zhuan Su
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
| | - Jian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China.
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3
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Piro F, Masci S, Kannan G, Focaia R, Schultz TL, Thaprawat P, Carruthers VB, Di Cristina M. A Toxoplasma gondii putative amino acid transporter localizes to the plant-like vacuolar compartment and controls parasite extracellular survival and stage differentiation. mSphere 2024; 9:e0059723. [PMID: 38051073 PMCID: PMC10871165 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00597-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects a broad spectrum of hosts and can colonize many organs and cell types. The ability to reside within a wide range of different niches requires substantial adaptability to diverse microenvironments. Very little is known about how this parasite senses various milieus and adapts its metabolism to survive, replicate during the acute stage, and then differentiate to the chronic stage. T. gondii possesses a lysosome-like organelle known as the plant-like vacuolar compartment (PLVAC), which serves various functions, including digestion, ion storage and homeostasis, endocytosis, and autophagy. Lysosomes are critical for maintaining cellular health and function by degrading waste materials and recycling components. To supply the cell with the essential building blocks and energy sources required for the maintenance of its functions and structures, the digested solutes generated within the lysosome are transported into the cytosol by proteins embedded in the lysosomal membrane. Currently, a limited number of PLVAC transporters have been characterized, with TgCRT being the sole potential transporter of amino acids and small peptides identified thus far. To bridge this knowledge gap, we used lysosomal amino acid transporters from other organisms as queries to search the T. gondii proteome. This led to the identification of four potential amino acid transporters, which we have designated as TgAAT1-4. Assessing their expression and sub-cellular localization, we found that one of them, TgAAT1, localized to the PLVAC and is necessary for normal parasite extracellular survival and bradyzoite differentiation. Moreover, we present preliminary data showing the possible involvement of TgAAT1 in the PLVAC transport of arginine.IMPORTANCEToxoplasma gondii is a highly successful parasite infecting a broad range of warm-blooded organisms, including about one-third of all humans. Although Toxoplasma infections rarely result in symptomatic disease in individuals with a healthy immune system, the incredibly high number of persons infected, along with the risk of severe infection in immunocompromised patients and the potential link of chronic infection to mental disorders, makes this infection a significant public health concern. As a result, there is a pressing need for new treatment approaches that are both effective and well tolerated. The limitations in understanding how Toxoplasma gondii manages its metabolism to adapt to changing environments and triggers its transformation into bradyzoites have hindered the discovery of vulnerabilities in its metabolic pathways or nutrient acquisition mechanisms to identify new therapeutic targets. In this work, we have shown that the lysosome-like organelle plant-like vacuolar compartment (PLVAC), acting through the putative arginine transporter TgAAT1, plays a pivotal role in regulating the parasite's extracellular survival and differentiation into bradyzoites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Piro
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Silvia Masci
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Geetha Kannan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Riccardo Focaia
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Tracey L. Schultz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Pariyamon Thaprawat
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Vern B. Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Manlio Di Cristina
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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4
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Piro F, Masci S, Kannan G, Focaia R, Schultz TL, Carruthers VB, Di Cristina M. A Toxoplasma gondii putative arginine transporter localizes to the plant-like vacuolar compartment and controls parasite extracellular survival and stage differentiation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.31.555807. [PMID: 37693549 PMCID: PMC10491228 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.31.555807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects a broad spectrum of hosts and can colonize many organs and cell types. The ability to reside within a wide range of different niches requires substantial adaptability to diverse microenvironments. Very little is known about how this parasite senses various milieus and adapts its metabolism to survive, replicate during the acute stage, and then differentiate to the chronic stage. Most eukaryotes, from yeast to mammals, rely on a nutrient sensing machinery involving the TORC complex as master regulator of cell growth and cell cycle progression. The lysosome functions as a signaling hub where TORC complex assembles and is activated by transceptors, which both sense and transport amino acids, including the arginine transceptor SLC38A9. While most of the TORC components are lost in T. gondii , indicating the evolution of a distinct nutrient sensing mechanism, the parasite's lysosomal plant-like vacuolar compartment (PLVAC) may still serve as a sensory platform for controlling parasite growth and differentiation. Using SLC38A9 to query the T. gondii proteome, we identified four putative amino acid transporters, termed TgAAT1-4, that structurally resemble the SLC38A9 arginine transceptor. Assessing their expression and sub-cellular localization, we found that one of them, TgAAT1, localized to the PLVAC and is necessary for normal parasite extracellular survival and bradyzoite differentiation. Moreover, we show that TgAAT1 is involved in the PLVAC efflux of arginine, an amino acid playing a key role in T. gondii differentiation, further supporting the hypothesis that TgAAT1 might play a role in nutrient sensing. IMPORTANCE T. gondii is a highly successful parasite infecting a broad range of warm-blood organisms including about one third of all humans. Although Toxoplasma infections rarely result in symptomatic disease in individuals with a healthy immune system, the incredibly high number of persons infected along with the risk of severe infection in immunocompromised patients and the potential link of chronic infection to mental disorders make this infection a significant public health concern. As a result, there is a pressing need for new treatment approaches that are both effective and well-tolerated. The limitations in understanding how Toxoplasma gondii manages its metabolism to adapt to changing environments and triggers its transformation into bradyzoites have hindered the discovery of vulnerabilities in its metabolic pathways or nutrient acquisition mechanisms to identify new therapeutic targets. In this work, we have shown that the lysosome-like organelle PLVAC, acting through the putative arginine transporter TgAAT1, plays a pivotal role in regulating the parasite's extracellular survival and differentiation into bradyzoites.
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5
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Berger F, Gomez GM, Sanchez CP, Posch B, Planelles G, Sohraby F, Nunes-Alves A, Lanzer M. pH-dependence of the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter is linked to the transport cycle. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4234. [PMID: 37454114 PMCID: PMC10349806 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39969-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The chloroquine resistance transporter, PfCRT, of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is sensitive to acidic pH. Consequently, PfCRT operates at 60% of its maximal drug transport activity at the pH of 5.2 of the digestive vacuole, a proteolytic organelle from which PfCRT expels drugs interfering with heme detoxification. Here we show by alanine-scanning mutagenesis that E207 is critical for pH sensing. The E207A mutation abrogates pH-sensitivity, while preserving drug substrate specificity. Substituting E207 with Asp or His, but not other amino acids, restores pH-sensitivity. Molecular dynamics simulations and kinetics analyses suggest an allosteric binding model in which PfCRT can accept both protons and chloroquine in a partial noncompetitive manner, with increased proton concentrations decreasing drug transport. Further simulations reveal that E207 relocates from a peripheral to an engaged location during the transport cycle, forming a salt bridge with residue K80. We propose that the ionized carboxyl group of E207 acts as a hydrogen acceptor, facilitating transport cycle progression, with pH sensing as a by-product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Berger
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Guillermo M Gomez
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cecilia P Sanchez
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Britta Posch
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gabrielle Planelles
- INSERM, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Unité 1138, CNRS ERL8228, Université Pierre et Marie Curie and Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, 75006, France
| | - Farzin Sohraby
- Institute of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ariane Nunes-Alves
- Institute of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Michael Lanzer
- Center of Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
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6
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Amambua-Ngwa A, Button-Simons KA, Li X, Kumar S, Brenneman KV, Ferrari M, Checkley LA, Haile MT, Shoue DA, McDew-White M, Tindall SM, Reyes A, Delgado E, Dalhoff H, Larbalestier JK, Amato R, Pearson RD, Taylor AB, Nosten FH, D'Alessandro U, Kwiatkowski D, Cheeseman IH, Kappe SHI, Avery SV, Conway DJ, Vaughan AM, Ferdig MT, Anderson TJC. Chloroquine resistance evolution in Plasmodium falciparum is mediated by the putative amino acid transporter AAT1. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1213-1226. [PMID: 37169919 PMCID: PMC10322710 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01377-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Malaria parasites break down host haemoglobin into peptides and amino acids in the digestive vacuole for export to the parasite cytoplasm for growth: interrupting this process is central to the mode of action of several antimalarial drugs. Mutations in the chloroquine (CQ) resistance transporter, pfcrt, located in the digestive vacuole membrane, confer CQ resistance in Plasmodium falciparum, and typically also affect parasite fitness. However, the role of other parasite loci in the evolution of CQ resistance is unclear. Here we use a combination of population genomics, genetic crosses and gene editing to demonstrate that a second vacuolar transporter plays a key role in both resistance and compensatory evolution. Longitudinal genomic analyses of the Gambian parasites revealed temporal signatures of selection on a putative amino acid transporter (pfaat1) variant S258L, which increased from 0% to 97% in frequency between 1984 and 2014 in parallel with the pfcrt1 K76T variant. Parasite genetic crosses then identified a chromosome 6 quantitative trait locus containing pfaat1 that is selected by CQ treatment. Gene editing demonstrated that pfaat1 S258L potentiates CQ resistance but at a cost of reduced fitness, while pfaat1 F313S, a common southeast Asian polymorphism, reduces CQ resistance while restoring fitness. Our analyses reveal hidden complexity in CQ resistance evolution, suggesting that pfaat1 may underlie regional differences in the dynamics of resistance evolution, and modulate parasite resistance or fitness by manipulating the balance between both amino acid and drug transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred Amambua-Ngwa
- MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Katrina A Button-Simons
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Xue Li
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Katelyn Vendrely Brenneman
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Marco Ferrari
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Lisa A Checkley
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Meseret T Haile
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Douglas A Shoue
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Marina McDew-White
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sarah M Tindall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ann Reyes
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth Delgado
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Haley Dalhoff
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - James K Larbalestier
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | | | | | - Alexander B Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry & Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Antonio, TX, USA
| | - François H Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Umberto D'Alessandro
- MRC Unit The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | | | - Ian H Cheeseman
- Host Pathogen Interactions Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Stefan H I Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Simon V Avery
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - David J Conway
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ashley M Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Michael T Ferdig
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | - Timothy J C Anderson
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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7
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Ramaprasad A, Culleton R. A song for the unsung: The relevance of Plasmodium vinckei as a laboratory rodent malaria system. Parasitol Int 2023; 92:102680. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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8
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Carrasquilla M, Early AM, Taylor AR, Knudson Ospina A, Echeverry DF, Anderson TJC, Mancilla E, Aponte S, Cárdenas P, Buckee CO, Rayner JC, Sáenz FE, Neafsey DE, Corredor V. Resolving drug selection and migration in an inbred South American Plasmodium falciparum population with identity-by-descent analysis. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010993. [PMID: 36542676 PMCID: PMC9815574 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is globally widespread, but its prevalence varies significantly between and even within countries. Most population genetic studies in P. falciparum focus on regions of high transmission where parasite populations are large and genetically diverse, such as sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding population dynamics in low transmission settings, however, is of particular importance as these are often where drug resistance first evolves. Here, we use the Pacific Coast of Colombia and Ecuador as a model for understanding the population structure and evolution of Plasmodium parasites in small populations harboring less genetic diversity. The combination of low transmission and a high proportion of monoclonal infections means there are few outcrossing events and clonal lineages persist for long periods of time. Yet despite this, the population is evolutionarily labile and has successfully adapted to changes in drug regime. Using newly sequenced whole genomes, we measure relatedness between 166 parasites, calculated as identity by descent (IBD), and find 17 distinct but highly related clonal lineages, six of which have persisted in the region for at least a decade. This inbred population structure is captured in more detail with IBD than with other common population structure analyses like PCA, ADMIXTURE, and distance-based trees. We additionally use patterns of intra-chromosomal IBD and an analysis of haplotypic variation to explore past selection events in the region. Two genes associated with chloroquine resistance, crt and aat1, show evidence of hard selective sweeps, while selection appears soft and/or incomplete at three other key resistance loci (dhps, mdr1, and dhfr). Overall, this work highlights the strength of IBD analyses for studying parasite population structure and resistance evolution in regions of low transmission, and emphasizes that drug resistance can evolve and spread in small populations, as will occur in any region nearing malaria elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Carrasquilla
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Angela M. Early
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Aimee R. Taylor
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Angélica Knudson Ospina
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Diego F. Echeverry
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Salud, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
- Centro Internacional de Entrenamiento e Investigaciones Médicas (CIDEIM), Cali, Colombia
| | - Timothy J. C. Anderson
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institution, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Elvira Mancilla
- Secretaría Departamental de Salud del Cauca, Popayán, Colombia
| | - Samanda Aponte
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Pablo Cárdenas
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Caroline O. Buckee
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Julian C. Rayner
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Fabián E. Sáenz
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Daniel E. Neafsey
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Vladimir Corredor
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
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9
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Su XZ, Wu J, Xu F, Pattaradilokrat S. Genetic mapping of determinants in drug resistance, virulence, disease susceptibility, and interaction of host-rodent malaria parasites. Parasitol Int 2022; 91:102637. [PMID: 35926693 PMCID: PMC9452477 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Genetic mapping has been widely employed to search for genes linked to phenotypes/traits of interest. Because of the ease of maintaining rodent malaria parasites in laboratory mice, many genetic crosses of rodent malaria parasites have been performed to map the parasite genes contributing to malaria parasite development, drug resistance, host immune response, and disease pathogenesis. Drs. Richard Carter, David Walliker, and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh, UK, were the pioneers in developing the systems for genetic mapping of malaria parasite traits, including characterization of genetic markers to follow the inheritance and recombination of parasite chromosomes and performing the first genetic cross using rodent malaria parasites. Additionally, many genetic crosses of inbred mice have been performed to link mouse chromosomal loci to the susceptibility to malaria parasite infections. In this chapter, we review and discuss past and recent advances in genetic marker development, performing genetic crosses, and genetic mapping of both parasite and host genes. Genetic mappings using models of rodent malaria parasites and inbred mice have contributed greatly to our understanding of malaria, including parasite development within their hosts, mechanism of drug resistance, and host-parasite interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Zhuan Su
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Jian Wu
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fangzheng Xu
- Malaria Functional Genomics Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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10
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Li X, Kumar S, Brenneman KV, Anderson TJC. Bulk segregant linkage mapping for rodent and human malaria parasites. Parasitol Int 2022; 91:102653. [PMID: 36007706 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In 2005 Richard Carter's group surprised the malaria genetics community with an elegant approach to rapidly mapping the genetic basis of phenotypic traits in rodent malaria parasites. This approach, which he termed "linkage group selection", utilized bulk pools of progeny, rather than individual clones, and exploited simple selection schemes to identify genome regions underlying resistance to drug treatment (or other phenotypes). This work was the first application of "bulk segregant" methodologies for genetic mapping in microbes: this approach is now widely used in yeast, and across multiple recombining pathogens ranging from Aspergillus fungi to Schistosome parasites. Genetic crosses of human malaria parasites (for which Richard Carter was also a pioneer) can now be conducted in humanized mice, providing new opportunities for exploiting bulk segregant approaches for a wide variety of malaria parasite traits. We review the application of bulk segregant approaches to mapping malaria parasite traits and suggest additional developments that may further expand the utility of this powerful approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Katelyn Vendrely Brenneman
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Tim J C Anderson
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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11
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Brenneman KV, Li X, Kumar S, Delgado E, Checkley LA, Shoue DA, Reyes A, Abatiyow BA, Haile MT, Tripura R, Peto T, Lek D, Button-Simons KA, Kappe SH, Dhorda M, Nosten F, Nkhoma SC, Cheeseman IH, Vaughan AM, Ferdig MT, Anderson TJ. Optimizing bulk segregant analysis of drug resistance using Plasmodium falciparum genetic crosses conducted in humanized mice. iScience 2022; 25:104095. [PMID: 35372813 PMCID: PMC8971943 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Classical malaria parasite genetic crosses involve isolation, genotyping, and phenotyping of progeny parasites, which is time consuming and laborious. We tested a rapid alternative approach-bulk segregant analysis (BSA)-that utilizes sequencing of bulk progeny populations with and without drug selection for rapid identification of drug resistance loci. We used dihydroartemisinin (DHA) selection in two genetic crosses and investigated how synchronization, cryopreservation, and the drug selection regimen impacted BSA success. We detected a robust quantitative trait locus (QTL) at kelch13 in both crosses but did not detect QTLs at four other candidate loci. QTLs were detected using synchronized, but not unsynchronized progeny pools, consistent with the stage-specific action of DHA. We also successfully applied BSA to cryopreserved progeny pools, expanding the utility of this approach. We conclude that BSA provides a powerful approach for investigating the genetic architecture of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Vendrely Brenneman
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Xue Li
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Delgado
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Lisa A. Checkley
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Douglas A. Shoue
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Ann Reyes
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Biley A. Abatiyow
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Meseret T. Haile
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rupam Tripura
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - Tom Peto
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - Dysoley Lek
- National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- School of Public Health, National Institute of Public Health, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Katrina A. Button-Simons
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Stefan H.I. Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mehul Dhorda
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - François Nosten
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | | | - Ian H. Cheeseman
- Program in Host Pathogen Interactions, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ashley M. Vaughan
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Michael T. Ferdig
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Tim J.C. Anderson
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
- Corresponding author
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12
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Simwela NV, Waters AP. Current status of experimental models for the study of malaria. Parasitology 2022; 149:1-22. [PMID: 35357277 PMCID: PMC9378029 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021002134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Infection by malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, especially in tropical regions of the world. Despite the availability of malaria control tools such as integrated vector management and effective therapeutics, these measures have been continuously undermined by the emergence of vector resistance to insecticides or parasite resistance to frontline antimalarial drugs. Whilst the recent pilot implementation of the RTS,S malaria vaccine is indeed a remarkable feat, highly effective vaccines against malaria remain elusive. The barriers to effective vaccines result from the complexity of both the malaria parasite lifecycle and the parasite as an organism itself with consequent major gaps in our understanding of their biology. Historically and due to the practical and ethical difficulties of working with human malaria infections, research into malaria parasite biology has been extensively facilitated by animal models. Animals have been used to study disease pathogenesis, host immune responses and their (dys)regulation and further disease processes such as transmission. Moreover, animal models remain at the forefront of pre-clinical evaluations of antimalarial drugs (drug efficacy, mode of action, mode of resistance) and vaccines. In this review, we discuss commonly used animal models of malaria, the parasite species used and their advantages and limitations which hinder their extrapolation to actual human disease. We also place into this context the most recent developments such as organoid technologies and humanized mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson V. Simwela
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Andrew P. Waters
- Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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13
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Abstract
Although the last two decades have seen a substantial decline in malaria incidence and mortality due to the use of insecticide-treated bed nets and artemisinin combination therapy, the threat of drug resistance is a constant obstacle to sustainable malaria control. Given that patients can die quickly from this disease, public health officials and doctors need to understand whether drug resistance exists in the parasite population, as well as how prevalent it is so they can make informed decisions about treatment. As testing for drug efficacy before providing treatment to malaria patients is impractical, researchers need molecular markers of resistance that can be more readily tracked in parasite populations. To this end, much work has been done to unravel the genetic underpinnings of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum. The aim of this review is to provide a broad overview of common genomic approaches that have been used to discover the alleles that drive drug response phenotypes in the most lethal human malaria parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances Rocamora
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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14
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Fan XC, Liu TL, Wang Y, Wu XM, Wang YX, Lai P, Song JK, Zhao GH. Genome-wide analysis of differentially expressed profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs in chickens during Eimeria necatrix infection. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:167. [PMID: 32245514 PMCID: PMC7118956 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04047-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eimeria necatrix, the most highly pathogenic coccidian in chicken small intestines, can cause high morbidity and mortality in susceptible birds and devastating economic losses in poultry production, but the underlying molecular mechanisms in interaction between chicken and E. necatrix are not entirely revealed. Accumulating evidence shows that the long-non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are key regulators in various infectious diseases. However, the expression profiles and roles of these two non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) during E. necatrix infection are still unclear. METHODS The expression profiles of mRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs in mid-segments of chicken small intestines at 108 h post-infection (pi) with E. necatrix were analyzed by using the RNA-seq technique. RESULTS After strict filtering of raw data, we putatively identified 49,183 mRNAs, 818 lncRNAs and 4153 circRNAs. The obtained lncRNAs were classified into four types, including 228 (27.87%) intergenic, 67 (8.19%) intronic, 166 (20.29%) anti-sense and 357 (43.64%) sense-overlapping lncRNAs; of these, 571 were found to be novel. Five types were also predicted for putative circRNAs, including 180 exonic, 54 intronic, 113 antisense, 109 intergenic and 3697 sense-overlapping circRNAs. Eimeria necatrix infection significantly altered the expression of 1543 mRNAs (707 upregulated and 836 downregulated), 95 lncRNAs (49 upregulated and 46 downregulated) and 13 circRNAs (9 upregulated and 4 downregulated). Target predictions revealed that 38 aberrantly expressed lncRNAs would cis-regulate 73 mRNAs, and 1453 mRNAs could be trans-regulated by 87 differentially regulated lncRNAs. Additionally, 109 potential sponging miRNAs were also identified for 9 circRNAs. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of target mRNAs for lncRNAs, and sponging miRNA targets and source genes for circRNAs identified associations of both lncRNAs and circRNAs with host immune defense and pathogenesis during E. necatrix infection. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, the present study provides the first genome-wide analysis of mRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs in chicken small intestines infected with E. necatrix. The obtained data will offer novel clues for exploring the interaction mechanisms between chickens and Eimeria spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Cheng Fan
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.,Center of Animal Disease Prevention and Control of Huyi District, Xi'an, 710300, China
| | - Ting-Li Liu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.,State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Xue-Mei Wu
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Yu-Xin Wang
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Peng Lai
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Jun-Ke Song
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Guang-Hui Zhao
- Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
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15
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Martin RE. The transportome of the malaria parasite. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 95:305-332. [PMID: 31701663 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Membrane transport proteins, also known as transporters, control the movement of ions, nutrients, metabolites, and waste products across the membranes of a cell and are central to its biology. Proteins of this type also serve as drug targets and are key players in the phenomenon of drug resistance. The malaria parasite has a relatively reduced transportome, with only approximately 2.5% of its genes encoding transporters. Even so, assigning functions and physiological roles to these proteins, and ascertaining their contributions to drug action and drug resistance, has been very challenging. This review presents a detailed critique and synthesis of the disruption phenotypes, protein subcellular localisations, protein functions (observed or predicted), and links to antimalarial drug resistance for each of the parasite's transporter genes. The breadth and depth of the gene disruption data are particularly impressive, with at least one phenotype determined in the parasite's asexual blood stage for each transporter gene, and multiple phenotypes available for 76% of the genes. Analysis of the curated data set revealed there to be relatively little redundancy in the Plasmodium transportome; almost two-thirds of the parasite's transporter genes are essential or required for normal growth in the asexual blood stage of the parasite, and this proportion increased to 78% when the disruption phenotypes available for the other parasite life stages were included in the analysis. These observations, together with the finding that 22% of the transportome is implicated in the parasite's resistance to existing antimalarials and/or drugs within the development pipeline, indicate that transporters are likely to serve, or are already serving, as drug targets. Integration of the different biological and bioinformatic data sets also enabled the selection of candidates for transport processes known to be essential for parasite survival, but for which the underlying proteins have thus far remained undiscovered. These include potential transporters of pantothenate, isoleucine, or isopentenyl diphosphate, as well as putative anion-selective channels that may serve as the pore component of the parasite's 'new permeation pathways'. Other novel insights into the parasite's biology included the identification of transporters for the potential development of antimalarial treatments, transmission-blocking drugs, prophylactics, and genetically attenuated vaccines. The syntheses presented herein set a foundation for elucidating the functions and physiological roles of key members of the Plasmodium transportome and, ultimately, to explore and realise their potential as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowena E Martin
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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16
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Sá JM, Kaslow SR, Moraes Barros RR, Brazeau NF, Parobek CM, Tao D, Salzman RE, Gibson TJ, Velmurugan S, Krause MA, Melendez-Muniz V, Kite WA, Han PK, Eastman RT, Kim A, Kessler EG, Abebe Y, James ER, Chakravarty S, Orr-Gonzalez S, Lambert LE, Engels T, Thomas ML, Fasinu PS, Serre D, Gwadz RW, Walker L, DeConti DK, Mu J, Bailey JA, Sim BKL, Hoffman SL, Fay MP, Dinglasan RR, Juliano JJ, Wellems TE. Plasmodium vivax chloroquine resistance links to pvcrt transcription in a genetic cross. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4300. [PMID: 31541097 PMCID: PMC6754410 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12256-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mainstay treatment for Plasmodium vivax malaria has long relied on chloroquine (CQ) against blood-stage parasites plus primaquine against dormant liver-stage forms (hypnozoites), however drug resistance confronts this regimen and threatens malaria control programs. Understanding the basis of P. vivax chloroquine resistance (CQR) will inform drug discovery and malaria control. Here we investigate the genetics of P. vivax CQR by a cross of parasites differing in drug response. Gametocytogenesis, mosquito infection, and progeny production are performed with mixed parasite populations in nonhuman primates, as methods for P. vivax cloning and in vitro cultivation remain unavailable. Linkage mapping of progeny surviving >15 mg/kg CQ identifies a 76 kb region in chromosome 1 including pvcrt, an ortholog of the Plasmodium falciparum CQR transporter gene. Transcriptional analysis supports upregulated pvcrt expression as a mechanism of CQR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana M Sá
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Sarah R Kaslow
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Roberto R Moraes Barros
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Nicholas F Brazeau
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Christian M Parobek
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Dingyin Tao
- W Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rebecca E Salzman
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Tyler J Gibson
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | | | - Michael A Krause
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Viviana Melendez-Muniz
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Whitney A Kite
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Paul K Han
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Richard T Eastman
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Adam Kim
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Evan G Kessler
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sachy Orr-Gonzalez
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Lynn E Lambert
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Theresa Engels
- Division of Veterinary Resources, Office of Research Services, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Marvin L Thomas
- Division of Veterinary Resources, Office of Research Services, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Pius S Fasinu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, 27506, USA
| | - David Serre
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Robert W Gwadz
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Larry Walker
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, 27506, USA
| | - Derrick K DeConti
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Jianbing Mu
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Bailey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, 27506, USA
- Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | | | | | - Michael P Fay
- Biostatistics Research Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Rhoel R Dinglasan
- W Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, Department of Infectious Diseases & Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jonathan J Juliano
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Thomas E Wellems
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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17
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Tindall SM, Vallières C, Lakhani DH, Islahudin F, Ting KN, Avery SV. Heterologous Expression of a Novel Drug Transporter from the Malaria Parasite Alters Resistance to Quinoline Antimalarials. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2464. [PMID: 29410428 PMCID: PMC5802821 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20816-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimalarial drug resistance hampers effective malaria treatment. Critical SNPs in a particular, putative amino acid transporter were recently linked to chloroquine (CQ) resistance in malaria parasites. Here, we show that this conserved protein (PF3D7_0629500 in Plasmodium falciparum; AAT1 in P. chabaudi) is a structural homologue of the yeast amino acid transporter Tat2p, which is known to mediate quinine uptake and toxicity. Heterologous expression of PF3D7_0629500 in yeast produced CQ hypersensitivity, coincident with increased CQ uptake. PF3D7_0629500-expressing cultures were also sensitized to related antimalarials; amodiaquine, mefloquine and particularly quinine. Drug sensitivity was reversed by introducing a SNP linked to CQ resistance in the parasite. Like Tat2p, PF3D7_0629500-dependent quinine hypersensitivity was suppressible with tryptophan, consistent with a common transport mechanism. A four-fold increase in quinine uptake by PF3D7_0629500 expressing cells was abolished by the resistance SNP. The parasite protein localised primarily to the yeast plasma membrane. Its expression varied between cells and this heterogeneity was used to show that high-expressing cell subpopulations were the most drug sensitive. The results reveal that the PF3D7_0629500 protein can determine the level of sensitivity to several major quinine-related antimalarials through an amino acid-inhibitable drug transport function. The potential clinical relevance is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Tindall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Cindy Vallières
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Dev H Lakhani
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Farida Islahudin
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, Malaysia
| | - Kang-Nee Ting
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Semenyih, Malaysia
| | - Simon V Avery
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
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18
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Kumar S, Yadav M, Yadav A, Rohilla P, Yadav JP. Antiplasmodial potential and quantification of aloin and aloe-emodin in Aloe vera collected from different climatic regions of India. BMC COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2017; 17:369. [PMID: 28716028 PMCID: PMC5514507 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1883-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this study, Aloe vera samples were collected from different climatic regions of India. Quantitative HPTLC (high performance thin layer chromatography) analysis of important anthraquinones aloin and aloe-emodin and antiplasmodial activity of crude aqueous extracts was done to estimate the effects of these constituents on antiplasmodial potential of the plant. METHODS HPTLC system equipped with a sample applicator Linomat V with CAMAG sample syringe, twin rough plate development chamber (20 x 10 cm), TLC Scanner 3 and integration software WINCATS 1.4.8 was used for analysis of aloin and aloe-emodin amount. The antiplasmodial activity of plant extracts was assessed against a chloroquine (CQ) sensitive strain of P. falciparum (MRC-2). Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of aqueous extracts of selected samples was determined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended method that was based on assessing the inhibition of schizont maturation in a 96-well microtitre plate. EC (effective concentration) values of different samples were observed to predict antiplasmodial potential of the plant in terms of their climatic zones. RESULTS A maximum quantity of aloin and aloe-emodin i.e. 0.45 and 0.27 mg/g respectively was observed from the 12 samples of Aloe vera. The inhibited parasite growth with EC50 values ranging from 0.289 to 1056 μg/ml. The antiplasmodial EC50 value of positive control Chloroquine was observed 0.034 μg/ml and EC50 values showed by aloin and aloe-emodin was 67 μg/ml and 22 μg/ml respectively. A positive correlation was reported between aloin and aloe-emodin. Antiplasmodial activity was increased with increase in the concentration of aloin and aloe-emodin. The quantity of aloin and aloe-emodin was decreased with rise in temperature hence it was negatively correlated with temperature. CONCLUSIONS The extracts of Aloe vera collected from colder climatic regions showed good antiplasmodial activity and also showed the presence of higher amount of aloin and aloe-emodin in comparison to collected from warmer climatic sites. Study showed significant correlation between quantities of both the anthraquinones used as marker compounds and EC50 values of the different Aloe vera extracts. Although, both the anthraquinones showed less antiplasmodial potential in comparison to crude extracts of different Aloe vera samples. Diverse climatic factors affect the quantity of tested compounds and antiplasmodial potential of the plant in different Aloe vera samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Kumar
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana -124001 India
| | - Manila Yadav
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana -124001 India
| | - Amita Yadav
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana -124001 India
| | - Pooja Rohilla
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana -124001 India
| | - Jaya Parkash Yadav
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana -124001 India
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Abkallo HM, Martinelli A, Inoue M, Ramaprasad A, Xangsayarath P, Gitaka J, Tang J, Yahata K, Zoungrana A, Mitaka H, Acharjee A, Datta PP, Hunt P, Carter R, Kaneko O, Mustonen V, Illingworth CJR, Pain A, Culleton R. Rapid identification of genes controlling virulence and immunity in malaria parasites. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006447. [PMID: 28704525 PMCID: PMC5507557 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the genetic determinants of phenotypes that impact disease severity is of fundamental importance for the design of new interventions against malaria. Here we present a rapid genome-wide approach capable of identifying multiple genetic drivers of medically relevant phenotypes within malaria parasites via a single experiment at single gene or allele resolution. In a proof of principle study, we found that a previously undescribed single nucleotide polymorphism in the binding domain of the erythrocyte binding like protein (EBL) conferred a dramatic change in red blood cell invasion in mutant rodent malaria parasites Plasmodium yoelii. In the same experiment, we implicated merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1) and other polymorphic proteins, as the major targets of strain-specific immunity. Using allelic replacement, we provide functional validation of the substitution in the EBL gene controlling the growth rate in the blood stages of the parasites. Developing a greater understanding of malaria genetics is a key step in combating the threat posed by the disease. Here we use a novel approach to study two important properties of the parasite; the rate at which parasites grow within a single host, and the means by which parasites are affected by the host immune system. Two malaria strains with different biological properties were crossed in mosquitoes to produce a hybrid population, which was then grown in naïve and vaccinated mice. Parasites with genes conveying increased growth or immune evasion are favoured under natural selection, leaving a signature on the genetic composition of the cross population. We describe a novel mathematical approach to interpret this signature, identifying selected genes within the parasite population. We discover new genetic variants conveying increased within-host growth and resistance to host immunity in a mouse malaria strain. Experimental validation highlights the ability of this rapid experimental process for generating insights into malaria biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein M. Abkallo
- Malaria Unit, Department of Pathology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Axel Martinelli
- Global Station for Zoonosis Control, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Megumi Inoue
- Malaria Unit, Department of Pathology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Abhinay Ramaprasad
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Phonepadith Xangsayarath
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Protozooolgy, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Jesse Gitaka
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Protozooolgy, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Centre for Malaria Elimination, School of Medicine, Mount Kenya University, Thika, Kenya
| | - Jianxia Tang
- Key Laboratory of National Health and Family Planning Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kazuhide Yahata
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Protozooolgy, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Augustin Zoungrana
- Malaria Unit, Department of Pathology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hayato Mitaka
- Malaria Unit, Department of Pathology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Arita Acharjee
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur - 741 246, West Bengal, India
| | - Partha P. Datta
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur - 741 246, West Bengal, India
| | - Paul Hunt
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Carter
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Osamu Kaneko
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- Department of Protozooolgy, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Ville Mustonen
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. R. Illingworth
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (CJRI); (AP); (RC)
| | - Arnab Pain
- Global Station for Zoonosis Control, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering (BESE) Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- * E-mail: (CJRI); (AP); (RC)
| | - Richard Culleton
- Malaria Unit, Department of Pathology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
- * E-mail: (CJRI); (AP); (RC)
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Abstract
Eukaryotic microbial pathogens are major contributors to illness and death globally. Although much of their impact can be controlled by drug therapy as with prokaryotic microorganisms, the emergence of drug resistance has threatened these treatment efforts. Here, we discuss the challenges posed by eukaryotic microbial pathogens and how these are similar to, or differ from, the challenges of prokaryotic antibiotic resistance. The therapies used for several major eukaryotic microorganisms are then detailed, and the mechanisms that they have evolved to overcome these therapies are described. The rapid emergence of resistance and the restricted pipeline of new drug therapies pose considerable risks to global health and are particularly acute in the developing world. Nonetheless, we detail how the integration of new technology, biological understanding, epidemiology and evolutionary analysis can help sustain existing therapies, anticipate the emergence of resistance or optimize the deployment of new therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan H. Fairlamb
- Dundee Drug Discovery Unit, Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Neil A. R. Gow
- Aberdeen Fungal Group, Wellcome Trust Strategic Award in Medical Mycology and Fungal Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK
| | - Keith R. Matthews
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Andrew P. Waters
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical and Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
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Wezeman T, Zhong S, Nieger M, Bräse S. Synthesis of Highly Functionalized 4-Aminoquinolines. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:3823-7. [PMID: 26878996 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201511385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
A diverse set of highly substituted 4-aminoquinolines was synthesized from ynamides, triflic anhydride, 2-chloropyridine, and readily accessible amides in a mild one-step procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Wezeman
- Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Sabilla Zhong
- Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Martin Nieger
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stefan Bräse
- Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany. .,Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
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22
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Wezeman T, Zhong S, Nieger M, Bräse S. Synthese hochfunktionalisierter 4-Aminochinoline. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201511385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Wezeman
- Institut für Organische Chemie (IOC); Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT); Fritz-Haber-Weg 6 76131 Karlsruhe Deutschland
| | - Sabilla Zhong
- Institut für Organische Chemie (IOC); Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT); Fritz-Haber-Weg 6 76131 Karlsruhe Deutschland
| | - Martin Nieger
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry; University of Helsinki; Finnland
| | - Stefan Bräse
- Institut für Organische Chemie (IOC); Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT); Fritz-Haber-Weg 6 76131 Karlsruhe Deutschland
- Institut für Toxikologie und Genetik (ITG); Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT); Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Deutschland
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23
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Blake DP. Eimeria genomics: Where are we now and where are we going? Vet Parasitol 2015; 212:68-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Conway DJ. Paths to a malaria vaccine illuminated by parasite genomics. Trends Genet 2015; 31:97-107. [PMID: 25620796 PMCID: PMC4359294 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Discovery of vaccine candidate antigens by parasite genome sequence analyses. Genetic crosses, linkage group selection, and functional studies on parasites. Characterizing developmental and epigenetic variation alongside allelic polymorphism. Selection by naturally acquired immune responses helps to focus vaccine design.
More human death and disease is caused by malaria parasites than by all other eukaryotic pathogens combined. As early as the sequencing of the first human genome, malaria parasite genomics was prioritized to fuel the discovery of vaccine candidate antigens. This stimulated increased research on malaria, generating new understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of infection and immunity. This review of recent developments illustrates how new approaches in parasite genomics, and increasingly large amounts of data from population studies, are helping to identify antigens that are promising lead targets. Although these results have been encouraging, effective discovery and characterization need to be coupled with more innovation and funding to translate findings into newly designed vaccine products for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Conway
- Pathogen Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
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25
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Schneeberger K. Using next-generation sequencing to isolate mutant genes from forward genetic screens. Nat Rev Genet 2014; 15:662-76. [PMID: 25139187 DOI: 10.1038/nrg3745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The long-lasting success of forward genetic screens relies on the simple molecular basis of the characterized phenotypes, which are typically caused by mutations in single genes. Mapping the location of causal mutations using genetic crosses has traditionally been a complex, multistep procedure, but next-generation sequencing now allows the rapid identification of causal mutations at single-nucleotide resolution even in complex genetic backgrounds. Recent advances of this mapping-by-sequencing approach include methods that are independent of reference genome sequences, genetic crosses and any kind of linkage information, which make forward genetics amenable for species that have not been considered for forward genetic screens so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korbinian Schneeberger
- Genome Plasticity and Computational Genetics, Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 50829 Cologne, Germany
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26
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Culleton RL, Abkallo HM. Malaria parasite genetics: doing something useful. Parasitol Int 2014; 64:244-53. [PMID: 25073068 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2014.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Genetics has informed almost every aspect of the study of malaria parasites, and remains a key component of much of the research that aims to reduce the burden of the disease they cause. We describe the history of genetic studies of malaria parasites and give an overview of the utility of the discipline to malariology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Culleton
- Malaria Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan.
| | - Hussein M Abkallo
- Malaria Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
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27
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Asare KK, Boampong JN, Afoakwah R, Ameyaw EO, Sehgal R, Quashie NB. Use of proscribed chloroquine is associated with an increased risk of pfcrt T76 mutation in some parts of Ghana. Malar J 2014; 13:246. [PMID: 24969960 PMCID: PMC4088365 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-13-246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background After years of disuse of chloroquine (CQ) as first-line anti-malarial drug in Ghana, reports from molecular studies conducted in parts of the country indicate varying prevalence of T76 mutation in the pfcrt gene. This situation has several health implications, one being that mutations that confer resistance to CQ have been reported to show substantial cross-resistance to other anti-malarial drugs. It is important to identify some of the factors contributing to the continuous presence of CQ resistance markers in the country. This study determined the prevalence of T76 mutation in pfcrt gene of Plasmodium falciparum isolates collected from selected areas of the Central region of Ghana and correlated with the level of CQ use in these areas. Methods Plasmodium falciparum DNA was extracted from collected blood-blot filter paper samples in the study sites. The prevalence of T76 point mutation in pfcrt gene was assessed using nested PCR followed by RFLP. CQ from pharmacy and chemical shops was obtained using mystery buying method. The extent of CQ use by the participants was determined by measuring the level of the drug in their urine samples using the Saker-Solomon method. Results Of the 214 P. falciparum isolates analysed, 71.9% were found to have T76 mutation of pfcrt gene. The study revealed that 14.49% of community pharmacies and chemical shops had stocks of CQ for sale while 16.9% of the participants had CQ in their urine samples. There is five times more risks of becoming infected with CQ resistant strain for staying in an area where CQ is stocked for sale [RR = 0.20, p < 0.0001] and thirteen times more risks of having CQ-resistant mutant from those who still use CQ than non-users [OR = 0.08, p < 0.0001]. Conclusion This study has shown that high variation in the prevalence of T76 mutations of P. falciparum is linked with the level of CQ stocking and usage within study area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johnson N Boampong
- Department of Biomedical and Forensic Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
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A whole cell pathway screen reveals seven novel chemosensitizers to combat chloroquine resistant malaria. Sci Rep 2014; 3:1734. [PMID: 23615863 PMCID: PMC3635055 DOI: 10.1038/srep01734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the widespread prevalence of resistant parasites, chloroquine (CQ) was removed from front-line antimalarial chemotherapy in the 1990s despite its initial promise of disease eradication. Since then, resistance-conferring mutations have been identified in transporters such as the PfCRT, that allow for the efflux of CQ from its primary site of action, the parasite digestive vacuole. Chemosensitizing/chemoreversing compounds interfere with the function of these transporters thereby sensitizing parasites to CQ once again. However, compounds identified thus far have disappointing in vivo efficacy and screening for alternative candidates is required to revive this strategy. In this study, we propose a simple and direct means to rapidly screen for such compounds using a fluorescent-tagged CQ molecule. When this screen was applied to a small library, seven novel chemosensitizers (octoclothepin, methiothepin, metergoline, loperamide, chlorprothixene, L-703,606 and mibefradil) were quickly elucidated, including two which showed greater potency than the classical chemosensitizers verapamil and desipramine.
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Repeat polymorphisms in the low-complexity regions of Plasmodium falciparum ABC transporters and associations with in vitro antimalarial responses. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:6196-204. [PMID: 24080667 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01465-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Plasmodium falciparum genome is rich in regions of low amino acid complexity which evolve with few constraints on size. To explore the extent of diversity in these loci, we sequenced repeat regions in pfmdr1, pfmdr5, pfmdr6, pfmrp2, and the antigenic locus pfmsp8 in laboratory and cultured-adapted clinical isolates. We further assessed associations between the repeats and parasite in vitro responses to 7 antimalarials to determine possible adaptive roles of these repeats in drug tolerance. Our results show extensive repeat variations in the reference and clinical isolates in all loci. We also observed a modest increase in dihydroartemisinin activity in parasites harboring the pfmdr1 sequence profile 7-2-10 (reflecting the number of asparagine repeats, number of aspartate repeats, and number of asparagine repeats in the final series of the gene product) (P = 0.0321) and reduced sensitivity to chloroquine, mefloquine, quinine, and dihydroartemisinin in those with the 7-2-11 profile (P = 0.0051, 0.0068, 0.0011, and 0.0052, respectively). Interestingly, we noted an inverse association between two drugs whereby isolates with 6 asparagine repeats encoded by pfmdr6 were significantly more susceptible to piperaquine than those with 8 (P = 0.0057). Against lumefantrine, those with 8 repeats were, however, more sensitive (P = 0.0144). In pfmrp2, the 7-DNNNTS/NNNNTS (number of DNNNTS or NNNNTS motifs; underlining indicates dimorphism) repeat group was significantly associated with a higher lumefantrine 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) (P = 0.008) than in those without. No associations were observed with pfmsp8. These results hint at the probable utility of some repeat conformations as markers of in vitro antimalarial response; hence, biochemical functional studies to ascertain their role in P. falciparum are required.
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Modulation of PF10_0355 (MSPDBL2) alters Plasmodium falciparum response to antimalarial drugs. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:2937-41. [PMID: 23587962 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02574-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria's ability to rapidly adapt to new drugs has allowed it to remain one of the most devastating infectious diseases of humans. Understanding and tracking the genetic basis of these adaptations are critical to the success of treatment and intervention strategies. The novel antimalarial resistance locus PF10_0355 (Pfmspdbl2) was previously associated with the parasite response to halofantrine, and functional validation confirmed that overexpression of this gene lowered parasite sensitivity to both halofantrine and the structurally related antimalarials mefloquine and lumefantrine, predominantly through copy number variation. Here we further characterize the role of Pfmspdbl2 in mediating the antimalarial drug response of Plasmodium falciparum. Knockout of Pfmspdbl2 increased parasite sensitivity to halofantrine, mefloquine, and lumefantrine but not to unrelated antimalarials, further suggesting that this gene mediates the parasite response to a specific class of antimalarial drugs. A single nucleotide polymorphism encoding a C591S mutation within Pfmspdbl2 had the strongest association with halofantrine sensitivity and showed a high derived allele frequency among Senegalese parasites. Transgenic parasites expressing the ancestral Pfmspdbl2 allele were more sensitive to halofantrine and structurally related antimalarials than were parasites expressing the derived allele, revealing an allele-specific effect on drug sensitivity in the absence of copy number effects. Finally, growth competition experiments showed that under drug pressure, parasites expressing the derived allele of Pfmspdbl2 outcompeted parasites expressing the ancestral allele within a few generations. Together, these experiments demonstrate that modulation of Pfmspdbl2 affects malaria parasite responses to antimalarial drugs.
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Henriques G, Martinelli A, Rodrigues L, Modrzynska K, Fawcett R, Houston DR, Borges ST, d'Alessandro U, Tinto H, Karema C, Hunt P, Cravo P. Artemisinin resistance in rodent malaria--mutation in the AP2 adaptor μ-chain suggests involvement of endocytosis and membrane protein trafficking. Malar J 2013; 12:118. [PMID: 23561245 PMCID: PMC3655824 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 02/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The control of malaria, caused by Plasmodium falciparum, is hampered by the relentless evolution of drug resistance. Because artemisinin derivatives are now used in the most effective anti-malarial therapy, resistance to artemisinin would be catastrophic. Indeed, studies suggest that artemisinin resistance has already appeared in natural infections. Understanding the mechanisms of resistance would help to prolong the effective lifetime of these drugs. Genetic markers of resistance are therefore required urgently. Previously, a mutation in a de-ubiquitinating enzyme was shown to confer artemisinin resistance in the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi. METHODS Here, for a mutant P. chabaudi malaria parasite and its immediate progenitor, the in vivo artemisinin resistance phenotypes and the mutations arising using Illumina whole-genome re-sequencing were compared. RESULTS An increased artemisinin resistance phenotype is accompanied by one non-synonymous substitution. The mutated gene encodes the μ-chain of the AP2 adaptor complex, a component of the endocytic machinery. Homology models indicate that the mutated residue interacts with a cargo recognition sequence. In natural infections of the human malaria parasite P. falciparum, 12 polymorphisms (nine SNPs and three indels) were identified in the orthologous gene. CONCLUSION An increased artemisinin-resistant phenotype occurs along with a mutation in a functional element of the AP2 adaptor protein complex. This suggests that endocytosis and trafficking of membrane proteins may be involved, generating new insights into possible mechanisms of resistance. The genotypes of this adaptor protein can be evaluated for its role in artemisinin responses in human infections of P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Henriques
- Centro de Malaria & Doenças Tropicais,LA/IHMT/Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Bhat HR, Singh UP, Gahtori P, Ghosh SK, Gogoi K, Prakash A, Singh RK. 4-Aminoquinoline-1,3,5-triazine: Design, synthesis, in vitro antimalarial activity and docking studies. NEW J CHEM 2013. [DOI: 10.1039/c3nj00317e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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