piggyBac is an effective tool for functional analysis of the Plasmodium falciparum genome

Optimized plasmid loading of human erythrocytes for Plasmodium falciparum DNA transfections

In vitro modification of Plasmodium falciparum genes is the cornerstone of basic and translational malaria research. Achieved through DNA transfection, these modifications may entail altering protein sequence or abundance. Such experiments are critical for defining the molecular mechanisms of key parasite phenotypes and for validation of drug and vaccine targets. Despite its importance, successful transfection remains difficult and is a resource-intensive, rate-limiting step in P. falciparum research. Here, we report that inefficient loading of plasmid into erythrocytes limits transfection efficacy with commonly used electroporation methods. As these methods also require expensive instrumentation and consumables that are not broadly available, we explored a simpler method based on plasmid loading through hypotonic lysis and resealing of erythrocytes. We used parasite expression of a sensitive NanoLuc reporter for rapid evaluation and optimization of each step. Hypotonic buffer composition, resealing buffer volume and composition, and subsequent incubation affected plasmid retention and successful transfection. While ATP was critical for erythrocyte resealing, addition of Ca++ or glutathione did not improve transfection efficiency, with increasing Ca++ concentrations proving detrimental to outcomes. Compared with either the standard electroporation method or a previously reported hypotonic loading protocol, the optimized method yields greater plasmid loading and higher expression of the NanoLuc reporter 48 h after transfection. It also produced significantly faster outgrowth of parasites in transfections utilizing either episomal expression or CRISPR-Cas9 mediated integration. This new method produces higher P. falciparum transfection efficiency, reduces resource requirements and should accelerate molecular studies of malaria drug and vaccine targets.

A novel Modulator of Ring Stage Translation (MRST) gene alters artemisinin sensitivity in Plasmodium falciparum

The implementation of artemisinin (ART) combination therapies (ACTs) has greatly decreased deaths caused by Plasmodium falciparum malaria, but increasing ACT resistance in Southeast Asia and Africa could reverse this progress. Parasite population genetic studies have identified numerous genes, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and transcriptional signatures associated with altered artemisinin activity with SNPs in the Kelch13 (K13) gene being the most well-characterized artemisinin resistance marker. However, there is an increasing evidence that resistance to artemisinin in P. falciparum is not related only to K13 SNPs, prompting the need to characterize other novel genes that can alter ART responses in P. falciparum. In our previous analyses of P. falciparum piggyBac mutants, several genes of unknown function exhibited increased sensitivity to artemisinin that was similar to a mutant of K13. Further analysis of these genes and their gene co-expression networks indicated that the ART sensitivity cluster was functionally linked to DNA replication and repair, stress responses, and maintenance of homeostatic nuclear activity. In this study, we have characterized PF3D7_1136600, another member of the ART sensitivity cluster. Previously annotated as a conserved Plasmodium gene of unknown function, we now provide putative annotation of this gene as a Modulator of Ring Stage Translation (MRST). Our findings reveal that the mutagenesis of MRST affects gene expression of multiple translation-associated pathways during the early ring stage of asexual development via putative ribosome assembly and maturation activity, suggesting an essential role of MRST in protein biosynthesis and another novel mechanism of altering the parasite's ART drug response.IMPORTANCEPlasmodium falciparum malaria killed more than 600,000 people in 2021, though ACTs have been critical in reducing malaria mortality as a first-line treatment for infection. However, ACT resistance in Southeast Asia and emerging resistance in Africa are detrimental to this progress. Mutations to Kelch13 (K13) have been identified to confer increased artemisinin tolerance in field isolates, however, genes other than K13 are implicated in altering how the parasite responds to artemisinin prompts additional analysis. Therefore, in this study we have characterized a P. falciparum mutant clone with altered sensitivity to artemisinin and identified a novel gene (PF3D7_1136600) that is associated with alterations to parasite translational metabolism during critical timepoints for artemisinin drug response. Many genes of the P. falciparum genome remain unannotated, posing a challenge for drug-gene characterizations in the parasite. Therefore, through this study, we have putatively annotated PF3D7_1136600 as a novel MRST gene and have identified a potential link between MRST and parasite stress response mechanisms.

Phenotypic Screens Identify Genetic Factors Associated with Gametocyte Development in the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Transmission of the deadly malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum from humans to mosquitoes is achieved by specialized intraerythrocytic sexual forms called gametocytes. Though the crucial regulatory mechanisms leading to gametocyte commitment have recently come to light, networks of genes that control sexual development remain to be elucidated. Here, we report a pooled-mutant screen to identify genes associated with gametocyte development in P. falciparum. Our results categorized genes that modulate gametocyte progression as hypoproducers or hyperproducers of gametocytes, and the in-depth analysis of individual clones confirmed phenotypes in sexual commitment rates and putative functions in gametocyte development. We present a new set of genes that have not been implicated in gametocytogenesis before and demonstrate the potential of forward genetic screens in isolating genes impacting parasite sexual biology, an exciting step toward the discovery of new antimalarials for a globally significant pathogen. IMPORTANCE Blocking human-to-vector transmission is an essential step toward malaria elimination. Gametocytes are solely responsible for achieving this transmission and represent an opportunity for therapeutic intervention. While these falciform-shaped parasite stages were first discovered in the 1880s, our understanding of the genetic determinants responsible for their formation and molecular mechanisms that drive their development is limited. In this work, we developed a scalable screening methodology with piggyBac mutants to identify genes that influence the development of gametocytes in the most lethal human malaria parasite, P. falciparum. By doing so, we lay the foundation for large-scale functional genomic studies specifically designed to address remaining questions about sexual commitment, maturation, and mosquito infection in P. falciparum. Such functional genetic screens will serve to expedite the identification of essential pathways and processes for the development of novel transmission-blocking agents.

Protein KIC5 is a novel regulator of artemisinin stress response in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) have led to a significant decrease in Plasmodium falciparum malaria mortality. This progress is now threatened by emerging artemisinin resistance (ART-R) linked originally in SE Asia to polymorphisms in the Kelch propeller protein (K13) and more recently to several other seemingly unrelated genetic mutations. To better understand the parasite response to ART, we are characterizing a P. falciparum mutant with altered sensitivity to ART that was created via piggyBac transposon mutagenesis. The transposon inserted near the putative transcription start site of a gene defined as a "Plasmodium-conserved gene of unknown function," now functionally linked to K13 as the Kelch13 Interacting Candidate 5 protein (KIC5). Phenotype analysis of the KIC5 mutant during intraerythrocytic asexual development identified transcriptional changes associated with DNA stress response and altered mitochondrial metabolism, linking dysregulation of the KIC5 gene to the parasite's ability to respond to ART exposure. Through characterization of the KIC5 transcriptome, we hypothesize that this gene may be essential under ART exposure to manage gene expression of the wild-type stress response at early ring stage, thereby providing a better understanding of the parasite's processes that can alter ART sensitivity.

Paving the Way: Contributions of Big Data to Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid Research

In the age of big data an important question is how to ensure we make the most out of the resources we generate. In this review, we discuss the major methods used in Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid research to produce big datasets and advance our understanding of Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Trypanosoma and Leishmania biology. We debate the benefits and limitations of the current technologies, and propose future advancements that may be key to improving our use of these techniques. Finally, we consider the difficulties the field faces when trying to make the most of the abundance of data that has already been, and will continue to be, generated.

Genetic disruption of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoite surface antigen 180 (PfMSA180) suggests an essential role during parasite egress from erythrocytes

Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for severe malaria, develops within erythrocytes. Merozoite invasion and subsequent egress of intraerythrocytic parasites are essential for this erythrocytic cycle, parasite survival and pathogenesis. In the present study, we report the essential role of a novel protein, P. falciparum Merozoite Surface Antigen 180 (PfMSA180), which is conserved across Plasmodium species and recently shown to be associated with the P. vivax merozoite surface. Here, we studied MSA180 expression, processing, localization and function in P. falciparum blood stages. Initially we examined its role in invasion, a process mediated by multiple ligand-receptor interactions and an attractive step for targeting with inhibitory antibodies through the development of a malaria vaccine. Using antibodies specific for different regions of PfMSA180, together with a parasite containing a conditional pfmsa180-gene knockout generated using CRISPR/Cas9 and DiCre recombinase technology, we demonstrate that this protein is unlikely to play a crucial role in erythrocyte invasion. However, deletion of the pfmsa180 gene resulted in a severe egress defect, preventing schizont rupture and blocking the erythrocytic cycle. Our study highlights an essential role of PfMSA180 in parasite egress, which could be targeted through the development of a novel malaria intervention strategy.

The apicoplast link to fever-survival and artemisinin-resistance in the malaria parasite

The emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum parasites resistant to front-line antimalarial artemisinin-combination therapies (ACT) threatens to erase the considerable gains against the disease of the last decade. Here, we develop a large-scale phenotypic screening pipeline and use it to carry out a large-scale forward-genetic phenotype screen in P. falciparum to identify genes allowing parasites to survive febrile temperatures. Screening identifies more than 200 P. falciparum mutants with differential responses to increased temperature. These mutants are more likely to be sensitive to artemisinin derivatives as well as to heightened oxidative stress. Major processes critical for P. falciparum tolerance to febrile temperatures and artemisinin include highly essential, conserved pathways associated with protein-folding, heat shock and proteasome-mediated degradation, and unexpectedly, isoprenoid biosynthesis, which originated from the ancestral genome of the parasite’s algal endosymbiont-derived plastid, the apicoplast. Apicoplast-targeted genes in general are upregulated in response to heat shock, as are other Plasmodium genes with orthologs in plant and algal genomes. Plasmodium falciparum parasites appear to exploit their innate febrile-response mechanisms to mediate resistance to artemisinin. Both responses depend on endosymbiont-derived genes in the parasite’s genome, suggesting a link to the evolutionary origins of Plasmodium parasites in free-living ancestors.

Repeating fever is a hallmark of malaria. Here, a large-scale forward genetic screen in malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum identifies genes associated with parasite tolerance to host fever, including apicoplast targeted isoprenoid biosynthesis—sharing features with artemisinin resistance.

Targeting Gametocytes of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum in a Functional Genomics Era: Next Steps

Mosquito transmission of the deadly malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is mediated by mature sexual forms (gametocytes). Circulating in the vertebrate host, relatively few intraerythrocytic gametocytes are picked up during a bloodmeal to continue sexual development in the mosquito vector. Human-to-vector transmission thus represents an infection bottleneck in the parasite's life cycle for therapeutic interventions to prevent malaria. Even though recent progress has been made in the identification of genetic factors linked to gametocytogenesis, a plethora of genes essential for sexual-stage development are yet to be unraveled. In this review, we revisit P. falciparum transmission biology by discussing targetable features of gametocytes and provide a perspective on a forward-genetic approach for identification of novel transmission-blocking candidates in the future.

Attenuated P. falciparum Parasite Shows Cytokine Variations in Humanized Mice

A recently developed humanized mouse has been used to assess the immune response evoked against the isolated attenuated C9 parasite clone (C9-M; carrying a single insertion disrupting the open reading frame (ORF) of PF3D7_1305500) of Plasmodium falciparum. Significant human RBC engraftment was achieved by ameliorating the residual non-adaptive immune response using clodronate-loaded liposome treatment. Controlled reactive professional phagocytic leukocytes in immunodeficient mice allowed for sizeable human blood chimerism and injected huRBCs acted as bona fide host cells for P. falciparum. huRBC-reconstituted immunodeficient mice received infectious challenge with attenuated P. falciparum C9 parasite mutants (C9-M), complemented (C9-C), and wild type (NF54) progenitors to study the role of immune effectors in the clearance of the parasite from mouse circulation. C9-M and NF54 parasites grew and developed in the huRBC-reconstituted humanized NSG mice. Further, the presence of mutant parasites in deep-seated tissues suggests the escape of parasites from the host's immune responses and thus extended the survival of the parasite. Our results suggest an evasion mechanism that may have been employed by the parasite to survive the mouse's residual non-adaptive immune responses. Collectively, our data suggest that huRBCs reconstituted NSG mice infected with attenuated P. falciparum is a valuable tool to explore the role of C9 mutation in the growth and survival of parasite mutants and their response to the host's immune responses. This mouse might help in identifying novel chemotherapeutic targets to develop new anti-malarial drugs.

The Antimalarial Natural Product Salinipostin A Identifies Essential α/β Serine Hydrolases Involved in Lipid Metabolism in P. falciparum Parasites

Salinipostin A (Sal A) is a potent antiplasmodial marine natural product with an undefined mechanism of action. Using a Sal A-derived activity-based probe, we identify its targets in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. All of the identified proteins contain α/β serine hydrolase domains and several are essential for parasite growth. One of the essential targets displays a high degree of homology to human monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and is able to process lipid esters including a MAGL acylglyceride substrate. This Sal A target is inhibited by the anti-obesity drug Orlistat, which disrupts lipid metabolism. Resistance selections yielded parasites that showed only minor reductions in sensitivity and that acquired mutations in a PRELI domain-containing protein linked to drug resistance in Toxoplasma gondii. This inability to evolve efficient resistance mechanisms combined with the non-essentiality of human homologs makes the serine hydrolases identified here promising antimalarial targets.

Thinking outside of the cell: Secreted protein kinases in bacteria, parasites, and mammals

Previous decades have seen an explosion in our understanding of protein kinase function in human health and disease. Hundreds of unique kinase structures have been solved, allowing us to create generalized rules for catalysis, assign roles of communities within the catalytic core, and develop specific drugs for targeting various pathways. Although our understanding of intracellular kinases has developed at a fast rate, our exploration into extracellular kinases has just begun. In this review, we will cover the secreted protein kinase families found in humans, bacteria, and parasites. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(6):749-759, 2019.

Uncovering the essential genes of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum by saturation mutagenesis

Severe malaria is caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Despite decades of research, the distinct biology of these parasites has made it challenging to establish high-throughput genetic approaches to identify and prioritize therapeutic targets. Using transposon mutagenesis of P. falciparum in an approach that exploited its AT-rich genome, we generated more than 38,000 mutants, saturating the genome and defining mutability and fitness costs for over 87% of genes. Of 5399 genes, our study defined 2680 genes as essential for optimal growth of asexual blood stages in vitro. These essential genes are associated with drug resistance, represent leading vaccine candidates, and include approximately 1000 Plasmodium-conserved genes of unknown function. We validated this approach by testing proteasome pathways for individual mutants associated with artemisinin sensitivity.

Development of a toolkit for piggyBac-mediated integrative transfection of the human filarial parasite Brugia malayi

BACKGROUND

The human filarial parasites cause diseases that are among the most important causes of morbidity in the developing world. The elimination programs targeting these infections rely on a limited number of drugs, making the identification of new chemotherapeutic agents a high priority. The study of these parasites has lagged due to the lack of reverse genetic methods.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

We report a novel co-culture method that results in developmentally competent infective larvae of one of the human filarial parasites (Brugia malayi) and describe a method to efficiently transfect the larval stages of this parasite. We describe the production of constructs that result in integrative transfection using the piggyBac transposon system, and a selectable marker that can be used to identify transgenic parasites. We describe the production and use of dual reporter plasmids containing both a secreted luciferase selectable marker and fluorescent protein reporters that will be useful to study temporal and spatial patterns of gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

The methods and constructs reported here will permit the efficient production of integrated transgenic filarial parasite lines, allowing reverse genetic technologies to be applied to all life cycle stages of the parasite.

Complete avian malaria parasite genomes reveal features associated with lineage-specific evolution in birds and mammals

Avian malaria parasites are prevalent around the world and infect a wide diversity of bird species. Here, we report the sequencing and analysis of high-quality draft genome sequences for two avian malaria species, Plasmodium relictum and Plasmodium gallinaceum We identify 50 genes that are specific to avian malaria, located in an otherwise conserved core of the genome that shares gene synteny with all other sequenced malaria genomes. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the avian malaria species form an outgroup to the mammalian Plasmodium species, and using amino acid divergence between species, we estimate the avian- and mammalian-infective lineages diverged in the order of 10 million years ago. Consistent with their phylogenetic position, we identify orthologs of genes that had previously appeared to be restricted to the clades of parasites containing Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, the species with the greatest impact on human health. From these orthologs, we explore differential diversifying selection across the genus and show that the avian lineage is remarkable in the extent to which invasion-related genes are evolving. The subtelomeres of the P. relictum and P. gallinaceum genomes contain several novel gene families, including an expanded surf multigene family. We also identify an expansion of reticulocyte binding protein homologs in P. relictum, and within these proteins, we detect distinct regions that are specific to nonhuman primate, humans, rodent, and avian hosts. For the first time in the Plasmodium lineage, we find evidence of transposable elements, including several hundred fragments of LTR-retrotransposons in both species and an apparently complete LTR-retrotransposon in the genome of P. gallinaceum.

Plasmodium falciparum Maf1 Confers Survival upon Amino Acid Starvation

The target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) pathway is a highly conserved signaling pathway across eukaryotes that integrates nutrient and stress signals to regulate the cellular growth rate and the transition into and maintenance of dormancy. The majority of the pathway's components, including the central TOR kinase, have been lost in the apicomplexan lineage, and it is unknown how these organisms detect and respond to nutrient starvation in its absence. Plasmodium falciparum encodes a putative ortholog of the RNA polymerase (Pol) III repressor Maf1, which has been demonstrated to modulate Pol III transcription in a TOR-dependent manner in a number of organisms. Here, we investigate the role of P. falciparum Maf1 (PfMaf1) in regulating RNA Pol III expression under conditions of nutrient starvation and other stresses. Using a transposon insertion mutant with an altered Maf1 expression profile, we demonstrated that proper Maf1 expression is necessary for survival of the dormancy-like state induced by prolonged amino acid starvation and is needed for full recovery from other stresses that slow or stall the parasite cell cycle. This Maf1 mutant is defective in the downregulation of pre-tRNA synthesis under nutrient-limiting conditions, indicating that the function of Maf1 as a stress-responsive regulator of structural RNA transcription is conserved in P. falciparum Recent work has demonstrated that parasites carrying artemisinin-resistant K13 alleles display an enhanced ability to recover from drug-induced growth retardation. We show that one such artemisinin-resistant line displays greater regulation of pre-tRNA expression and higher survival upon prolonged amino acid starvation, suggesting that overlapping, PfMaf1-associated pathways may regulate growth recovery from both artemisinin treatment and amino acid starvation.IMPORTANCE Eukaryote organisms sense changes in their environment and integrate this information through signaling pathways to activate response programs to ensure survival. The TOR pathway is a well-studied signaling pathway found throughout eukaryotes that is known to integrate a variety of signals to regulate organismal growth in response to starvation and other stresses. The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum appears to have lost the TOR pathway over the course of evolution, and it is unclear how the parasite modulates its growth in response to starvation and drug treatment. Here, we show that Maf1, a protein regulated by TOR in other eukaryotes, plays an important role in maintaining the parasite's viability in the face of starvation and other forms of stress. This suggests that PfMaf1 is a component of a yet-to-be-described nutrient and stress response pathway.

Tools for attenuation of gene expression in malaria parasites

An understanding of the biology of Plasmodium parasites, which are the causative agents of the disease malaria, requires study of gene function. Various reverse genetic tools have been described for determining gene function. These tools can be broadly grouped as trans- and cis-acting. Trans-acting tools control gene functions through synthetic nucleic acid probe molecules matching the sequence of the gene of interest. Once delivered to the parasite, the probe engages with the mRNA of the target gene and attenuates its function. Cis-acting tools control gene function through elements introduced into the gene of interest by DNA transfection. The expression of the modified gene can be controlled using external agents, typically small molecule ligands. In this review, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these tools to guide researchers in selecting the appropriate tool for studies of gene function, and for guiding future refinements of these tools.

Phenotypic Screens Identify Parasite Genetic Factors Associated with Malarial Fever Response in Plasmodium falciparum piggyBac Mutants

Though the P. falciparum genome sequence has been available for many years, ~40% of its genes do not have informative annotations, as they show no detectable homology to those of studied organisms. More still have not been evaluated via genetic methods. Scalable forward-genetic approaches that allow interrogation of gene function without any pre-existing knowledge are needed to hasten understanding of parasite biology, which will expedite the identification of drug targets and the development of future interventions in the face of spreading resistance to existing frontline drugs. In this work, we describe a new approach to pursue forward-genetic phenotypic screens for P. falciparum to identify factors associated with virulence. Future large-scale phenotypic screens developed to probe other such interesting phenomena, when considered in parallel, will prove a powerful tool for functional annotation of the P. falciparum genome, where so much remains undiscovered.

Malaria remains one of the most devastating parasitic diseases worldwide, with 90% of the malaria deaths in Africa in 2013 attributable to Plasmodium falciparum. The clinical symptoms of malaria include cycles of fever, corresponding to parasite rupture from red blood cells every 48 h. Parasite pathways involved in the parasite’s ability to survive the host fever response, and indeed, the functions of ~40% of P. falciparum genes as a whole, are still largely unknown. Here, we evaluated the potential of scalable forward-genetic screening methods to identify genes involved in the host fever response. We performed a phenotypic screen for genes linked to the parasite response to febrile temperatures by utilizing a selection of single-disruption P. falciparum mutants generated via random piggyBac transposon mutagenesis in a previous study. We identified several mutants presenting significant phenotypes in febrile response screens compared to the wild type, indicating possible roles for the disrupted genes in this process. We present these initial studies as proof that forward genetics can be used to gain insight into critical factors associated with parasite biology.

IMPORTANCE Though the P. falciparum genome sequence has been available for many years, ~40% of its genes do not have informative annotations, as they show no detectable homology to those of studied organisms. More still have not been evaluated via genetic methods. Scalable forward-genetic approaches that allow interrogation of gene function without any pre-existing knowledge are needed to hasten understanding of parasite biology, which will expedite the identification of drug targets and the development of future interventions in the face of spreading resistance to existing frontline drugs. In this work, we describe a new approach to pursue forward-genetic phenotypic screens for P. falciparum to identify factors associated with virulence. Future large-scale phenotypic screens developed to probe other such interesting phenomena, when considered in parallel, will prove a powerful tool for functional annotation of the P. falciparum genome, where so much remains undiscovered.

Quantitative insertion-site sequencing (QIseq) for high throughput phenotyping of transposon mutants

Genetic screening using random transposon insertions has been a powerful tool for uncovering biology in prokaryotes, where whole-genome saturating screens have been performed in multiple organisms. In eukaryotes, such screens have proven more problematic, in part because of the lack of a sensitive and robust system for identifying transposon insertion sites. We here describe quantitative insertion-site sequencing, or QIseq, which uses custom library preparation and Illumina sequencing technology and is able to identify insertion sites from both the 5′ and 3′ ends of the transposon, providing an inbuilt level of validation. The approach was developed using piggyBac mutants in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum but should be applicable to many other eukaryotic genomes. QIseq proved accurate, confirming known sites in >100 mutants, and sensitive, identifying and monitoring sites over a >10,000-fold dynamic range of sequence counts. Applying QIseq to uncloned parasites shortly after transfections revealed multiple insertions in mixed populations and suggests that >4000 independent mutants could be generated from relatively modest scales of transfection, providing a clear pathway to genome-scale screens in P. falciparum. QIseq was also used to monitor the growth of pools of previously cloned mutants and reproducibly differentiated between deleterious and neutral mutations in competitive growth. Among the mutants with fitness defects was a mutant with a piggyBac insertion immediately upstream of the kelch protein K13 gene associated with artemisinin resistance, implying mutants in this gene may have competitive fitness costs. QIseq has the potential to enable the scale-up of piggyBac-mediated genetics across multiple eukaryotic systems.

Identifying antimalarial compounds targeting dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) by chemogenomic profiling

The mode of action of many antimalarial drugs is unknown. Chemogenomic profiling is a powerful method to address this issue. This experimental approach entails disruption of gene function and phenotypic screening for changes in sensitivity to bioactive compounds. Here, we describe the application of reverse genetics for chemogenomic profiling in Plasmodium. Plasmodium falciparum parasites harbouring a transgenic insertion of the glmS ribozyme downstream of the dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) gene were used for chemogenomic profiling of antimalarial compounds to identify those which target DHFR-TS. DHFR-TS expression can be attenuated by exposing parasites to glucosamine. Parasites with attenuated DHFR-TS expression were significantly more sensitive to antifolate drugs known to target DHFR-TS. In contrast, no change in sensitivity to other antimalarial drugs with different modes of action was observed. Chemogenomic profiling was performed using the Medicines for Malaria Venture (Switzerland) Malaria Box compound library, and two compounds were identified as novel DHFR-TS inhibitors. We also tested the glmS ribozyme in Plasmodium berghei, a rodent malaria parasite. The expression of reporter genes with downstream glmS ribozyme could be attenuated in transgenic parasites comparable with that obtained in P. falciparum. The chemogenomic profiling method was applied in a P. berghei line expressing a pyrimethamine-resistant Toxoplasma gondii DHFR-TS reporter gene under glmS ribozyme control. Parasites with attenuated expression of this gene were significantly sensitised to antifolates targeting DHFR-TS, but not other drugs with different modes of action. In conclusion, these data show that the glmS ribozyme reverse genetic tool can be applied for identifying primary targets of antimalarial compounds in human and rodent malaria parasites.

piggyBac Transposon

The piggyBac transposon was originally isolated from the cabbage looper moth, Trichoplusia ni, in the 1980s. Despite its early discovery and dissimilarity to the other DNA transposon families, the piggyBac transposon was not recognized as a member of a large transposon superfamily for a long time. Initially, the piggyBac transposon was thought to be a rare transposon. This view, however, has now been completely revised as a number of fully sequenced genomes have revealed the presence of piggyBac-like repetitive elements. The isolation of active copies of the piggyBac-like elements from several distinct species further supported this revision. This includes the first isolation of an active mammalian DNA transposon identified in the bat genome. To date, the piggyBac transposon has been deeply characterized and it represents a number of unique characteristics. In general, all members of the piggyBac superfamily use TTAA as their integration target sites. In addition, the piggyBac transposon shows precise excision, i.e., restoring the sequence to its preintegration state, and can transpose in a variety of organisms such as yeasts, malaria parasites, insects, mammals, and even in plants. Biochemical analysis of the chemical steps of transposition revealed that piggyBac does not require DNA synthesis during the actual transposition event. The broad host range has attracted researchers from many different fields, and the piggyBac transposon is currently the most widely used transposon system for genetic manipulations.

Chemogenomic profiling of Plasmodium falciparum as a tool to aid antimalarial drug discovery

The spread of Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance highlights the urgency to discover new targets and chemical scaffolds. Unfortunately, lack of experimentally validated functional information about most P. falciparum genes remains a strategic hurdle. Chemogenomic profiling is an established tool for classification of drugs with similar mechanisms of action by comparing drug fitness profiles in a collection of mutants. Inferences of drug mechanisms of action and targets can be obtained by associations between shifts in drug fitness and specific genetic changes in the mutants. In this screen, P. falciparum, piggyBac single insertion mutants were profiled for altered responses to antimalarial drugs and metabolic inhibitors to create chemogenomic profiles. Drugs targeting the same pathway shared similar response profiles and multiple pairwise correlations of the chemogenomic profiles revealed novel insights into drugs’ mechanisms of action. A mutant of the artemisinin resistance candidate gene - “K13-propeller” gene (PF3D7_1343700) exhibited increased susceptibility to artemisinin drugs and identified a cluster of 7 mutants based on similar enhanced responses to the drugs tested. Our approach of chemogenomic profiling reveals artemisinin functional activity, linked by the unexpected drug-gene relationships of these mutants, to signal transduction and cell cycle regulation pathways.

PiggyBac transposon-mediated gene delivery efficiently generates stable transfectants derived from cultured primary human deciduous tooth dental pulp cells (HDDPCs) and HDDPC-derived iPS cells

The ability of human deciduous tooth dental pulp cells (HDDPCs) to differentiate into odontoblasts that generate mineralized tissue holds immense potential for therapeutic use in the field of tooth regenerative medicine. Realization of this potential depends on efficient and optimized protocols for the genetic manipulation of HDDPCs. In this study, we demonstrate the use of a PiggyBac (PB)-based gene transfer system as a method for introducing nonviral transposon DNA into HDDPCs and HDDPC-derived inducible pluripotent stem cells. The transfection efficiency of the PB-based system was significantly greater than previously reported for electroporation-based transfection of plasmid DNA. Using the neomycin resistance gene as a selection marker, HDDPCs were stably transfected at a rate nearly 40-fold higher than that achieved using conventional methods. Using this system, it was also possible to introduce two constructs simultaneously into a single cell. The resulting stable transfectants, expressing tdTomato and enhanced green fluorescent protein, exhibited both red and green fluorescence. The established cell line did not lose the acquired phenotype over three months of culture. Based on our results, we concluded that PB is superior to currently available methods for introducing plasmid DNA into HDDPCs. There may be significant challenges in the direct clinical application of this method for human dental tissue engineering due to safety risks and ethical concerns. However, the high level of transfection achieved with PB may have significant advantages in basic scientific research for dental tissue engineering applications, such as functional studies of genes and proteins. Furthermore, it is a useful tool for the isolation of genetically engineered HDDPC-derived stem cells for studies in tooth regenerative medicine.

Targeting protein translation, RNA splicing, and degradation by morpholino-based conjugates in Plasmodium falciparum

Identification and genetic validation of new targets from available genome sequences are critical steps toward the development of new potent and selective antimalarials. However, no methods are currently available for large-scale functional analysis of the Plasmodium falciparum genome. Here we present evidence for successful use of morpholino oligomers (MO) to mediate degradation of target mRNAs or to inhibit RNA splicing or translation of several genes of P. falciparum involved in chloroquine transport, apicoplast biogenesis, and phospholipid biosynthesis. Consistent with their role in the parasite life cycle, down-regulation of these essential genes resulted in inhibition of parasite development. We show that a MO conjugate that targets the chloroquine-resistant transporter PfCRT is effective against chloroquine-sensitive and -resistant parasites, causes enlarged digestive vacuoles, and renders chloroquine-resistant strains more sensitive to chloroquine. Similarly, we show that a MO conjugate that targets the PfDXR involved in apicoplast biogenesis inhibits parasite growth and that this defect can be rescued by addition of isopentenyl pyrophosphate. MO-based gene regulation is a viable alternative approach to functional analysis of the P. falciparum genome.

Applications of DNA integrating elements: Facing the bias bully

Retroviruses and DNA transposons are an important part of molecular biologists' toolbox. The applications of these elements range from functional genomics to oncogene discovery and gene therapy. However, these elements do not integrate uniformly across the genome, which is an important limitation to their use. A number of genetic and epigenetic factors have been shown to shape the integration preference of these elements. Insight into integration bias can significantly enhance the analysis and interpretation of results obtained using these elements. For three different applications, we outline how bias can affect results, and can potentially be addressed.

From the genome to the phenome: tools to understand the basic biology of Plasmodium falciparum

Malaria plagues one out of every 30 humans and contributes to almost a million deaths, and the problem could worsen. Our current therapeutic options are compromised by emerging resistance by the parasite to our front line drugs. It is thus imperative to better understand the basic biology of the parasite and develop novel drugs to stem this disease. The most facile approach to analyse a gene's function is to remove it from the genome or inhibit its activity. Although genetic manipulation of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is a relatively standard procedure, there is no optimal method to perturb genes essential to the intraerythrocytic development cycle--the part of the life cycle that produces the clinical manifestation of malaria. This is a severe impediment to progress because the phenotype we wish to study is exactly the one that is so elusive. In the absence of any utilitarian way to conditionally delete essential genes, we are prevented from investigating the parasite's most vulnerable points. This review aims to focus on the development of tools identifying essential genes of P. falciparum and our ability to elicit phenotypic mutation.

In silico characterization of an atypical MAPK phosphatase of Plasmodium falciparum as a suitable target for drug discovery

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, contributes to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Forward genetic analysis of the blood-stage asexual cycle identified the putative phosphatase from PF3D7_1305500 as an important element of intraerythrocytic development expressed throughout the life cycle. Our preliminary evaluation identified it as an atypical mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase. Additional bioinformatic analysis delineated a conserved signature motif and three residues with potential importance to functional activity of the atypical dual-specificity phosphatase domain. A homology model of the dual-specificity phosphatase domain was developed for use in high-throughput in silico screening of the available library of antimalarial compounds from ChEMBL-NTD. Seven compounds from this set with predicted affinity to the active site were tested against in vitro cultures, and three had reduced activity against a ∆PF3D7_1305500 parasite, suggesting PF3D7_1305500 is a potential target of the selected compounds. Identification of these compounds provides a novel starting point for a structure-based drug discovery strategy that moves us closer toward the discovery of new classes of clinical antimalarial drugs. These data suggest that mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatases represent a potentially new class of P. falciparum drug target.

Chromatin landscapes of retroviral and transposon integration profiles

The ability of retroviruses and transposons to insert their genetic material into host DNA makes them widely used tools in molecular biology, cancer research and gene therapy. However, these systems have biases that may strongly affect research outcomes. To address this issue, we generated very large datasets consisting of to unselected integrations in the mouse genome for the Sleeping Beauty (SB) and piggyBac (PB) transposons, and the Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus (MMTV). We analyzed (epi)genomic features to generate bias maps at both local and genome-wide scales. MMTV showed a remarkably uniform distribution of integrations across the genome. More distinct preferences were observed for the two transposons, with PB showing remarkable resemblance to bias profiles of the Murine Leukemia Virus. Furthermore, we present a model where target site selection is directed at multiple scales. At a large scale, target site selection is similar across systems, and defined by domain-oriented features, namely expression of proximal genes, proximity to CpG islands and to genic features, chromatin compaction and replication timing. Notable differences between the systems are mainly observed at smaller scales, and are directed by a diverse range of features. To study the effect of these biases on integration sites occupied under selective pressure, we turned to insertional mutagenesis (IM) screens. In IM screens, putative cancer genes are identified by finding frequently targeted genomic regions, or Common Integration Sites (CISs). Within three recently completed IM screens, we identified 7%–33% putative false positive CISs, which are likely not the result of the oncogenic selection process. Moreover, results indicate that PB, compared to SB, is more suited to tag oncogenes.

Retroviruses and transposons are widely used in cancer research and gene therapy. However, these systems show integration biases that may strongly affect results. To address this issue, we generated very large datasets consisting of to unselected integrations for the Sleeping Beauty and piggyBac transposons, and the Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus (MMTV). We analyzed (epi)genomic features to generate bias maps at local and genome-wide scales. MMTV showed a remarkably uniform distribution of integrations across the genome, and a striking similarity was observed between piggyBac and the Murine Leukemia Virus. Moreover, we find that target site selection is directed at multiple scales. At larger scales, it is similar across systems, and directed by a set of domain-oriented features, including chromatin compaction, replication timing, and CpG islands. Notable differences between systems are defined at smaller scales by a diverse range of epigenetic features. As a practical application of our findings, we determined that three recent insertional mutagenesis screens - commonly used for cancer gene discovery - contained 7%–33% putative false positive integration hotspots.

An integrated strategy for efficient vector construction and multi-gene expression in Plasmodium falciparum

BACKGROUND

The construction of plasmid vectors for transgene expression in the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, presents major technical hurdles. Traditional molecular cloning by restriction and ligation often yields deletions and re-arrangements when assembling low-complexity (A + T)-rich parasite DNA. Furthermore, the use of large 5'- and 3'- untranslated regions of DNA sequence (UTRs) to drive transgene transcription limits the number of expression cassettes that can be incorporated into plasmid vectors.

METHODS

To address these challenges, two high fidelity cloning strategies, namely yeast homologous recombination and the Gibson assembly method, were evaluated for constructing P. falciparum vectors. Additionally, some general rules for reliably using the viral 2A-like peptide to express multiple proteins from a single expression cassette while preserving their proper trafficking to various subcellular compartments were assessed.

RESULTS

Yeast homologous recombination and Gibson assembly were found to be effective strategies for successfully constructing P. falciparum plasmid vectors. Using these cloning methods, a validated family of expression vectors that provide a flexible starting point for user-specific applications was created. These vectors are also compatible with traditional cloning by restriction and ligation, and contain useful combinations of commonly used features for enhancing plasmid segregation and site-specific integration in P. falciparum. Additionally, application of a 2A-like peptide for the synthesis of multiple proteins from a single expression cassette, and some rules for combinatorially directing proteins to discrete subcellular compartments were established.

CONCLUSIONS

A set of freely available, sequence-verified and functionally validated parts that offer greater flexibility for constructing P. falciparum vectors having expanded expression capacity is provided.

Identification of piggyBac-mediated insertions in Plasmodium berghei by next generation sequencing

Background

The piggyBac transposon system provides a powerful forward genetics tool to study gene function in Plasmodium parasites via random insertion mutagenesis and phenotypic screening. The identification of genotype of piggyBac mutants in the Plasmodium genome is thus an indispensable step in forward genetic analysis. Several PCR-based approaches have been used to identify the piggyBac insertion sites in Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium berghei, but all are tedious and inefficient. Next generation sequencing can produce large amounts of sequence data and is particularly suitable for genome-wide association studies. In this study, the Next generation sequencing technology was employed to efficiently identify piggyBac insertion sites in the genome of P. berghei.

Methods

Plasmodium berghei parasites were co-transfected with piggyBac donor and helper plasmids. Initially, the classical inverse PCR method was used to identify the existence of piggyBac insertions in the P. berghei genome. The whole genome of post-transfection parasites was subsequently sequenced with a PCR-free paired-end module using the Illumina HiSeq sequencing system. The two distinct methods (‘BLAST method’ and ‘SOAP method’) were employed to identify piggyBac insertion sites in the P. berghei genome with Illumina sequencing data. All the identified piggyBac insertions were further tested by half-nested PCR.

Results

The inverse PCR method resulted in a very low yield of ten individual insertions identified. Conversely, 47 piggyBac insertions were identified from about 1 Gb of Illumina sequencing data via the two distinct analysis methods. The majority of identified piggyBac insertions were confirmed by half-nested PCR. In addition, 1,850 single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified through alignment of the Illumina sequencing data of the P. berghei ANKA strain used in this study with the reference genome sequences.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that a high-throughput genome sequencing approach is an efficient tool for the identification of piggyBac-mediated insertions in Plasmodium parasites.

Post-integration silencing of piggyBac transposable elements in Aedes aegypti

The piggyBac transposon, originating in the genome of the Lepidoptera Trichoplusia ni, has a broad host range, making it useful for the development of a number of transposon-based functional genomic technologies including gene vectors, enhancer-, gene- and protein-traps. While capable of being used as a vector for the creation of transgenic insects and insect cell lines, piggyBac has very limited mobility once integrated into the genome of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. A transgenic Aedes aegypti cell line (AagPB8) was created containing three integrated piggyBac elements and the remobilization potential of the elements was tested. The integrated piggyBac elements in AagPB8 were transpositionally silent in the presence of functional transposase, which was shown to be capable of catalyzing the movement of plasmid-borne piggyBac elements in the same cells. The structural integrity of one of the integrated elements along with the quality of element-flanking DNA, which is known to influence transposition rates, were tested in D. melanogaster. The element was found to be structurally intact, capable of transposition and excision in the soma and germ-line of Drosophila melanogaster, and in a DNA sequence context highly conducive to element movement in Drosophila melanogaster. These data show that transpositional silencing of integrated piggyBac elements in the genome of Aedes aegypti appears to be a function of higher scale genome organization or perhaps epigenetic factors, and not due to structural defects or suboptimal integration sites.

An epigenetic antimalarial resistance mechanism involving parasite genes linked to nutrient uptake

Acquired antimalarial drug resistance produces treatment failures and has led to periods of global disease resurgence. In Plasmodium falciparum, resistance is known to arise through genome-level changes such as mutations and gene duplications. We now report an epigenetic resistance mechanism involving genes responsible for the plasmodial surface anion channel, a nutrient channel that also transports ions and antimalarial compounds at the host erythrocyte membrane. Two blasticidin S-resistant lines exhibited markedly reduced expression of clag genes linked to channel activity, but had no genome-level changes. Silencing aborted production of the channel protein and was directly responsible for reduced uptake. Silencing affected clag paralogs on two chromosomes and was mediated by specific histone modifications, allowing a rapidly reversible drug resistance phenotype advantageous to the parasite. These findings implicate a novel epigenetic resistance mechanism that involves reduced host cell uptake and is a worrisome liability for water-soluble antimalarial drugs.

Transposon mutagenesis identifies genes essential for Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis

Gametocytes are essential for Plasmodium transmission, but little is known about the mechanisms that lead to their formation. Using piggyBac transposon-mediated insertional mutagenesis, we screened for parasites that no longer form mature gametocytes, which led to the isolation of 29 clones (insertional gametocyte-deficient mutants) that fail to form mature gametocytes. Additional analysis revealed 16 genes putatively responsible for the loss of gametocytogenesis, none of which has been previously implicated in gametocytogenesis. Transcriptional profiling and detection of an early stage gametocyte antigen determined that a subset of these mutants arrests development at stage I or in early stage II gametocytes, likely representing genes involved in gametocyte maturation. The remaining mutants seem to arrest before formation of stage I gametocytes and may represent genes involved in commitment to the gametocyte lineage.

Functional analysis of Plasmodium vivax dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase genes through stable transformation of Plasmodium falciparum

Mechanisms of drug resistance in Plasmodium vivax have been difficult to study partially because of the difficulties in culturing the parasite in vitro. This hampers monitoring drug resistance and research to develop or evaluate new drugs. There is an urgent need for a novel method to study mechanisms of P. vivax drug resistance. In this paper we report the development and application of the first Plasmodium falciparum expression system to stably express P. vivax dhfr-ts alleles. We used the piggyBac transposition system for the rapid integration of wild-type, single mutant (117N) and quadruple mutant (57L/58R/61M/117T) pvdhfr-ts alleles into the P. falciparum genome. The majority (81%) of the integrations occurred in non-coding regions of the genome; however, the levels of pvdhfr transcription driven by the P. falciparum dhfr promoter were not different between integrants of non-coding and coding regions. The integrated quadruple pvdhfr mutant allele was much less susceptible to antifolates than the wild-type and single mutant pvdhfr alleles. The resistance phenotype was stable without drug pressure. All the integrated clones were susceptible to the novel antifolate JPC-2067. Therefore, the piggyBac expression system provides a novel and important tool to investigate drug resistance mechanisms and gene functions in P. vivax.

Genomics and integrated systems biology in Plasmodium falciparum: a path to malaria control and eradication

The first draft of the human malaria parasite's genome was released in 2002. Since then, the malaria scientific community has witnessed a steady embrace of new and powerful functional genomic studies. Over the years, these approaches have slowly revolutionized malaria research and enabled the comprehensive, unbiased investigation of various aspects of the parasite's biology. These genome-wide analyses delivered a refined annotation of the parasite's genome, delivered a better knowledge of its RNA, proteins and metabolite derivatives, and fostered the discovery of new vaccine and drug targets. Despite the positive impacts of these genomic studies, most research and investment still focus on protein targets, drugs and vaccine candidates that were known before the publication of the parasite genome sequence. However, recent access to next-generation sequencing technologies, along with an increased number of genome-wide applications, is expanding the impact of the parasite genome on biomedical research, contributing to a paradigm shift in research activities that may possibly lead to new optimized diagnosis and treatments. This review provides an update of Plasmodium falciparum genome sequences and an overview of the rapid development of genomics and system biology applications that have an immense potential of creating powerful tools for a successful malaria eradication campaign.

Moving "Forward" in Plasmodium Genetics through a Transposon-Based Approach

The genome sequence of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, was released almost a decade ago. A majority of the Plasmodium genome, however, remains annotated to code for hypothetical proteins with unknown functions. The introduction of forward genetics has provided novel means to gain a better understanding of gene functions and their associated phenotypes in Plasmodium. Even with certain limitations, the technique has already shown significant promise to increase our understanding of parasite biology needed for rationalized drug and vaccine design. Further improvements to the mutagenesis technique and the design of novel genetic screens should lead us to some exciting discoveries about the critical weaknesses of Plasmodium, and greatly aid in the development of new disease intervention strategies.

Nucleic acid transfection and transgenesis in parasitic nematodes

Transgenesis is an essential tool for assessing gene function in any organism, and it is especially crucial for parasitic nematodes given the dwindling armamentarium of effective anthelmintics and the consequent need to validate essential molecular targets for new drugs and vaccines. Two of the major routes of gene delivery evaluated to date in parasitic nematodes, bombardment with DNA-coated microparticles and intragonadal microinjection of DNA constructs, draw upon experience with the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Bombardment has been used to transiently transfect Ascaris suum, Brugia malayi and Litomosoides sigmodontis with both RNA and DNA. Microinjection has been used to achieve heritable transgenesis in Strongyloides stercoralis, S. ratti and Parastrongyloides trichosuri and for additional transient expression studies in B. malayi. A third route of gene delivery revisits a classic method involving DNA transfer facilitated by calcium-mediated permeabilization of recipient cells in developing B. malayi larvae and results in transgene inheritance through host and vector passage. Assembly of microinjected transgenes into multi-copy episomal arrays likely results in their transcriptional silencing in some parasitic nematodes. Methods such as transposon-mediated transgenesis that favour low-copy number chromosomal integration may remedy this impediment to establishing stable transgenic lines. In the future, stable transgenesis in parasitic nematodes could enable loss-of-function approaches by insertional mutagenesis, in situ expression of inhibitory double-stranded RNA or boosting RNAi susceptibility through heterologous expression of dsRNA processing and transport proteins.

Gametocytogenesis in malaria parasite: commitment, development and regulation

Malaria parasites have evolved a complicated life cycle alternating between two hosts. Gametocytes are produced in the vertebrate hosts and are obligatory for natural transmission of the parasites through mosquito vectors. The mechanism of sexual development in Plasmodium has been the focus of extensive studies. In the postgenomic era, the advent of genome-wide analytical tools and genetic manipulation technology has enabled rapid advancement of our knowledge in this area. Patterns of gene expression during sexual development, molecular distinction of the two sexes, and mechanisms underlying subsequent formation of gametes and their fertilization have been progressively elucidated. However, the triggers and mechanism of sexual development remain largely unknown. This article provides an update of our understanding of the molecular and cellular events associated with the decision for commitment to sexual development and regulation of gene expression during gametocytogenesis. Insights into the molecular mechanisms of gametocyte development are essential for designing proper control strategies for interruption of malaria transmission and ultimate elimination.

Transposable elements as tools for reshaping the genome: it is a huge world after all!

Transposable elements (TEs) are discrete pieces of DNA that can move from one site to another within genomes and sometime between genomes. They are found in all major branches of life. Because of their wide distribution and considerable diversity, they are a considerable source of genomic variation and as such, they constitute powerful drivers of genome evolution. Moreover, it is becoming clear that the epigenetic regulation of certain genes is derived from defense mechanisms against the activity of ancestral transposable elements. TEs now tend to be viewed as natural molecular tools that can reshape the genome, which challenges the idea that TEs are natural tools used to answer biological questions. In the first part of this chapter, we review the classification and distribution of TEs, and look at how they have contributed to the structural and transcriptional reshaping of genomes. In the second part, we describe methodological innovations that have modified their contribution as molecular tools.

PiggyBac toolbox

The PiggyBac (PB) transposon system was originally derived from the cabbage looper moth Trichoplusia ni and represents one of the most promising transposon systems to date. Engineering of the PB transposase enzyme (PBase) and its cognate transposon DNA elements resulted in a substantial increase in transposition activities. Consequently, this has greatly enhanced the versatility of the PB toolbox. It is now widely used for stable gene delivery into a broad variety of cell types from different species, including mammalian cells. This opened up new perspectives for potential therapeutic applications in the fields of gene therapy and regenerative medicine. In particular, we have recently demonstrated that PB transposons could be used to stably deliver genes into human CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) resulting in sustained transgene expression in its differentiated progeny. The PB transposon system is particularly attractive for the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Typically, this can be accomplished by stable gene transfer of genes encoding one or more reprogramming factors (i.e., c-MYC, KLF-4, OCT-4, and/or SOX-2). We have generated a PB-based nonviral reprogramming toolbox that contains different combinations of these reprogramming genes. The main advantage of using this PB toolbox for iPS generation is that the reprogramming cassette can be excised by de novo transposase expression, without leaving any molecular trace in the target cell genome. This "traceless excision" paradigm obviates potential risks associated with inadvertent re-expression of reprogramming factors in the iPS progeny. These various applications in gene therapy, stem cell engineering, and regenerative medicine underscore the emerging versatility of the PB toolbox.

Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of in vitro-selected artemisinin-resistant progeny of Plasmodium falciparum

Emergence of artemisinin resistance in Cambodia highlights the importance of characterizing resistance to this class of drugs. Previously, intermediate levels of resistance in Plasmodium falciparum were generated in vitro for artelinic acid (AL) and artemisinin (QHS). Here we expanded on earlier selection efforts to produce levels of clinically relevant concentrations, and the resulting lines were characterized genotypically and phenotypically. Recrudescence assays determined the ability of resistant and parent lines to recover following exposure to clinically relevant levels of drugs. Interestingly, the parent clone (D6) tolerated up to 1,500 ng/ml QHS, but the resistant parasite, D6.QHS340×3, recovered following exposure to 2,400 ng/ml QHS. Resistant D6, W2, and TM91c235 parasites all exhibited elevated 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)s) to multiple artemisinin drugs, with >3-fold resistance to QHS and AL; however, the degree of resistance obtained with standard methods was remarkably less than expected for parasite lines that recovered from 2,400-ng/ml drug pressure. A novel assay format with radiolabeled hypoxanthine demonstrated a greater degree of resistance in vitro than the standard SYBR green method. Analysis of merozoite number in resistant parasites found D6 and TM91c235 resistant progeny had significantly fewer merozoites than parent strains, whereas W2 resistant progeny had significantly more. Amplification of pfmdr1 increased proportionately to the increased drug levels tolerated by W2 and TM91c235, but not in resistant D6. In summary, we define the artemisinin resistance phenotype as a decrease in susceptibility to artemisinins along with the ability to recover from drug-induced dormancy following supraclinical concentrations of the drug.

CCR4-associated factor 1 coordinates the expression of Plasmodium falciparum egress and invasion proteins

Coordinated regulation of gene expression is a hallmark of the Plasmodium falciparum asexual blood-stage development cycle. We report that carbon catabolite repressor protein 4 (CCR4)-associated factor 1 (CAF1) is critical in regulating more than 1,000 genes during malaria parasites' intraerythrocytic stages, especially egress and invasion proteins. CAF1 knockout results in mistimed expression, aberrant accumulation and localization of proteins involved in parasite egress, and invasion of new host cells, leading to premature release of predominantly half-finished merozoites, drastically reducing the intraerythrocytic growth rate of the parasite. This study demonstrates that CAF1 of the CCR4-Not complex is a significant gene regulatory mechanism needed for Plasmodium development within the human host.

A gene delivery system for human cells mediated by both a cell-penetrating peptide and a piggyBac transposase

The piggyBac (PB) transposable element has recently accumulated enormous attention as a tool for the transgenesis in various eukaryotic organisms. Arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are protein transduction domains containing a large amount of basic amino acids that were found to be capable of delivering biologically active macromolecules into living cells. In this study, we demonstrate a strategy, which we called "transposoduction", which is a one-plasmid gene delivery system mediated by the nontoxic CPP-piggyBac transposase (CPP-PBase) fusion protein to accomplish both protein transduction and transposition. CPPs were proven to be able to synchronously deliver covalently linked PBase and noncovalently linked a cis plasmid into human cells. The expression of promoterless reporter genes coding for red (dTomato) and yellow (mOrange) fluorescent proteins (RFP and YFP) with PB elements could be detected in cells treated with the PBase-expressing plasmid after 3 days indicating transposition of coding regions to downstream of endogenous promoter sequences. An enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) plasmid-based excision assay further confirmed the efficiency of the bifunctional CPP-PBase fusion protein. In conclusion, this strategy representing a combinational concept of both protein transduction and mobile transposition may provide tremendous potential for safe and efficient cell line transformation, gene therapy and functional genomics.

Malaria parasite clag3 genes determine channel-mediated nutrient uptake by infected red blood cells

Development of malaria parasites within vertebrate erythrocytes requires nutrient uptake at the host cell membrane. The plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC) mediates this transport and is an antimalarial target, but its molecular basis is unknown. We report a parasite gene family responsible for PSAC activity. We used high-throughput screening for nutrient uptake inhibitors to identify a compound highly specific for channels from the Dd2 line of the human pathogen P. falciparum. Inheritance of this compound's affinity in a Dd2 × HB3 genetic cross maps to a single parasite locus on chromosome 3. DNA transfection and in vitro selections indicate that PSAC-inhibitor interactions are encoded by two clag3 genes previously assumed to function in cytoadherence. These genes are conserved in plasmodia, exhibit expression switching, and encode an integral protein on the host membrane, as predicted by functional studies. This protein increases host cell permeability to diverse solutes.

Functional genetics in Apicomplexa: potentials and limits

The Apicomplexans are obligate intracellular protozoan parasites and the causative agents of severe diseases in humans and animals. Although complete genome sequences are available since many years and for several parasites, they are replete with putative genes of unassigned function. Forward and reverse genetic approaches are limited only to a few Apicomplexans that can either be propagated in vitro or in a convenient animal model. This review will compare and contrast the most recent strategies developed for the genetic manipulation of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium berghei and Toxoplasma gondii that have taken advantage of the intrinsic features of their respective genomes. Efforts towards the improvement of the transfection efficiencies in malaria parasites, the development of approaches to study essential genes and the elaboration of high-throughput methods for the identification of gene function will be discussed.

Size matters: versatile use of PiggyBac transposons as a genetic manipulation tool

Transposons have been promising elements for gene integration, and the Sleeping Beauty (SB) system has been the major one for many years, although there have been several other transposon systems available, for example, Tol2. However, recently another system known as PiggyBac (PB) has been introduced and developed for fulfilling the same purposes, for example, mutagenesis, transgenesis and gene therapy and in some cases with improved transposition efficiency and advantages over the Sleeping Beauty transposon system, although improved hyperactive transposase has highly increased the transposition efficacy for SB. The PB systems have been used in many different scientific research fields; therefore, the purpose of this review is to describe some of these versatile uses of the PiggyBac system to give readers an overview on the usage of PiggyBac system.

Toward forward genetic screens in malaria-causing parasites using the piggyBac transposon

The ability to analyze gene function in malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites has received a boost with a recent paper in BMC Genomics that describes a genome-wide mutagenesis system in the rodent malaria species Plasmodium berghei using the transposon piggyBac. This advance holds promise for identifying and validating new targets for intervention against malaria. But further improvements are still needed for the full power of genome-wide molecular genetic screens to be utilized in this organism.

See research article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/12/155

Development of the piggyBac transposable system for Plasmodium berghei and its application for random mutagenesis in malaria parasites

BACKGROUND

The genome of a number of species of malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) has been sequenced in the hope of identifying new drug and vaccine targets. However, almost one-half of predicted Plasmodium genes are annotated as hypothetical and are difficult to analyse in bulk due to the inefficiency of current reverse genetic methodologies for Plasmodium. Recently, it has been shown that the transposase piggyBac integrates at random into the genome of the human malaria parasite P. falciparum offering the possibility to develop forward genetic screens to analyse Plasmodium gene function. This study reports the development and application of the piggyBac transposition system for the rodent malaria parasite P. berghei and the evaluation of its potential as a tool in forward genetic studies. P. berghei is the most frequently used malaria parasite model in gene function analysis since phenotype screens throughout the complete Plasmodium life cycle are possible both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

We demonstrate that piggyBac based gene inactivation and promoter-trapping is both easier and more efficient in P. berghei than in the human malaria parasite, P. falciparum. Random piggyBac-mediated insertion into genes was achieved after parasites were transfected with the piggyBac donor plasmid either when transposase was expressed either from a helper plasmid or a stably integrated gene in the genome. Characterization of more than 120 insertion sites demonstrated that more than 70 most likely affect gene expression classifying their protein products as non-essential for asexual blood stage development. The non-essential nature of two of these genes was confirmed by targeted gene deletion one of which encodes P41, an ortholog of a human malaria vaccine candidate. Importantly for future development of whole genome phenotypic screens the remobilization of the piggyBac element in parasites that stably express transposase was demonstrated.

CONCLUSION

These data demonstrate that piggyBac behaved as an efficient and random transposon in P. berghei. Remobilization of piggyBac element shows that with further development the piggyBac system can be an effective tool to generate random genome-wide mutation parasite libraries, for use in large-scale phenotype screens in vitro and in vivo.

NSR-seq transcriptional profiling enables identification of a gene signature of Plasmodium falciparum parasites infecting children

Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum results in approximately 1 million annual deaths worldwide, with young children and pregnant mothers at highest risk. Disease severity might be related to parasite virulence factors, but expression profiling studies of parasites to test this hypothesis have been hindered by extensive sequence variation in putative virulence genes and a preponderance of host RNA in clinical samples. We report here the application of RNA sequencing to clinical isolates of P. falciparum, using not-so-random (NSR) primers to successfully exclude human ribosomal RNA and globin transcripts and enrich for parasite transcripts. Using NSR-seq, we confirmed earlier microarray studies showing upregulation of a distinct subset of genes in parasites infecting pregnant women, including that encoding the well-established pregnancy malaria vaccine candidate var2csa. We also describe a subset of parasite transcripts that distinguished parasites infecting children from those infecting pregnant women and confirmed this observation using quantitative real-time PCR and mass spectrometry proteomic analyses. Based on their putative functional properties, we propose that these proteins could have a role in childhood malaria pathogenesis. Our study provides proof of principle that NSR-seq represents an approach that can be used to study clinical isolates of parasites causing severe malaria syndromes as well other blood-borne pathogens and blood-related diseases.