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Surit T, Sripoorote P, Kumpitak C, Suansomjit C, Maneechai N, Cui L, Sattabongkot J, Roobsoong W, Nguitragool W. Transmission efficiency of Plasmodium vivax at low parasitaemia. Malar J 2023; 22:22. [PMID: 36658583 PMCID: PMC9854148 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04435-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plasmodium vivax is responsible for much of malaria outside Africa. Although most P. vivax infections in endemic areas are asymptomatic and have low parasite densities, they are considered a potentially important source of transmission. Several studies have demonstrated that asymptomatic P. vivax carriers can transmit the parasite to mosquitoes, but the efficiency has not been well quantified. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between parasite density and mosquito infectivity, particularly at low parasitaemia. METHODS Membrane feeding assays were performed using serial dilutions of P. vivax-infected blood to define the relationship between parasitaemia and mosquito infectivity. RESULTS The infection rate (oocyst prevalence) and intensity (oocyst load) were positively correlated with the parasite density in the blood. There was a broad case-to-case variation in parasite infectivity. The geometric mean parasite density yielding a 10% mosquito infection rate was 33 (CI 95 9-120) parasites/µl or 4 (CI 95 1-17) gametocytes/µl. The geometric mean parasite density yielding a 50% mosquito infection rate was 146 (CI 95 36-586) parasites/µl or 13 (CI 95 3-49) gametocytes/µl. CONCLUSION This study quantified the ability of P. vivax to infect Anopheles dirus at over a broad range of parasite densities. It provides important information about parasite infectivity at low parasitaemia common among asymptomatic P. vivax carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thitiporn Surit
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Rd, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Piyarat Sripoorote
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Rd, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Chalermpon Kumpitak
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Rd, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Chayanut Suansomjit
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Rd, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Nongnuj Maneechai
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Rd, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Rd, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Wanlapa Roobsoong
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Rd, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Rd, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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2
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Bantuchai S, Imad H, Nguitragool W. Plasmodium vivax gametocytes and transmission. Parasitol Int 2021; 87:102497. [PMID: 34748969 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Malaria elimination means cessation of parasite transmission. At present, the declining malaria incidence in many countries has made elimination a feasible goal. Transmission control has thus been placed at the center of the national malaria control programs. The efficient transmission of Plasmodium vivax from humans to mosquitoes is a key factor that helps perpetuate malaria in endemic areas. A better understanding of transmission is crucial to the success of elimination efforts. Biological delineation of the parasite transmission process is important for identifying and prioritizing new targets of intervention. Identification of the infectious parasite reservoir in the community is key to devising an effective elimination strategy. Here we describe the fundamental characteristics of P. vivax gametocytes - the dynamics of their production, longevity, and the relationship with the total parasitemia - as well as recent advances in the molecular understanding of parasite sexual development. In relation to malaria elimination, factors influencing the human infectivity and the current evidence for a role of asymptomatic carriers in transmission are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirasate Bantuchai
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
| | - Hisham Imad
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
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3
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Siciliano G, Costa G, Suárez-Cortés P, Valleriani A, Alano P, Levashina EA. Critical Steps of Plasmodium falciparum Ookinete Maturation. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:269. [PMID: 32256458 PMCID: PMC7092720 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The egress and fertilization of Plasmodium gametes and development of a motile ookinete are the first crucial steps that mediate the successful transmission of the malaria parasites from humans to the Anopheles vector. However, limited information exists about the cell biology and regulation of this process. Technical impediments in the establishment of in vitro conditions for ookinete maturation in Plasmodium falciparum and other human malaria parasites further constrain a detailed characterization of ookinete maturation. Here, using fluorescence microscopy and immunolabeling, we compared P. falciparum ookinete maturation in Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes in vivo and in cell culture in vitro. Our results identified two critical steps in ookinete maturation that are regulated by distinct mosquito factors, thereby highlighting the role of the mosquito environment in the transmission efficiency of malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Siciliano
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Costa
- Vector Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pablo Suárez-Cortés
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.,Vector Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Angelo Valleriani
- Vector Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Theory and Bio-Systems, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Pietro Alano
- Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena A Levashina
- Vector Biology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
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4
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Talman AM, Ouologuem DTD, Love K, Howick VM, Mulamba C, Haidara A, Dara N, Sylla D, Sacko A, Coulibaly MM, Dao F, Sangare CPO, Djimde A, Lawniczak MKN. Uptake of Plasmodium falciparum Gametocytes During Mosquito Bloodmeal by Direct and Membrane Feeding. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:246. [PMID: 32194521 PMCID: PMC7062676 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum remains one of the leading causes of child mortality, and nearly half of the world's population is at risk of contracting malaria. While pathogenesis results from replication of asexual forms in human red blood cells, it is the sexually differentiated forms, gametocytes, which are responsible for the spread of the disease. For transmission to succeed, both mature male and female gametocytes must be taken up by a female Anopheles mosquito during its blood meal for subsequent differentiation into gametes and mating inside the mosquito gut. Observed circulating numbers of gametocytes in the human host are often surprisingly low. A pre-fertilization behavior, such as skin sequestration, has been hypothesized to explain the efficiency of human-to-mosquito transmission but has not been sufficiently tested due to a lack of appropriate tools. In this study, we describe the optimization of a qPCR tool that enables the relative quantification of gametocytes within very small input samples. Such a tool allows for the quantification of gametocytes in different compartments of the host and the vector that could potentially unravel mechanisms that enable highly efficient malaria transmission. We demonstrate the use of our gametocyte quantification method in mosquito blood meals from both direct skin feeding on Plasmodium gametocyte carriers and standard membrane feeding assay. Relative gametocyte abundance was not different between mosquitoes fed through a membrane or directly on the skin suggesting that there is no systematic enrichment of gametocytes picked up in the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur M. Talman
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- MIVEGEC, IRD, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Dinkorma T. D. Ouologuem
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Katie Love
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Aboubecrin Haidara
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Niawanlou Dara
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Daman Sylla
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Adama Sacko
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Mamadou M. Coulibaly
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Francois Dao
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Cheick P. O. Sangare
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Abdoulaye Djimde
- Malaria Research and Training Centre, University of Science, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
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5
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Venugopal K, Hentzschel F, Valkiūnas G, Marti M. Plasmodium asexual growth and sexual development in the haematopoietic niche of the host. Nat Rev Microbiol 2020; 18:177-189. [PMID: 31919479 PMCID: PMC7223625 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-019-0306-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium spp. parasites are the causative agents of malaria in humans and animals, and they are exceptionally diverse in their morphology and life cycles. They grow and develop in a wide range of host environments, both within blood-feeding mosquitoes, their definitive hosts, and in vertebrates, which are intermediate hosts. This diversity is testament to their exceptional adaptability and poses a major challenge for developing effective strategies to reduce the disease burden and transmission. Following one asexual amplification cycle in the liver, parasites reach high burdens by rounds of asexual replication within red blood cells. A few of these blood-stage parasites make a developmental switch into the sexual stage (or gametocyte), which is essential for transmission. The bone marrow, in particular the haematopoietic niche (in rodents, also the spleen), is a major site of parasite growth and sexual development. This Review focuses on our current understanding of blood-stage parasite development and vascular and tissue sequestration, which is responsible for disease symptoms and complications, and when involving the bone marrow, provides a niche for asexual replication and gametocyte development. Understanding these processes provides an opportunity for novel therapies and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kannan Venugopal
- Wellcome Center for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Franziska Hentzschel
- Wellcome Center for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Matthias Marti
- Wellcome Center for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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6
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Balasubramanian S, Rahman RS, Lon C, Parobek C, Ubalee R, Hathaway N, Kuntawunginn W, My M, Vy D, Saxe J, Lanteri C, Lin FC, Spring M, Meshnick SR, Juliano JJ, Saunders DL, Lin JT. Efficient Transmission of Mixed Plasmodium falciparum/vivax Infections From Humans to Mosquitoes. J Infect Dis 2020; 221:428-437. [PMID: 31549156 PMCID: PMC7184918 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In Southeast Asia, people are often coinfected with different species of malaria (Plasmodium falciparum [Pf] and Plasmodium vivax [Pv]) as well as with multiple clones of the same species. Whether particular species or clones within mixed infections are more readily transmitted to mosquitoes remains unknown. METHODS Laboratory-reared Anopheles dirus were fed on blood from 119 Pf-infected Cambodian adults, with 5950 dissected to evaluate for transmitted infection. Among 12 persons who infected mosquitoes, polymerase chain reaction and amplicon deep sequencing were used to track species and clone-specific transmission to mosquitoes. RESULTS Seven of 12 persons that infected mosquitoes harbored mixed Pf/Pv infection. Among these 7 persons, all transmitted Pv with 2 transmitting both Pf and Pv, leading to Pf/Pv coinfection in 21% of infected mosquitoes. Up to 4 clones of each species were detected within persons. Shifts in clone frequency were detected during transmission. However, in general, all parasite clones in humans were transmitted to mosquitoes, with individual mosquitoes frequently carrying multiple transmitted clones. CONCLUSIONS Malaria diversity in human hosts was maintained in the parasite populations recovered from mosquitoes fed on their blood. However, in persons with mixed Pf/Pv malaria, Pv appears to be transmitted more readily, in association with more prevalent patent gametocytemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujata Balasubramanian
- Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Rifat S Rahman
- Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Chanthap Lon
- Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Christian Parobek
- Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Ratawan Ubalee
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nicholas Hathaway
- Department of Bioinformatics and Integrated Biology, University of Massachusetts, Worcester
| | - Worachet Kuntawunginn
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mok My
- Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Dav Vy
- Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Jeremy Saxe
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Charlotte Lanteri
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Feng-Chang Lin
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Michele Spring
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Steven R Meshnick
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Jonathan J Juliano
- Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - David L Saunders
- Department of Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
- US Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, Fort Detrick, Maryland
| | - Jessica T Lin
- Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
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7
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Meibalan E, Barry A, Gibbins MP, Awandu S, Meerstein-Kessel L, Achcar F, Bopp S, Moxon C, Diarra A, Debe S, Ouédraogo N, Barry-Some I, Badoum ES, Fagnima T, Lanke K, Gonçalves BP, Bradley J, Wirth D, Drakeley C, Guelbeogo WM, Tiono AB, Marti M, Bousema T. Plasmodium falciparum Gametocyte Density and Infectivity in Peripheral Blood and Skin Tissue of Naturally Infected Parasite Carriers in Burkina Faso. J Infect Dis 2019; 223:1822-1830. [PMID: 31875909 PMCID: PMC8161640 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium falciparum transmission depends on mature gametocytes that can be ingested by mosquitoes taking a blood meal on human skin. Although gametocyte skin sequestration has long been hypothesized as important contributor to efficient malaria transmission, this has never been formally tested. Methods In naturally infected gametocyte carriers from Burkina Faso, we assessed infectivity to mosquitoes by direct skin feeding and membrane feeding. We directly quantified male and female gametocytes and asexual parasites in finger-prick and venous blood samples, skin biopsy samples, and in of mosquitoes that fed on venous blood or directly on skin. Gametocytes were visualized in skin tissue with confocal microscopy. Results Although more mosquitoes became infected when feeding directly on skin then when feeding on venous blood (odds ratio, 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.21–3.33; P = .007), concentrations of gametocytes were not higher in the subdermal skin vasculature than in other blood compartments; only sparse gametocytes were observed in skin tissue. Discussion Our data strongly suggest that there is no significant skin sequestration of P. falciparum gametocytes. Gametocyte densities in peripheral blood are thus informative for predicting onward transmission potential to mosquitoes and can be used to target and monitor malaria elimination initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elamaran Meibalan
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Excellence in Vascular Biology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Aissata Barry
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.,Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Matthew P Gibbins
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Shehu Awandu
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | | | - Fiona Achcar
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Selina Bopp
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher Moxon
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Amidou Diarra
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Siaka Debe
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Nicolas Ouédraogo
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Ines Barry-Some
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Emilie S Badoum
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Traoré Fagnima
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Régional de Ouahigoua, Université de Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso
| | - Kjerstin Lanke
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Bronner P Gonçalves
- Immunology and Infection Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - John Bradley
- MRC Tropical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dyann Wirth
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Chris Drakeley
- Immunology and Infection Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alfred B Tiono
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Matthias Marti
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Teun Bousema
- Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands.,Immunology and Infection Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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8
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Reid AJ, Talman AM, Bennett HM, Gomes AR, Sanders MJ, Illingworth CJR, Billker O, Berriman M, Lawniczak MK. Single-cell RNA-seq reveals hidden transcriptional variation in malaria parasites. eLife 2018; 7:33105. [PMID: 29580379 PMCID: PMC5871331 DOI: 10.7554/elife.33105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-cell RNA-sequencing is revolutionising our understanding of seemingly homogeneous cell populations but has not yet been widely applied to single-celled organisms. Transcriptional variation in unicellular malaria parasites from the Plasmodium genus is associated with critical phenotypes including red blood cell invasion and immune evasion, yet transcriptional variation at an individual parasite level has not been examined in depth. Here, we describe the adaptation of a single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) protocol to deconvolute transcriptional variation for more than 500 individual parasites of both rodent and human malaria comprising asexual and sexual life-cycle stages. We uncover previously hidden discrete transcriptional signatures during the pathogenic part of the life cycle, suggesting that expression over development is not as continuous as commonly thought. In transmission stages, we find novel, sex-specific roles for differential expression of contingency gene families that are usually associated with immune evasion and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Reid
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Arthur M Talman
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Hayley M Bennett
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ana R Gomes
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mandy J Sanders
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Oliver Billker
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mara Kn Lawniczak
- Malaria Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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