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Angage D, Chmielewski J, Maddumage JC, Hesping E, Caiazzo S, Lai KH, Yeoh LM, Menassa J, Opi DH, Cairns C, Puthalakath H, Beeson JG, Kvansakul M, Boddey JA, Wilson DW, Anders RF, Foley M. A broadly cross-reactive i-body to AMA1 potently inhibits blood and liver stages of Plasmodium parasites. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7206. [PMID: 39174515 PMCID: PMC11341838 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50770-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA1) is a conserved malarial vaccine candidate essential for the formation of tight junctions with the rhoptry neck protein (RON) complex, enabling Plasmodium parasites to invade human erythrocytes, hepatocytes, and mosquito salivary glands. Despite its critical role, extensive surface polymorphisms in AMA1 have led to strain-specific protection, limiting the success of AMA1-based interventions beyond initial clinical trials. Here, we identify an i-body, a humanised single-domain antibody-like molecule that recognises a conserved pan-species conformational epitope in AMA1 with low nanomolar affinity and inhibits the binding of the RON2 ligand to AMA1. Structural characterisation indicates that the WD34 i-body epitope spans the centre of the conserved hydrophobic cleft in AMA1, where interacting residues are highly conserved among all Plasmodium species. Furthermore, we show that WD34 inhibits merozoite invasion of erythrocytes by multiple Plasmodium species and hepatocyte invasion by P. falciparum sporozoites. Despite a short half-life in mouse serum, we demonstrate that WD34 transiently suppressed P. berghei infections in female BALB/c mice. Our work describes the first pan-species AMA1 biologic with inhibitory activity against multiple life-cycle stages of Plasmodium. With improved pharmacokinetic characteristics, WD34 could be a potential immunotherapy against multiple species of Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimuthu Angage
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Jill Chmielewski
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Janesha C Maddumage
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Eva Hesping
- Infectious Diseases & Immune Defense Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Sabrina Caiazzo
- Infectious Diseases & Immune Defense Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Keng Heng Lai
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Lee Ming Yeoh
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Joseph Menassa
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - D Herbert Opi
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
- Central Clinical School and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Callum Cairns
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Hamsa Puthalakath
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
- Central Clinical School and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Marc Kvansakul
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Justin A Boddey
- Infectious Diseases & Immune Defense Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
| | - Robin F Anders
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Michael Foley
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia.
- AdAlta, Science Drive, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia.
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2
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Kusi KA, Amoah LE, Acquah FK, Ennuson NA, Frempong AF, Ofori EA, Akyea-Mensah K, Kyei-Baafour E, Osei F, Frimpong A, Singh SK, Theisen M, Remarque EJ, Faber BW, Belmonte M, Ganeshan H, Huang J, Villasante E, Sedegah M. Plasmodium falciparum AMA1 and CSP antigen diversity in parasite isolates from southern Ghana. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1375249. [PMID: 38808064 PMCID: PMC11132687 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1375249] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Diversity in malarial antigens is an immune evasion mechanism that gives malaria parasites an edge over the host. Immune responses against one variant of a polymorphic antigen are usually not fully effective against other variants due to altered epitopes. This study aimed to evaluate diversity in the Plasmodium falciparum antigens apical membrane antigen 1 (PfAMA1) and circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) from circulating parasites in a malaria-endemic community in southern Ghana and to determine the effects of polymorphisms on antibody response specificity. Methods The study involved 300 subjects, whose P. falciparum infection status was determined by microscopy and PCR. Diversity within the two antigens was evaluated by msp2 gene typing and molecular gene sequencing, while the host plasma levels of antibodies against PfAMA1, PfCSP, and two synthetic 24mer peptides from the conserved central repeat region of PfCSP, were measured by ELISA. Results Of the 300 subjects, 171 (57%) had P. falciparum infection, with 165 of the 171 (96.5%) being positive for either or both of the msp2 allelic families. Gene sequencing of DNA from 55 clonally infected samples identified a total of 56 non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for the Pfama1 gene and these resulted in 44 polymorphic positions, including two novel positions (363 and 365). Sequencing of the Pfcsp gene from 69 clonal DNA samples identified 50 non-synonymous SNPs that resulted in 42 polymorphic positions, with half (21) of these polymorphic positions being novel. Of the measured antibodies, only anti-PfCSP antibodies varied considerably between PCR parasite-positive and parasite-negative persons. Discussion These data confirm the presence of a considerable amount of unique, previously unreported amino acid changes, especially within PfCSP. Drivers for this diversity in the Pfcsp gene do not immediately seem apparent, as immune pressure will be expected to drive a similar level of diversity in the Pfama1 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwadwo A. Kusi
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Linda E. Amoah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Festus Kojo Acquah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Nana Aba Ennuson
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Abena F. Frempong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Ebenezer A. Ofori
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Akyea-Mensah
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Eric Kyei-Baafour
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Frank Osei
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Augustina Frimpong
- Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Susheel K. Singh
- Center for Medical Parasitology at the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Congenital Diseases, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Theisen
- Center for Medical Parasitology at the Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Congenital Diseases, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Edmond J. Remarque
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Center, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Bart W. Faber
- Department of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research Center, Rijswijk, Netherlands
| | - Maria Belmonte
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Harini Ganeshan
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Jun Huang
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, United States
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Eileen Villasante
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Martha Sedegah
- Malaria Department, Naval Medical Research Command, Silver Spring, MD, United States
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Anaguano D, Adewale-Fasoro O, Vick GS, Yanik S, Blauwkamp J, Fierro MA, Absalon S, Srinivasan P, Muralidharan V. Plasmodium RON11 triggers biogenesis of the merozoite rhoptry pair and is essential for erythrocyte invasion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.29.577654. [PMID: 38352500 PMCID: PMC10862748 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.29.577654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Malaria is a global and deadly human disease caused by the apicomplexan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Parasite proliferation within human red blood cells (RBC) is associated with the clinical manifestations of the disease. This asexual expansion within human RBCs, begins with the invasion of RBCs by P. falciparum, which is mediated by the secretion of effectors from two specialized club-shaped secretory organelles in merozoite-stage parasites known as rhoptries. We investigated the function of the Rhoptry Neck Protein 11 (RON11), which contains seven transmembrane domains and calcium-binding EF-hand domains. We generated conditional mutants of the P. falciparum RON11. Knockdown of RON11 inhibits parasite growth by preventing merozoite invasion. The loss of RON11 did not lead to any defects in processing of rhoptry proteins but instead led to a decrease in the amount of rhoptry proteins. We utilized ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) to determine the effect of RON11 knockdown on rhoptry biogenesis. Surprisingly, in the absence of RON11, fully developed merozoites had only one rhoptry each. The single rhoptry in RON11 deficient merozoites were morphologically typical with a bulb and a neck oriented into the apical polar ring. Moreover, rhoptry proteins are trafficked accurately to the single rhoptry in RON11 deficient parasites. These data show that in the absence of RON11, the first rhoptry is generated during schizogony but upon the start of cytokinesis, the second rhoptry never forms. Interestingly, these single-rhoptry merozoites were able to attach to host RBCs but are unable to invade RBCs. Instead, RON11 deficient merozoites continue to engage with RBC for prolonged periods eventually resulting in echinocytosis, a result of secreting the contents from the single rhoptry into the RBC. Together, our data show that RON11 triggers the de novo biogenesis of the second rhoptry and functions in RBC invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Anaguano
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Opeoluwa Adewale-Fasoro
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and Johns Hopkins Malaria Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
- The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Grace S. Vick
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Sean Yanik
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and Johns Hopkins Malaria Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
- The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - James Blauwkamp
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis IN
| | - Manuel A. Fierro
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis IN
| | - Prakash Srinivasan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and Johns Hopkins Malaria Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
- The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Vasant Muralidharan
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
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4
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Winnicki AC, Dietrich MH, Yeoh LM, Carias LL, Roobsoong W, Drago CL, Malachin AN, Redinger KR, Feufack-Donfack LB, Baldor L, Jung NC, McLaine OS, Skomorovska-Prokvolit Y, Orban A, Opi DH, Sattabongkot J, Tham WH, Popovici J, Beeson JG, Bosch J, King CL. Potent AMA1-specific human monoclonal antibody against P. vivax Pre-erythrocytic and Blood Stages. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.07.579302. [PMID: 38370683 PMCID: PMC10871283 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.07.579302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
New therapeutics are a priority for preventing and eliminating Plasmodium vivax (Pv) malaria because of its easy transmissibility and dormant stages in the liver. Relapses due to the dormant liver stages are the major contributor to reoccurring Pv. Therefore, therapies that reduce the establishment of dormant parasites and blood-stage infection are important for controlling this geographically widespread parasite. Here, we isolated 12 human monoclonal antibodies (humAbs) from the plasma of a Pv-exposed individual that recognized Pv apical membrane antigen 1 (PvAMA1). PvAMA1 is important for both sporozoite invasion of hepatocytes and merozoite invasion of reticulocytes. We identified one humAb, 826827, that blocked invasion of human erythrocytes using a transgenic P. falciparum line expressing PvAMA1 (IC 50 = 3 µg/mL) and all Pv clinical isolates in vitro . This humAb also inhibited sporozoite invasion of a human hepatocyte cell line and primary human hepatocytes (IC 50 of 0.3 - 3.7 µg/mL). The crystal structure of recombinant PvAMA1 with the antigen-binding fragment of 826827 at 2.4 Å resolution shows that the humAb partially occupies the highly conserved hydrophobic groove in PvAMA1 that binds its known receptor, RON2. HumAb 826827 binds to PvAMA1 with higher affinity than RON2, accounting for its potency. To our knowledge, this is the first reported humAb specific to PvAMA1, and the PvAMA1 residues it binds to are highly conserved across different isolates, explaining its strain-transcendent properties.
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5
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Rodríguez-Obediente K, Yepes-Pérez Y, Benavides-Ortiz D, Díaz-Arévalo D, Reyes C, Arévalo-Pinzón G, Patarroyo MA. Invasion-inhibitory peptides chosen by natural selection analysis as an antimalarial strategy. Mol Immunol 2023; 163:86-103. [PMID: 37769577 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2023.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax's biological complexity has restricted in vitro culture development for characterising antigens involved in erythrocyte invasion and their immunological relevance. The murine model is proposed as a suitable alternative in the search for therapeutic candidates since Plasmodium yoelii uses homologous proteins for its invasion. The AMA-1 protein is essential for parasite invasion of erythrocytes as it is considered an important target for infection control. This study has focused on functional PyAMA-1 peptides involved in host-pathogen interaction; the protein is located in regions under negative selection as determined by bioinformatics analysis. It was found that pyama1 has two highly conserved regions amongst species (>70%) under negative selection. Fourteen synthetic peptides spanning both conserved regions were evaluated; 5 PyAMA-1 peptides having high specific binding (HABP) to murine erythrocytes were identified. The parasite's invasion inhibition capability was analysed through in vitro assays, suggesting that peptides 42681 (43-ENTERSIKLINPWDKYMEKY-62), 42903 (206-RYSSNDANNENQPFSFTPEK-225) and 42904 (221-FTPEKIENYKDLSYLTKNLR-240) had greater than 50% inhibition profile and restricted P. yoelii intra-erythrocyte development. This work proposes that the screening of conserved HABPs under negative selective pressure might be good candidates for developing a synthetic anti-malarial vaccine since they share functionally-relevant characteristics, such as interspecies conservation, specific RBC binding profile, invasion and parasite development inhibition capability, and the predicted B-epitopes within were recognised by sera obtained from experimentally-infected mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kewin Rodríguez-Obediente
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; MSc programme in Microbiology, Biotechnology Institute, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Yoelis Yepes-Pérez
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Daniel Benavides-Ortiz
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; School of Health Sciences, Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Diana Díaz-Arévalo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Animal Science Faculty, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (U.D.C.A), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - César Reyes
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gabriela Arévalo-Pinzón
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Microbiology Department, Science Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
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6
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Yanik S, Venkatesh V, Parker ML, Ramaswamy R, Diouf A, Sarkar D, Miura K, Long CA, Boulanger MJ, Srinivasan P. Structure guided mimicry of an essential P. falciparum receptor-ligand complex enhances cross neutralizing antibodies. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5879. [PMID: 37735574 PMCID: PMC10514071 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41636-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasion of human erythrocytes by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) merozoites relies on the interaction between two parasite proteins: apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2). While antibodies to AMA1 provide limited protection against Pf in non-human primate malaria models, clinical trials using recombinant AMA1 alone (apoAMA1) yielded no protection due to insufficient functional antibodies. Immunization with AMA1 bound to RON2L, a 49-amino acid peptide from its ligand RON2, has shown superior protection by increasing the proportion of neutralizing antibodies. However, this approach relies on the formation of a complex in solution between the two vaccine components. To advance vaccine development, here we engineered chimeric antigens by replacing the AMA1 DII loop, displaced upon ligand binding, with RON2L. Structural analysis confirmed that the fusion chimera (Fusion-FD12) closely mimics the binary AMA1-RON2L complex. Immunization studies in female rats demonstrated that Fusion-FD12 immune sera, but not purified IgG, neutralized vaccine-type parasites more efficiently compared to apoAMA1, despite lower overall anti-AMA1 titers. Interestingly, Fusion-FD12 immunization enhanced antibodies targeting conserved epitopes on AMA1, leading to increased neutralization of non-vaccine type parasites. Identifying these cross-neutralizing antibody epitopes holds promise for developing an effective, strain-transcending malaria vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Yanik
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Varsha Venkatesh
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Michelle L Parker
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P6, Canada
| | - Raghavendran Ramaswamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P6, Canada
| | - Ababacar Diouf
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Deepti Sarkar
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Carole A Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Martin J Boulanger
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P6, Canada
| | - Prakash Srinivasan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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7
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Patel PN, Dickey TH, Diouf A, Salinas ND, McAleese H, Ouahes T, Long CA, Miura K, Lambert LE, Tolia NH. Structure-based design of a strain transcending AMA1-RON2L malaria vaccine. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5345. [PMID: 37660103 PMCID: PMC10475129 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40878-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is a key malaria vaccine candidate and target of neutralizing antibodies. AMA1 binds to a loop in rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2L) to form the moving junction during parasite invasion of host cells, and this complex is conserved among apicomplexan parasites. AMA1-RON2L complex immunization achieves higher growth inhibitory activity than AMA1 alone and protects mice against Plasmodium yoelii challenge. Here, three single-component AMA1-RON2L immunogens were designed that retain the structure of the two-component AMA1-RON2L complex: one structure-based design (SBD1) and two insertion fusions. All immunogens elicited high antibody titers with potent growth inhibitory activity, yet these antibodies did not block RON2L binding to AMA1. The SBD1 immunogen induced significantly more potent strain-transcending neutralizing antibody responses against diverse strains of Plasmodium falciparum than AMA1 or AMA1-RON2L complex vaccination. This indicates that SBD1 directs neutralizing antibody responses to strain-transcending epitopes in AMA1 that are independent of RON2L binding. This work underscores the importance of neutralization mechanisms that are distinct from RON2 blockade. The stable single-component SBD1 immunogen elicits potent strain-transcending protection that may drive the development of next-generation vaccines for improved malaria and apicomplexan parasite control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palak N Patel
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thayne H Dickey
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ababacar Diouf
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Nichole D Salinas
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Holly McAleese
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tarik Ouahes
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carole A Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Kazutoyo Miura
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Lynn E Lambert
- Vaccine Development Unit, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Niraj H Tolia
- Host-Pathogen Interactions and Structural Vaccinology Section, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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8
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Baba M, Nozaki M, Tachibana M, Tsuboi T, Torii M, Ishino T. Rhoptry neck protein 4 plays important roles during Plasmodium sporozoite infection of the mammalian liver. mSphere 2023; 8:e0058722. [PMID: 37272704 PMCID: PMC10449513 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00587-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
During invasion, Plasmodium parasites secrete proteins from rhoptry and microneme apical end organelles, which have crucial roles in attaching to and invading target cells. A sporozoite stage-specific gene silencing system revealed that rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2), RON4, and RON5 are important for sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary glands. Here, we further investigated the roles of RON4 during sporozoite infection of the liver in vivo. Following intravenous inoculation of RON4-knockdown sporozoites into mice, we demonstrated that sporozoite RON4 has multiple functions during sporozoite traversal of sinusoidal cells and infection of hepatocytes. In vitro infection experiments using a hepatoma cell line revealed that secreted RON4 is involved in sporozoite adhesion to hepatocytes and has an important role in the early steps of hepatocyte infection. In addition, in vitro motility assays indicated that RON4 is required for sporozoite attachment to the substrate and the onset of migration. These findings indicate that RON4 is crucial for sporozoite migration toward and invasion of hepatocytes via attachment ability and motility.IMPORTANCEMalarial parasite transmission to mammals is established when sporozoites are inoculated by mosquitoes and migrate through the bloodstream to infect hepatocytes. Many aspects of the molecular mechanisms underpinning migration and cellular invasion remain largely unelucidated. By applying a sporozoite stage-specific gene silencing system in the rodent malarial parasite, Plasmodium berghei, we demonstrated that rhoptry neck protein 4 (RON4) is crucial for sporozoite infection of the liver in vivo. Combined with in vitro investigations, it was revealed that RON4 functions during a crossing of the sinusoidal cell layer and invading hepatocytes, at an early stage of liver infection, by mediating the sporozoite capacity for adhesion and the onset of motility. Since RON4 is also expressed in Plasmodium merozoites and Toxoplasma tachyzoites, our findings contribute to understanding the conserved invasion mechanisms of Apicomplexa parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minami Baba
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime, Japan
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Mamoru Nozaki
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime, Japan
| | - Mayumi Tachibana
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime, Japan
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan
| | - Motomi Torii
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ishino
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime, Japan
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Liu Q, Guan XA, Li DF, Zheng YX, Wang S, Xuan XN, Zhao JL, He L. Babesia gibsoni Whole-Genome Sequencing, Assembling, Annotation, and Comparative Analysis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0072123. [PMID: 37432130 PMCID: PMC10434002 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00721-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan parasite Babesia gibsoni infects canine erythrocytes and causes babesiosis. The hazards to animal health have increased due to the rise of B. gibsoni infections and medication resistance. However, the lack of high-quality full-genome sequencing sets has expanded the obstacles to the development of pathogeneses, drugs, and vaccines. In this study, the whole genome of B. gibsoni was sequenced, assembled, and annotated. The genomic size of B. gibsoni was 7.94 Mbp in total. Four chromosomes with the size of 0.69 Mb, 2.10 Mb, 2.77 Mb, and 2.38 Mb, respectively, 1 apicoplast (28.4 Kb), and 1 mitochondrion (5.9 Kb) were confirmed. KEGG analysis revealed 2,641 putative proteins enriched on 316 pathways, and GO analysis showed 7,571 annotations of the nuclear genome in total. Synteny analysis showed a high correlation between B. gibsoni and B. bovis. A new divergent point of B. gibsoni occurred around 297.7 million years ago, which was earlier than that of B. bovis, B. ovata, and B. bigemina. Orthology analysis revealed 22 and 32 unique genes compared to several Babesia spp. and apicomplexan species. The metabolic pathways of B.gibsoni were characterized, pointing to a minimal size of the genome. A species-specific secretory protein SA1 and 19 homologous genes were identified. Selected specific proteins, including apetala 2 (AP2) factor, invasion-related proteins BgAMA-1 and BgRON2, and rhoptry function proteins BgWH_04g00700 were predicted, visualized, and modeled. Overall, whole-genome sequencing provided molecular-level support for the diagnosis, prevention, clinical treatment, and further research of B. gibsoni. IMPORTANCE The whole genome of B. gibsoni was first sequenced, annotated, and disclosed. The key part of genome composition, four chromosomes, was comparatively analyzed for the first time. A full-scale phylogeny evolution analysis based on the whole-genome-wide data of B. gibsoni was performed, and a new divergent point on the evolutionary path was revealed. In previous reports, molecular studies were often limited by incomplete genomic data, especially in key areas like life cycle regulation, metabolism, and host-pathogen interaction. With the whole-genome sequencing of B. gibsoni, we provide useful genetic data to encourage the exploration of new terrain and make it feasible to resolve the theoretical and practical problems of babesiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xing-Ai Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dong-Fang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ya-Xin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Sen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xue-Nan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Jun-Long Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lan He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Srinivasan P, Yanik S, Venkatesh V, Parker M, Diouf A, Sarkar D, Miura K, Long C, Boulanger M. Structure guided mimicry of an essential P. falciparum receptor-ligand complex enhances cross neutralizing antibodies. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2733434. [PMID: 37131813 PMCID: PMC10153359 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2733434/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Invasion of human red blood cells (RBCs) by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) merozoites relies on the interaction between two parasite proteins, apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) and rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) 1,2 . Antibodies to AMA1 confer limited protection against P. falciparum in non-human primate malaria models 3,4 . However, clinical trials with recombinant AMA1 alone (apoAMA1) saw no protection, likely due to inadequate levels of functional antibodies 5-8 . Notably, immunization with AMA1 in its ligand bound conformation using RON2L, a 49 amino acid peptide from RON2, confers superior protection against P. falciparum malaria by enhancing the proportion of neutralizing antibodies 9,10 . A limitation of this approach, however, is that it requires the two vaccine components to form a complex in solution. To facilitate vaccine development, we engineered chimeric antigens by strategically replacing the AMA1 DII loop that is displaced upon ligand binding with RON2L. Structural characterization of the fusion chimera, Fusion-F D12 to 1.55 Å resolution showed that it closely mimics the binary receptor-ligand complex. Immunization studies showed that Fusion-F D12 immune sera neutralized parasites more efficiently than apoAMA1 immune sera despite having an overall lower anti-AMA1 titer, suggesting improvement in antibody quality. Furthermore, immunization with Fusion-F D12 enhanced antibodies targeting conserved epitopes on AMA1 resulting in greater neutralization of non-vaccine type parasites. Identifying epitopes of such cross-neutralizing antibodies will help in the development of an effective, strain-transcending malaria vaccine. Our fusion protein design is a robust vaccine platform that can be enhanced by incorporating polymorphisms in AMA1 to effectively neutralize all P. falciparum parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Carole Long
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Resarch, NIAID/NIH
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11
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Pulido-Quevedo FA, Arévalo-Pinzón G, Castañeda-Ramírez JJ, Barreto-Santamaría A, Patarroyo ME, Patarroyo MA. Plasmodium falciparum rhoptry neck protein 4 has conserved regions mediating interactions with receptors on human erythrocytes and hepatocyte membrane. Int J Med Microbiol 2023; 313:151579. [PMID: 37030083 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2023.151579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum-related malaria represents a serious worldwide public health problem due to its high mortality rates. P. falciparum expresses rhoptry neck protein 4 (PfRON4) in merozoite and sporozoite rhoptries, it participates in tight junction-TJ formation via the AMA-1/RON complex and is refractory to complete genetic deletion. Despite this, which PfRON4 key regions interact with host cells remain unknown; such information would be useful for combating falciparum malaria. Thirty-two RON4 conserved region-derived peptides were chemically synthesised for determining and characterising PfRON4 regions having high host cell binding affinity (high activity binding peptides or HABPs). Receptor-ligand interaction/binding assays determined their specific binding capability, the nature of their receptors and their ability to inhibit in vitro parasite invasion. Peptides 42477, 42479, 42480, 42505 and 42513 had greater than 2% erythrocyte binding activity, whilst peptides 42477 and 42480 specifically bound to HepG2 membrane, both of them having micromolar and submicromolar range dissociation constants (Kd). Cell-peptide interaction was sensitive to treating erythrocytes with trypsin and/or chymotrypsin and HepG2 with heparinase I and chondroitinase ABC, suggesting protein-type (erythrocyte) and heparin and/or chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan receptors (HepG2) for PfRON4. Erythrocyte invasion inhibition assays confirmed HABPs' importance during merozoite invasion. PfRON4 800-819 (42477) and 860-879 (42480) regions specifically interacted with host cells, thereby supporting their inclusion in a subunit-based, multi-antigen, multistage anti-malarial vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredy A Pulido-Quevedo
- Receptor-Ligand Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá, Colombia; MSc programme in Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 # 26-85, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gabriela Arévalo-Pinzón
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 # 40-62, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jeimmy J Castañeda-Ramírez
- Receptor-Ligand Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adriana Barreto-Santamaría
- Receptor-Ligand Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá, Colombia; Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (U.D.C.A), Calle 222 # 55-37, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel E Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá, Colombia; Health Sciences Division, Main Campus, Universidad Santo Tomás, Carrera 9 # 51-11, Bogotá, Colombia; Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 # 26-85, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel A Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá, Colombia; Health Sciences Division, Main Campus, Universidad Santo Tomás, Carrera 9 # 51-11, Bogotá, Colombia; Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 # 26-85, Bogotá, Colombia.
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12
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Defining species-specific and conserved interactions of apical membrane protein 1 during erythrocyte invasion in malaria to inform multi-species vaccines. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:74. [PMID: 36847896 PMCID: PMC9969379 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04712-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax are the major causes of human malaria, and P. knowlesi is an important additional cause in SE Asia. Binding of apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) to rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) was thought to be essential for merozoite invasion of erythrocytes by Plasmodium spp. Our findings reveal that P. falciparum and P. vivax have diverged and show species-specific binding of AMA1 to RON2, determined by a β-hairpin loop in RON2 and specific residues in AMA1 Loop1E. In contrast, cross-species binding of AMA1 to RON2 is retained between P. vivax and P. knowlesi. Mutation of specific amino acids in AMA1 Loop1E in P. falciparum or P. vivax ablated RON2 binding without impacting erythrocyte invasion. This indicates that the AMA1-RON2-loop interaction is not essential for invasion and additional AMA1 interactions are involved. Mutations in AMA1 that disrupt RON2 binding also enable escape of invasion inhibitory antibodies. Therefore, vaccines and therapeutics will need to be broader than targeting only the AMA1-RON2 interaction. Antibodies targeting AMA1 domain 3 had greater invasion-inhibitory activity when RON2-loop binding was ablated, suggesting this domain is a promising additional target for vaccine development. Targeting multiple AMA1 interactions involved in invasion may enable vaccines that generate more potent inhibitory antibodies and address the capacity for immune evasion. Findings on specific residues for invasion function and species divergence and conservation can inform novel vaccines and therapeutics against malaria caused by three species, including the potential for cross-species vaccines.
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Invasion of Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites: Molecular dissection of the moving junction proteins and effective vaccination targets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2219533120. [PMID: 36693095 PMCID: PMC9945962 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2219533120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a neglected parasitic disease necessitating public health control. Host cell invasion by Toxoplasma occurs at different stages of the parasite's life cycle and is crucial for survival and establishment of infection. In tachyzoites, which are responsible for acute toxoplasmosis, invasion involves the formation of a molecular bridge between the parasite and host cell membranes, referred to as the moving junction (MJ). The MJ is shaped by the assembly of AMA1 and RON2, as part of a complex involving additional RONs. While this essential process is well characterized in tachyzoites, the invasion process remains unexplored in bradyzoites, which form cysts and are responsible for chronic toxoplasmosis and contribute to the dissemination of the parasite between hosts. Here, we show that bradyzoites invade host cells in an MJ-dependent fashion but differ in protein composition from the tachyzoite MJ, relying instead on the paralogs AMA2 and AMA4. Functional characterization of AMA4 reveals its key role for cysts burden during the onset of chronic infection, while being dispensable for the acute phase. Immunizations with AMA1 and AMA4, alone or in complex with their rhoptry neck respective partners RON2 and RON2L1, showed that the AMA1-RON2 pair induces strong protection against acute and chronic infection, while the AMA4-RON2L1 complex targets more selectively the chronic form. Our study provides important insights into the molecular players of bradyzoite invasion and indicates that invasion of cyst-forming bradyzoites contributes to cyst burden. Furthermore, we validate AMA-RON complexes as potential vaccine candidates to protect against toxoplasmosis.
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Mannuthodikayil J, Sinha S, Singh S, Biswas A, Ali I, Mashurabad PC, Tabassum W, Vydyam P, Bhattacharyya MK, Mandal K. A Chimeric Peptide Inhibits Red Blood Cell Invasion by Plasmodium falciparum with Hundredfold Increased Efficacy. Chembiochem 2022; 24:e202200533. [PMID: 36449557 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Inhibiting the formation of a tight junction between two malaria parasite proteins, apical membrane antigen 1 and rhoptry neck protein 2, crucial for red blood cell invasion, prevents progression of the disease. In this work, we have used a unique approach to design a chimeric peptide, prepared by fusion of the best features of two peptide inhibitors, that has displayed parasite growth inhibition ex vivo with nanomolar IC50 , which is 100 times better than any of its parent peptides. Furthermore, to gain structural insights, we computationally modelled the hybrid peptide on its receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamsad Mannuthodikayil
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Suman Sinha
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Sameer Singh
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Anamika Biswas
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Irshad Ali
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Purna Chandra Mashurabad
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Wahida Tabassum
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Pratap Vydyam
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Mrinal Kanti Bhattacharyya
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Kalyaneswar Mandal
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
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The Plasmodium falciparum Nuclear Protein Phosphatase NIF4 Is Required for Efficient Merozoite Invasion and Regulates Artemisinin Sensitivity. mBio 2022; 13:e0189722. [PMID: 35938722 PMCID: PMC9426563 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01897-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum has been associated with a mutation in the NLI-interacting factor-like phosphatase PfNIF4, in addition to the mutations in the Kelch13 protein as the major determinant. We found that PfNIF4 was predominantly expressed at the schizont stage and localized in the nuclei of the parasite. To elucidate the functions of PfNIF4 in P. falciparum, we performed PfNIF4 knockdown (KD) using the inducible ribozyme system. PfNIF4 KD attenuated merozoite invasion and affected gametocytogenesis. PfNIF4 KD parasites also showed significantly increased in vitro susceptibility to artemisinins. Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis revealed that PfNIF4 KD led to the downregulation of gene categories involved in invasion and artemisinin resistance (e.g., mitochondrial function, membrane, and Kelch13 interactome) at the trophozoite and/or schizont stage. Consistent with PfNIF4 being a protein phosphatase, PfNIF4 KD resulted in an overall upregulation of the phosphoproteome of infected erythrocytes. Quantitative phosphoproteomic profiling identified a set of PfNIF4-regulated phosphoproteins with functional similarity to FCP1 substrates, particularly proteins involved in chromatin organization and transcriptional regulation. Specifically, we observed increased phosphorylation of Ser2/5 of the tandem repeats in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) upon PfNIF4 KD. Furthermore, using the TurboID-based proteomic approach, we identified that PfNIF4 interacted with the RNAPII components, AP2-domain transcription factors, and chromatin-modifiers and binders. These findings suggest that PfNIF4 may act as the RNAPII CTD phosphatase, regulating the expression of general and parasite-specific cellular pathways during the blood-stage development.
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Cova MM, Lamarque MH, Lebrun M. How Apicomplexa Parasites Secrete and Build Their Invasion Machinery. Annu Rev Microbiol 2022; 76:619-640. [PMID: 35671531 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-041320-021425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexa are obligatory intracellular parasites that sense and actively invade host cells. Invasion is a conserved process that relies on the timely and spatially controlled exocytosis of unique specialized secretory organelles termed micronemes and rhoptries. Microneme exocytosis starts first and likely controls the intricate mechanism of rhoptry secretion. To assemble the invasion machinery, micronemal proteins-associated with the surface of the parasite-interact and form complexes with rhoptry proteins, which in turn are targeted into the host cell. This review covers the molecular advances regarding microneme and rhoptry exocytosis and focuses on how the proteins discharged from these two compartments work in synergy to drive a successful invasion event. Particular emphasis is given to the structure and molecular components of the rhoptry secretion apparatus, and to the current conceptual framework of rhoptry exocytosis that may constitute an unconventional eukaryotic secretory machinery closely related to the one described in ciliates. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 76 is September 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Mendonça Cova
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host Interactions (LPHI), CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France;
| | - Mauld H Lamarque
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host Interactions (LPHI), CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France;
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- Laboratory of Pathogen Host Interactions (LPHI), CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France;
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Molina-Franky J, Patarroyo ME, Kalkum M, Patarroyo MA. The Cellular and Molecular Interaction Between Erythrocytes and Plasmodium falciparum Merozoites. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:816574. [PMID: 35433504 PMCID: PMC9008539 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.816574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum is the most lethal human malaria parasite, partly due to its genetic variability and ability to use multiple invasion routes via its binding to host cell surface receptors. The parasite extensively modifies infected red blood cell architecture to promote its survival which leads to increased cell membrane rigidity, adhesiveness and permeability. Merozoites are initially released from infected hepatocytes and efficiently enter red blood cells in a well-orchestrated process that involves specific interactions between parasite ligands and erythrocyte receptors; symptoms of the disease occur during the life-cycle’s blood stage due to capillary blockage and massive erythrocyte lysis. Several studies have focused on elucidating molecular merozoite/erythrocyte interactions and host cell modifications; however, further in-depth analysis is required for understanding the parasite’s biology and thus provide the fundamental tools for developing prophylactic or therapeutic alternatives to mitigate or eliminate Plasmodium falciparum-related malaria. This review focuses on the cellular and molecular events during Plasmodium falciparum merozoite invasion of red blood cells and the alterations that occur in an erythrocyte once it has become infected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Molina-Franky
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
- PhD Programme in Biotechnology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel Elkin Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
- Health Sciences Division, Universidad Santo Tomás, Bogotá, Colombia
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Markus Kalkum
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Arthur Riggs Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Markus Kalkum, ; Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo,
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
- Health Sciences Division, Universidad Santo Tomás, Bogotá, Colombia
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
- *Correspondence: Markus Kalkum, ; Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo,
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Zhu D, Dai W, Srinivasan P, McClellan H, Braden D, Allee-Munoz A, Gonzales Hurtado PA, Miller LH, Duffy PE. Characterization of AMA1-RON2L complex with native gel electrophoresis and capillary isoelectric focusing. Electrophoresis 2022; 43:509-515. [PMID: 34679212 PMCID: PMC11127247 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202000365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) binds to the hydrophobic groove of apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), an interaction essential for invasion of red blood cells (RBCs) by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) parasites. Vaccination with AMA1 alone has been shown to be immunogenic, but unprotective even against homologous challenge in human trials. However, the AMA1-RON2L (L is referred to as the loop region of RON2 peptide) complex is a promising candidate, as preclinical studies with Freund's adjuvant have indicated complete protection against lethal challenge in mice and superior protection against virulent infection in Aotus monkeys. To prepare for clinical trials of the AMA1-RON2L complex, identity and integrity of the candidate vaccine must be assessed, and characterization methods must be carefully designed to not dissociate the delicate complex during evaluation. In this study, we developed a native Tris-glycine gel method to separate and identify the AMA1-RON2L complex, which was further identified and confirmed by Western blotting using anti-AMA1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 4G2 and 2C2) and anti-RON2L polyclonal Ab coupled with mass spectrometry. The formation of complex was also confirmed by Capillary Isoelectric Focusing (cIEF). A short-term (48 h and 72 h at 4°C) stability study of AMA1-RON2L complex was also performed. The results indicate that the complex was stable for 72 h at 4°C. Our research demonstrates that the native Tris-glycine gel separation/Western blotting coupled with mass spectrometry and cIEF can fully characterize the identity and integrity of the AMA1-RON2L complex and provide useful quality control data for the subsequent clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daming Zhu
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Weili Dai
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Prakash Srinivasan
- Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Holly McClellan
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dennis Braden
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Alec Allee-Munoz
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Patricia A. Gonzales Hurtado
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Louis H. Miller
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Patrick E. Duffy
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Rittipornlertrak A, Nambooppha B, Muenthaisong A, Punyapornwithaya V, Tiwananthagorn S, Chung YT, Tuvshintulga B, Sivakumar T, Yokoyama N, Sthitmatee N. Structural and immunological characterization of an epitope within the PAN motif of ectodomain I in Babesia bovis apical membrane antigen 1 for vaccine development. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11765. [PMID: 34316404 PMCID: PMC8288113 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bovine babesiosis caused by Babesia bovis (B. bovis) has had a significant effect on the mobility and mortality rates of the cattle industry worldwide. Live-attenuated vaccines are currently being used in many endemic countries, but their wide use has been limited for a number of reasons. Although recombinant vaccines have been proposed as an alternative to live vaccines, such vaccines are not commercially available to date. Apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) is one of the leading candidates in the development of a vaccine against diseases caused by apicomplexan parasite species. In Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) AMA-1 (PfAMA-1), several antibodies against epitopes in the plasminogen, apple, and nematode (PAN) motif of PfAMA-1 domain I significantly inhibited parasite growth. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to predict an epitope from the PAN motif of domain I in the B. bovis AMA-1 (BbAMA-1) using a combination of linear and conformational B-cell epitope prediction software. The selected epitope was then bioinformatically analyzed, synthesized as a peptide (sBbAMA-1), and then used to immunize a rabbit. Subsequently, in vitro growth- and the invasion-inhibitory effects of the rabbit antiserum were immunologically characterized. Results Our results demonstrated that the predicted BbAMA-1 epitope was located on the surface-exposed α-helix of the PAN motif in domain I at the apex area between residues 181 and 230 with six polymorphic sites. Subsequently, sBbAMA-1 elicited antibodies capable of recognizing the native BbAMA-1 in immunoassays. Furthermore, anti-serum against sBbAMA-1 was immunologically evaluated for its growth- and invasion-inhibitory effects on B. bovis merozoites in vitro. Our results demonstrated that the rabbit anti-sBbAMA-1 serum at a dilution of 1:5 significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) the growth of B. bovis merozoites by approximately 50–70% on days 3 and 4 of cultivation, along with the invasion of merozoites by approximately 60% within 4 h of incubation when compared to the control groups. Conclusion Our results indicate that the epitope predicted from the PAN motif of BbAMA-1 domain I is neutralization-sensitive and may serve as a target antigen for vaccine development against bovine babesiosis caused by B. bovis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Boondarika Nambooppha
- Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Anucha Muenthaisong
- Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Veerasak Punyapornwithaya
- Department of Food Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Saruda Tiwananthagorn
- Department of Veterinary Bioscience and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Yang-Tsung Chung
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bumduuren Tuvshintulga
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Thillaiampalam Sivakumar
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Nattawooti Sthitmatee
- Department of Veterinary Bioscience and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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20
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Gao Y, Suding Z, Wang L, Liu D, Su S, Xu J, Hu J, Tao J. Full-length transcriptome sequence analysis of Eimeria necatrix unsporulated oocysts and sporozoites identifies genes involved in cellular invasion. Vet Parasitol 2021; 296:109480. [PMID: 34120030 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Eimeria necatrix is one of the most pathogenic chicken coccidia and causes avian coccidiosis, an enteric disease of major economic importance worldwide. Eimeria parasites have complex developmental life cycles, with an exogenous phase in the environment and an endogenous phase in the chicken intestine. Oocysts excreted by chickens rapidly undergo meiosis and cell division to form eight haploid sporozoites (SZ). SZ liberated from sporocysts in the chicken intestine migrate to their preferred site of development to initiate cellular invasion. To date, almost nothing is known about the proteins that mediate parasite invasion in E. necatrix. In order to discover genes with functions involved in cellular invasion, the transcriptome profiles of E. necatrix unsporulated oocysts (UO) and SZ were analyzed using a combination of third-generation single-molecule real-time sequencing (TGS) and second-generation sequencing (SGS) followed by qRT-PCR validation. Correction of TGS long reads by SGS short reads resulted in 34,932 (UO) and 23,040 (SZ) consensus isoforms. After subsequent assembly, a total of 4949 and 4254 genes were identified from UO and SZ libraries, respectively. A total of 8376 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SZ and UO. Compared to UO, 4057 genes were upregulated and 4319 genes were downregulated in SZ. Approximately 1399 and 1758 genes were defined as stage-specific genes in SZ and UO, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) classification and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that 2978 upregulated SZ genes were clustered into 29 GO terms, and 857 upregulated SZ genes were associated with 26 KEGG pathways. We also predicted a further 50 upregulated SZ genes and 73 upregulated UO genes encoding microneme proteins, apical membrane antigens, rhoptry neck proteins, rhoptry proteins, dense granule proteins, heat shock proteins, calcium-dependent protein kinases, cyclin-dependent kinases, cGMP-dependent protein kinase, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored surface antigens. Our data reveal new features of the E. necatrix transcriptional landscape and provide resources for the development of novel vaccine candidates against E. necatrix infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Zeyang Suding
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Lele Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Dandan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Shijie Su
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Jinjun Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Junjie Hu
- Biology Department, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China.
| | - Jianping Tao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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21
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Liffner B, Balbin JM, Wichers JS, Gilberger TW, Wilson DW. The Ins and Outs of Plasmodium Rhoptries, Focusing on the Cytosolic Side. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:638-650. [PMID: 33941492 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Parasites of the genus Plasmodium cause human and animal malaria, leading to significant health and economic impacts. A key aspect of the complex life cycle of Plasmodium parasites is the invasion of the parasite into its host cell, which is mediated by secretory organelles. The largest of these organelles, the rhoptry, undergoes rapid and profound physiological changes when it secretes its contents during merozoite and sporozoite invasion of the host erythrocyte and hepatocyte, respectively. Here we discuss recent advancements in our understanding of the dynamic rhoptry biology during the parasite's invasive stages, with a focus on the roles of cytosolically exposed rhoptry-interacting proteins (C-RIPs). We explore potential similarities between the molecular mechanisms driving merozoite and sporozoite rhoptry function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Liffner
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Juan Miguel Balbin
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia
| | - Jan Stephan Wichers
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, 22607, Hamburg, Germany; Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; Biology Department, University of Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia; Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne 3004, Victoria, Australia.
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22
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Biswas A, Raran-Kurussi S, Narayan A, Kar A, Chandra Mashurabad P, Bhattacharyya MK, Mandal K. Efficient refolding and functional characterization of PfAMA1(DI+DII) expressed in E. coli. Biochem Biophys Rep 2021; 26:100950. [PMID: 33665380 PMCID: PMC7907217 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2021.100950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is a surface protein of Plasmodium sp. that plays a crucial role in forming moving junction (MJ) during the invasion of human red blood cells. The obligatory presence of AMA1 in the parasite lifecycle designates this protein as a potential vaccine candidate and an essential target for the development of novel peptide or protein therapeutics. However, due to multiple cysteine residues in the protein sequence, attaining the native fold with correct disulfide linkages during the refolding process after expression in bacteria has remained challenging for years. Although several approaches to obtain the refolded protein from bacterial expression have been reported previously, achieving high yield during refolding and proper functional validation of the expressed protein was lacking. We report here an improved method of refolding to obtain higher quantity of refolded protein. We have also validated the refolded protein's functional activity by evaluating the expressed AMA1 protein binding with a known inhibitory peptide, rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2), using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). A simple yet effective protocol for P. falciparum AMA1 protein expression from E. coli. Highly reproducible and scalable refolding protocol. The modified refolding method uses a step-wise dialysis technique. Functional validation of the refolded protein shown by binding with PfRON2 ectodomain using SPR and ITC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamika Biswas
- TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Sreejith Raran-Kurussi
- TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Akash Narayan
- TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Abhisek Kar
- TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Purna Chandra Mashurabad
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Mrinal Kanti Bhattacharyya
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
| | - Kalyaneswar Mandal
- TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, 36/p Gopanpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500046, India
- Corresponding author.
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23
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Aza-Conde J, Reyes C, Suárez CF, Patarroyo MA, Patarroyo ME. The molecular basis for peptide-based antimalarial vaccine development targeting erythrocyte invasion by P. falciparum. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 534:86-93. [PMID: 33316544 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.11.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
This work describes a methodology for developing a minimal, subunit-based, multi-epitope, multi-stage, chemically-synthesised, anti-Plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine. Some modified high activity binding peptides (mHABPs) derived from functionally relevant P. falciparum MSP, RH5 and AMA-1 conserved amino acid regions (cHABPs) for parasite binding to and invasion of red blood cells (RBC) were selected. They were highly immunogenic as assessed by indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) and Western blot (WB) assays and protective immune response-inducers against malarial challenge in the Aotus monkey experimental model. NetMHCIIpan 4.0 was used for predicting peptide-Aotus/human major histocompatibility class II (MHCII) binding affinity in silico due to the similarity between Aotus and human immune system molecules; ∼50% of Aotus MHCII allele molecules have a counterpart in the human immune system, being Aotus-specific, whilst others enabled recognition of their human counterparts. Some peptides' 1H-NMR-assessed structural conformation was determined to explain residue modifications in mHABPs inducing secondary structure changes. These directly influenced immunological behaviour, thereby highlighting the relationship with MHCII antigen presentation. The data obtained in such functional, immunological, structural and predictive approach suggested that some of these peptides could be excellent components of a fully-protective antimalarial vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Aza-Conde
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - César Reyes
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Biomedical and Biological Sciences PhD Programme, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carlos F Suárez
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel A Patarroyo
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel E Patarroyo
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia; Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; Universidad Santo Tomás, Bogotá, Colombia.
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24
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Panday SK, Ghosh I. Application and Comprehensive Analysis of Neighbor Approximated Information Theoretic Configurational Entropy Methods to Protein-Ligand Binding Cases. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 16:7581-7600. [PMID: 33190491 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.0c00764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The binding entropy is an important thermodynamic quantity which has numerous applications in studies of the biophysical process, and configurational entropy is often one of the major contributors in it. Therefore, its accurate estimation is important, though it is challenging mostly due to sampling limitations, anharmonicity, and multimodality of atomic fluctuations. The present work reports a Neighbor Approximated Maximum Information Spanning Tree (A-MIST) method for conformational entropy and presents its performance and computational advantage over conventional Mutual Information Expansion (MIE) and Maximum Information Spanning Tree (MIST) for two protein-ligand binding cases: indirubin-5-sulfonate to Plasmodium falciparum Protein Kinase 5 (PfPK5) and P. falciparum RON2-peptide to P. falciparum Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (PfAMA1). Important structural regions considering binding configurational entropy are identified, and physical origins for such are discussed. A thorough performance evaluation is done of a set of four entropy estimators (Maximum Likelihood (ML), Miller-Madow (MM), Chao-Shen (CS), and James and Stein shrinkage (JS)) with known varying degrees of sensitivity of the entropy estimate on the extent of sampling, each with two schemes for discretization of fluctuation data of Degrees of Freedom (DFs) to estimate Probability Density Functions (PDFs). Our comprehensive evaluation of influences of variations of parameters shows Neighbor Approximated MIE (A-MIE) outperforms MIE in terms of convergence and computational efficiency. In the case of A-MIE/MIE, results are sensitive to the choice of root atoms, graph search algorithm used for the Bond-Angle-Torsion (BAT) conversion, and entropy estimator, while A-MIST/MIST are not. A-MIST yields binding entropy within 0.5 kcal/mol of MIST with only 20-30% computation. Moreover, all these methods have been implemented in an OpenMP/MPI hybrid parallel C++11 code, and also a python package for data preprocessing and entropy contribution analysis is developed and made available. A comparative analysis of features of current implementation and existing tools is also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shailesh Kumar Panday
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Indira Ghosh
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
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25
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Detection of the Rhoptry Neck Protein Complex in Plasmodium Sporozoites and Its Contribution to Sporozoite Invasion of Salivary Glands. mSphere 2020; 5:5/4/e00325-20. [PMID: 32817376 PMCID: PMC7440843 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00325-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Sporozoites are the motile infectious stage that mediates malaria parasite transmission from mosquitoes to the mammalian host. This study addresses the question whether the rhoptry neck protein complex forms and functions in sporozoites, in addition to its role in merozoites. By applying coimmunoprecipitation and sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown assays, it was demonstrated that RON2, RON4, and RON5 form a complex and are involved in sporozoite invasion of salivary glands via their attachment ability. These findings shed light on the conserved invasion mechanisms among apicomplexan infective stages. In addition, the sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown system has revealed for the first time in Plasmodium that the RON2 and RON4 interaction reciprocally affects their stability and trafficking to rhoptries. Our study raises the possibility that the RON complex functions during sporozoite maturation as well as migration toward and invasion of target cells. In the Plasmodium life cycle, two infectious stages of parasites, merozoites and sporozoites, share rhoptry and microneme apical structures. A crucial step during merozoite invasion of erythrocytes is the discharge to the host cell membrane of some rhoptry neck proteins as a complex, followed by the formation of a moving junction involving the parasite-secreted protein AMA1 on the parasite membrane. Components of the merozoite rhoptry neck protein complex are also expressed in sporozoites, namely, RON2, RON4, and RON5, suggesting that invasion mechanism elements might be conserved between these infective stages. Recently, we demonstrated that RON2 is required for sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary gland cells and mammalian hepatocytes, using a sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown strategy in the rodent malaria parasite model, Plasmodium berghei. Here, we use a coimmunoprecipitation assay and oocyst-derived sporozoite extracts to demonstrate that RON2, RON4, and RON5 also form a complex in sporozoites. The sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown strategy revealed that both RON4 and RON5 have crucial roles during sporozoite invasion of salivary glands, including a significantly reduced attachment ability required for the onset of gliding. Further analyses indicated that RON2 and RON4 reciprocally affect trafficking to rhoptries in developing sporozoites, while RON5 is independently transported. These findings indicate that the interaction between RON2 and RON4 contributes to their stability and trafficking to rhoptries, in addition to involvement in sporozoite attachment. IMPORTANCE Sporozoites are the motile infectious stage that mediates malaria parasite transmission from mosquitoes to the mammalian host. This study addresses the question whether the rhoptry neck protein complex forms and functions in sporozoites, in addition to its role in merozoites. By applying coimmunoprecipitation and sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown assays, it was demonstrated that RON2, RON4, and RON5 form a complex and are involved in sporozoite invasion of salivary glands via their attachment ability. These findings shed light on the conserved invasion mechanisms among apicomplexan infective stages. In addition, the sporozoite stage-specific gene knockdown system has revealed for the first time in Plasmodium that the RON2 and RON4 interaction reciprocally affects their stability and trafficking to rhoptries. Our study raises the possibility that the RON complex functions during sporozoite maturation as well as migration toward and invasion of target cells.
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26
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Bailey JA, Berry AA, Travassos MA, Ouattara A, Boudova S, Dotsey EY, Pike A, Jacob CG, Adams M, Tan JC, Bannen RM, Patel JJ, Pablo J, Nakajima R, Jasinskas A, Dutta S, Takala-Harrison S, Lyke KE, Laurens MB, Niangaly A, Coulibaly D, Kouriba B, Doumbo OK, Thera MA, Felgner PL, Plowe CV. Microarray analyses reveal strain-specific antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 variants following natural infection and vaccination. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3952. [PMID: 32127565 PMCID: PMC7054363 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60551-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccines based on Plasmodium falciparum apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) have failed due to extensive polymorphism in AMA1. To assess the strain-specificity of antibody responses to malaria infection and AMA1 vaccination, we designed protein and peptide microarrays representing hundreds of unique AMA1 variants. Following clinical malaria episodes, children had short-lived, sequence-independent increases in average whole-protein seroreactivity, as well as strain-specific responses to peptides representing diverse epitopes. Vaccination resulted in dramatically increased seroreactivity to all 263 AMA1 whole-protein variants. High-density peptide analysis revealed that vaccinated children had increases in seroreactivity to four distinct epitopes that exceeded responses to natural infection. A single amino acid change was critical to seroreactivity to peptides in a region of AMA1 associated with strain-specific vaccine efficacy. Antibody measurements using whole antigens may be biased towards conserved, immunodominant epitopes. Peptide microarrays may help to identify immunogenic epitopes, define correlates of vaccine protection, and measure strain-specific vaccine-induced antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Bailey
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrea A Berry
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark A Travassos
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amed Ouattara
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Boudova
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emmanuel Y Dotsey
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Pike
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Matthew Adams
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John C Tan
- Previous address: Roche Sequencing Solutions, Madison, WI, USA
- Nimble Therapeutics, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ryan M Bannen
- Previous address: Roche Sequencing Solutions, Madison, WI, USA
- Nimble Therapeutics, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jigar J Patel
- Previous address: Roche Sequencing Solutions, Madison, WI, USA
- Nimble Therapeutics, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jozelyn Pablo
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Rie Nakajima
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Algis Jasinskas
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sheetij Dutta
- U.S. Military Malaria Vaccine Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Shannon Takala-Harrison
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kirsten E Lyke
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew B Laurens
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amadou Niangaly
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Drissa Coulibaly
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Bourema Kouriba
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Ogobara K Doumbo
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Mahamadou A Thera
- Malaria Research and Training Center, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako, Mali
| | - Philip L Felgner
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Christopher V Plowe
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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27
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Ma D, Huang Y, Ma C, Zhang L, Wang J, Wang D, Li J, Dalloul RA. Eimeria tenella: specific EtAMA1-binding peptides inhibit sporozoite entry into host cells. Poult Sci 2019; 98:4480-4491. [PMID: 31149727 DOI: 10.3382/ps/pez298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian coccidiosis caused by Eimeria inflicts high economic losses to the poultry industry. Application of drugs and live vaccines presents particular challenges in pathogen resistance and cost, hence alternative anti-coccidial strategies are needed. In this study, peptides that specifically bind E. tenella AMA1 (EtAMA1) were screened from a phage display peptide library. The positive clones of target phages were characterized by ELISA after four rounds of biopanning. The binding capabilities with EtAMA1 and sporozoite proteins for the two selected peptides were detected by ELISA. The role of the two target peptides in inhibiting sporozoite invasion of MDBK cells was evaluated in vitro and the anti-coccidial effects of the two phages were assessed by an animal experiment. The three-dimensional (3D) structural model of EtAMA1 extracellular domain (EctoAMA1) protein was constructed based on the crystal template of TgAMA1 (PDB ID: 2 × 2Z), and the molecular docking between target peptides and EctoAMA1 model was analyzed. The results showed that two selected phages strongly interacted with EctoAMA1 and sporozoites protein. Two corresponding specific EtAMA1-binding peptide (named L and C) showed significant effects on inhibiting sporozoite invasion of MDBK cells. Chickens orally fed the two target phages showed partial protection against homologous challenge. Homology modeling analysis showed an apical hydrophobic groove was shaped on the top of the EctoAMA1 model. Molecular docking indicated the interaction between the EctoAMA1 protein and the two peptides, which was mainly reflected by the hydrophobic interaction and formation of intermolecular hydrogen bond. The above results suggest that the peptides L and C, especially L peptide, competed with E. tenella rhotry neck protein 2 (EtRON2) for binding to EtAMA1 located on the surface of sporozoites, and therefore inhibited the parasite invasion into cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexing Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Experimental Animals and Comparative Medicine, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Yuchen Huang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Experimental Animals and Comparative Medicine, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Chunli Ma
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Lili Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Experimental Animals and Comparative Medicine, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Jingfei Wang
- Division of Avian Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150069, China
| | - Dian Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Experimental Animals and Comparative Medicine, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Jian Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, PR China.,Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Experimental Animals and Comparative Medicine, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, PR China
| | - Rami A Dalloul
- Avian Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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28
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Ma X, Zhu M, Liu J, Li X, Qu L, Liang L, Huang W, Wang J, Li N, Chen JH, Zhang W, Yu Z. Interactions between PHD3-Bromo of MLL1 and H3K4me3 Revealed by Single-Molecule Magnetic Tweezers in a Parallel DNA Circuit. Bioconjug Chem 2019; 30:2998-3006. [PMID: 31714753 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule force spectroscopy is a powerful tool to directly measure protein-protein interactions (PPI). The high specificity and precision of PPI measurements made it possible to reveal detailed mechanisms of intermolecular interactions. However, protein aggregation due to specific or nonspecific interactions is among the most challenging problems in PPI examination. Here, we propose a strategy of a parallel DNA circuit to probe PPI using single-molecule magnetic tweezers. In contrast to PPI examination using atomic force microscopy, microspheres as probes used in magnetic tweezers avoided the single-probe issue of a cantilever. Negatively charged DNA as a linker circumvented the severe aggregation in the PPI construct with a protein linker. The unnatural amino acid encoded in proteins of interest expanded the choices of biorthogonal conjugation. We demonstrated how to apply our strategy to probe the PPI between the PHD3-Bromo and the histone H3 methylated at K4, a critical epigenetic event in leukemia development. We found a rupture force of 12 pN for breaking the PPI, which is much higher than that required to peel DNA off from a nucleosome, 3 pN. We expect that our methods will make PPI measurements of mechanics and kinetics with great precision, facilitating PPI-related research, e.g., PPI-targeted drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
| | - Manning Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
| | - Jianyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry , Jilin University , Changchun 130012 , China
| | - Xu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
| | - Lihua Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
| | - Lin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
| | - Junli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
| | - Ning Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
| | - Jun-Hu Chen
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, National Center for International Research on Tropical Diseases , Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health , Shanghai 200025 , China
| | - Wenke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry , Jilin University , Changchun 130012 , China
| | - Zhongbo Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy , Nankai University , 38 Tongyan Rd , Tianjin 300353 , China
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29
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Suarez C, Lentini G, Ramaswamy R, Maynadier M, Aquilini E, Berry-Sterkers L, Cipriano M, Chen AL, Bradley P, Striepen B, Boulanger MJ, Lebrun M. A lipid-binding protein mediates rhoptry discharge and invasion in Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii parasites. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4041. [PMID: 31492901 PMCID: PMC6731292 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11979-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the Apicomplexa phylum, including Plasmodium and Toxoplasma, have two types of secretory organelles (micronemes and rhoptries) whose sequential release is essential for invasion and the intracellular lifestyle of these eukaryotes. During invasion, rhoptries inject an array of invasion and virulence factors into the cytoplasm of the host cell, but the molecular mechanism mediating rhoptry exocytosis is unknown. Here we identify a set of parasite specific proteins, termed rhoptry apical surface proteins (RASP) that cap the extremity of the rhoptry. Depletion of RASP2 results in loss of rhoptry secretion and completely blocks parasite invasion and therefore parasite proliferation in both Toxoplasma and Plasmodium. Recombinant RASP2 binds charged lipids and likely contributes to assembling the machinery that docks/primes the rhoptry to the plasma membrane prior to fusion. This study provides important mechanistic insight into a parasite specific exocytic pathway, essential for the establishment of infection. Plasmodium and Toxoplasma parasites rely on rhoptry exocytosis for invasion, but the underlying mechanism is not known. Here, Suarez et al. characterize rhoptry apical surface proteins (RASP) that localize to the rhoptry cap and bind charged lipids, and are essential for rhoptry secretion and invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Suarez
- UMR 5235 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Gaëlle Lentini
- UMR 5235 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Raghavendran Ramaswamy
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 3P6, Canada
| | | | - Eleonora Aquilini
- UMR 5235 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Michael Cipriano
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Allan L Chen
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Peter Bradley
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Martin J Boulanger
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 3P6, Canada
| | - Maryse Lebrun
- UMR 5235 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France.
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30
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Intracellular protozoan parasites: living probes of the host cell surface molecular repertoire. Curr Opin Microbiol 2019; 52:116-123. [PMID: 31349210 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular protozoans co-evolved with their mammalian host cells a range of strategies to cope with the composite and dynamic cell surface features they encounter during migration and infection. Therefore, these single-celled eukaryotic parasites represent a fascinating source of living probes for precisely capturing the dynamic coupling between the membrane and contractile cortex components of the cell surface. Such biomechanical changes drive a constant re-sculpting of the host cell surface, enabling rapid adjustments that contribute to cellular homeostasis. As emphasized in this review, through the design of specific molecular devices and stratagems to interfere with the biomechanics of the mammalian cell surface these parasitic microbes escape from dangerous or unfavourable microenvironments by breaching host cell membranes, directing the membrane repair machinery to wounded membrane areas, or minimizing membrane assault using discretion and speed when invading host cells for sustained residence.
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31
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Essential role of GEXP15, a specific Protein Phosphatase type 1 partner, in Plasmodium berghei in asexual erythrocytic proliferation and transmission. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007973. [PMID: 31348803 PMCID: PMC6685639 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The essential and distinct functions of Protein Phosphatase type 1 (PP1) catalytic subunit in eukaryotes are exclusively achieved through its interaction with a myriad of regulatory partners. In this work, we report the molecular and functional characterization of Gametocyte EXported Protein 15 (GEXP15), a Plasmodium specific protein, as a regulator of PP1. In vitro interaction studies demonstrated that GEXP15 physically interacts with PP1 through the RVxF binding motif in P. berghei. Functional assays showed that GEXP15 was able to increase PP1 activity and the mutation of the RVxF motif completely abolished this regulation. Immunoprecipitation assays of tagged GEXP15 or PP1 in P. berghei followed by immunoblot or mass spectrometry analyses confirmed their interaction and showed that they are present both in schizont and gametocyte stages in shared protein complexes involved in the spliceosome and proteasome pathways and known to play essential role in parasite development. Phenotypic analysis of viable GEXP15 deficient P. berghei blood parasites showed that they were unable to develop lethal infection in BALB/c mice or to establish experimental cerebral malaria in C57BL/6 mice. Further, although deficient parasites produced gametocytes they did not produce any oocysts/sporozoites indicating a high fitness cost in the mosquito. Global proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses of GEXP15 deficient schizonts revealed a profound defect with a significant decrease in the abundance and an impact on phosphorylation status of proteins involved in regulation of gene expression or invasion. Moreover, depletion of GEXP15 seemed to impact mainly the abundance of some specific proteins of female gametocytes. Our study provides the first insight into the contribution of a PP1 regulator to Plasmodium virulence and suggests that GEXP15 affects both the asexual and sexual life cycle. In the absence of an effective vaccine and the emerging resistance to artemisinin combination therapy, malaria is still a significant threat to human health. Increasing our understanding of the specific mechanisms of the biology of Plasmodium is essential to propose new strategies to control this infection. Here, we demonstrated that GEXP15, a specific protein in Plasmodium, was able to interact with the Protein Phosphatase 1 and regulate its activity. We showed that both proteins are implicated in common protein complexes involved in the mRNA splicing and proteasome pathways. We reported that the deletion of GEXP15 leads to a loss of parasite virulence during asexual stages and a total abolishment of the capacity of deficient parasites to develop in the mosquito. We also found that this deletion affects both protein phosphorylation status and significantly decreases the expression of essential proteins in schizont and gametocyte stages. This study characterizes for the first time a novel molecular pathway through the control of PP1 by an essential and specific Plasmodium regulator, which may contribute to the discovery of new therapeutic targets to control malaria.
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32
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Arenas AF, Arango-Plaza N, Arenas JC, Salcedo GE. Time-Frequency Approach Applied to Finding Interaction Regions in Pathogenic Proteins. Bioinform Biol Insights 2019; 13:1177932219850172. [PMID: 31210729 PMCID: PMC6552352 DOI: 10.1177/1177932219850172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions govern all molecular processes for living organisms, even those involved in pathogen infection. Pathogens such as virus, bacteria, and parasites contain proteins that help the pathogen to attach, penetrate, and settle inside the target cell. Thus, it is necessary to know the regions in pathogenic proteins that interact with host cell receptors. Currently, powerful pathogen databases are available and many pathogenic proteins have been recognized, but many pathogenic proteins have not been characterized. This work developed a program in MATLAB environment based on the time-frequency analysis to recognize important sites in proteins. Our program highlights the highest energy patches in proteins from their time-frequency distribution and matches the corresponding frequency. We sought to know if this approach is able to recognize stretches residues related to interaction. Our approach was applied to five study cases from pathogenic co-crystallized structures that have been well characterized. We searched the frequencies that characterize interaction regions in pathogenic proteins and with this information tried to identify new interaction patches in either paralogs or orthologs. We found that our program generates a well-interpretable graphic under several descriptors that can show important regions in proteins even those related to interaction. We propose that this MATLAB program could be used as a tool to explore outstanding regions in uncharacterized proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailan F Arenas
- Grupo de Estudio en Parasitología Molecular (Gepamol), Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia.,Grupo de Investigación y Asesoría en Estadística, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Nicolás Arango-Plaza
- Grupo de Investigación y Asesoría en Estadística, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Juan Camilo Arenas
- Grupo de Estudio en Parasitología Molecular (Gepamol), Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia.,Grupo de Investigación y Asesoría en Estadística, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Gladys E Salcedo
- Grupo de Investigación y Asesoría en Estadística, Universidad del Quindío, Armenia, Colombia
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33
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Salinas ND, Tang WK, Tolia NH. Blood-Stage Malaria Parasite Antigens: Structure, Function, and Vaccine Potential. J Mol Biol 2019; 431:4259-4280. [PMID: 31103771 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2019.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites are the causative agent of malaria, a disease that kills approximately 450,000 individuals annually, with the majority of deaths occurring in children under the age of 5 years and the development of a malaria vaccine is a global health priority. Plasmodium parasites undergo a complex life cycle requiring numerous diverse protein families. The blood stage of parasite development results in the clinical manifestation of disease. A vaccine that disrupts the blood stage is highly desired and will aid in the control of malaria. The blood stage comprises multiple steps: invasion of, asexual growth within, and egress from red blood cells. This review focuses on blood-stage antigens with emphasis on antigen structure, antigen function, neutralizing antibodies, and vaccine potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole D Salinas
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD,, 20892, USA
| | - Wai Kwan Tang
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD,, 20892, USA
| | - Niraj H Tolia
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD,, 20892, USA.
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34
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Patel A, Perrin AJ, Flynn HR, Bisson C, Withers-Martinez C, Treeck M, Flueck C, Nicastro G, Martin SR, Ramos A, Gilberger TW, Snijders AP, Blackman MJ, Baker DA. Cyclic AMP signalling controls key components of malaria parasite host cell invasion machinery. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000264. [PMID: 31075098 PMCID: PMC6530879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is an important signalling molecule across evolution, but its role in malaria parasites is poorly understood. We have investigated the role of cAMP in asexual blood stage development of Plasmodium falciparum through conditional disruption of adenylyl cyclase beta (ACβ) and its downstream effector, cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). We show that both production of cAMP and activity of PKA are critical for erythrocyte invasion, whilst key developmental steps that precede invasion still take place in the absence of cAMP-dependent signalling. We also show that another parasite protein with putative cyclic nucleotide binding sites, Plasmodium falciparum EPAC (PfEpac), does not play an essential role in blood stages. We identify and quantify numerous sites, phosphorylation of which is dependent on cAMP signalling, and we provide mechanistic insight as to how cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of the cytoplasmic domain of the essential invasion adhesin apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) regulates erythrocyte invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avnish Patel
- Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail J. Perrin
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen R. Flynn
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claudine Bisson
- Crystallography, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Moritz Treeck
- Signalling in Apicomplexan Parasites Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Flueck
- Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giuseppe Nicastro
- Macromolecular Structure Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen R. Martin
- Macromolecular Structure Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andres Ramos
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tim W. Gilberger
- Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ambrosius P. Snijders
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J. Blackman
- Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Malaria Biochemistry Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - David A. Baker
- Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
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35
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Drew DR, Sanders PR, Weiss G, Gilson PR, Crabb BS, Beeson JG. Functional Conservation of the AMA1 Host-Cell Invasion Ligand Between P. falciparum and P. vivax: A Novel Platform to Accelerate Vaccine and Drug Development. J Infect Dis 2019; 217:498-507. [PMID: 29165651 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jix583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum malaria species have diverged significantly in receptor-ligand interactions and host-cell invasion. One protein common to both is the merozoite invasion ligand AMA1. While the general structure of AMA1 is similar between species, their sequences are divergent. Surprisingly, it was possible to genetically replace PfAMA1 with PvAMA1 in P. falciparum parasites. PvAMA1 complemented PfAMA1 function and supported invasion of erythrocytes by P. falciparum. Genetically modified P. falciparum expressing PvAMA1 evaded the invasion inhibitory effects of antibodies to PfAMA1, demonstrating species specificity of functional antibodies. We generated antibodies to recombinant PvAMA1 that effectively inhibited invasion, confirming the function of PvAMA1 in genetically modified parasites. Results indicate significant molecular flexibility in AMA1 enabling conserved function despite substantial sequence divergence across species. This provides powerful new tools to quantify the inhibitory activities of antibodies or drugs targeting PvAMA1, opening new opportunities for vaccine and therapeutic development against P. vivax.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Brendan S Crabb
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Central Clinical School and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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36
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Akter M, Drinkwater N, Devine SM, Drew SC, Krishnarjuna B, Debono CO, Wang G, Scanlon MJ, Scammells PJ, McGowan S, MacRaild CA, Norton RS. Identification of the Binding Site of Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (AMA1) Inhibitors Using a Paramagnetic Probe. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:603-612. [PMID: 30653832 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is essential for the invasion of host cells by malaria parasites. Several small-molecule ligands have been shown to bind to a conserved hydrophobic cleft in Plasmodium falciparum AMA1. However, a lack of detailed structural information on the binding pose of these molecules has hindered their further optimisation as inhibitors. We have developed a spin-labelled peptide based on RON2, the native binding partner of AMA1, to probe the binding sites of compounds on PfAMA1. The crystal structure of this peptide bound to PfAMA1 shows that it binds at one end of the hydrophobic groove, leaving much of the binding site unoccupied and allowing fragment hits to bind without interference. In paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE)-based NMR screening, the 1 H relaxation rates of compounds binding close to the probe were enhanced. Compounds experienced different degrees of PRE as a result of their different orientations relative to the spin label while bound to AMA1. Thus, PRE-derived distance constraints can be used to identify binding sites and guide further hit optimisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansura Akter
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Nyssa Drinkwater
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Shane M Devine
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Simon C Drew
- Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Bankala Krishnarjuna
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Cael O Debono
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Geqing Wang
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Martin J Scanlon
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Peter J Scammells
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Sheena McGowan
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Christopher A MacRaild
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Raymond S Norton
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
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37
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Tosetti N, Dos Santos Pacheco N, Soldati-Favre D, Jacot D. Three F-actin assembly centers regulate organelle inheritance, cell-cell communication and motility in Toxoplasma gondii. eLife 2019; 8:e42669. [PMID: 30753127 PMCID: PMC6372287 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii possesses a limited set of actin-regulatory proteins and relies on only three formins (FRMs) to nucleate and polymerize actin. We combined filamentous actin (F-actin) chromobodies with gene disruption to assign specific populations of actin filaments to individual formins. FRM2 localizes to the apical juxtanuclear region and participates in apicoplast inheritance. Restricted to the residual body, FRM3 maintains the intravacuolar cell-cell communication. Conoidal FRM1 initiates a flux of F-actin crucial for motility, invasion and egress. This flux depends on myosins A and H and is controlled by phosphorylation via PKG (protein kinase G) and CDPK1 (calcium-dependent protein kinase 1) and by methylation via AKMT (apical lysine methyltransferase). This flux is independent of microneme secretion and persists in the absence of the glideosome-associated connector (GAC). This study offers a coherent model of the key players controlling actin polymerization, stressing the importance of well-timed post-translational modifications to power parasite motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolò Tosetti
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMUUniversity of GenevaGenevaSwitzerland
| | | | | | - Damien Jacot
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMUUniversity of GenevaGenevaSwitzerland
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38
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Siau A, Huang X, Loh HP, Zhang N, Meng W, Sze SK, Renia L, Preiser P. Immunomic Identification of Malaria Antigens Associated With Protection in Mice. Mol Cell Proteomics 2019; 18:837-853. [PMID: 30718293 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.ra118.000997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Efforts to develop vaccines against malaria represent a major research target. The observations that 1) sterile protection can be obtained when the host is exposed to live parasites and 2) the immunity against blood stage parasite is principally mediated by protective antibodies suggest that a protective vaccine is feasible. However, only a small number of proteins have been investigated so far and most of the Plasmodium proteome has yet to be explored. To date, only few immunodominant antigens have emerged for testing in clinical trials but no formulation has led to substantial protection in humans. The nature of parasite molecules associated with protection remains elusive. Here, immunomic screening of mice immune sera with different protection efficiencies against the whole parasite proteome allowed us to identify a large repertoire of antigens validated by screening a library expressing antigens. The calculation of weighted scores reflecting the likelihood of protection of each antigen using five predictive criteria derived from immunomic and proteomic data sets, highlighted a priority list of protective antigens. Altogether, the approach sheds light on conserved antigens across Plasmodium that are amenable to targeting by the host immune system upon merozoite invasion and blood stage development. Most of these antigens have preliminary protection data but have not been widely considered as candidate for vaccine trials, opening new perspectives that overcome the limited choice of immunodominant, poorly protective vaccines currently being the focus of malaria vaccine researches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Siau
- From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore;.
| | - Ximei Huang
- From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore;; From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore
| | - Han Ping Loh
- From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore;; From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore
| | - Neng Zhang
- From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore
| | - Wei Meng
- From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore
| | - Siu Kwan Sze
- From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore
| | - Laurent Renia
- §Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), A*STAR, Biopolis, Singapore
| | - Peter Preiser
- From the ‡Nanyang Technological University, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore;.
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39
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Salgado-Mejias P, Alves FL, Françoso KS, Riske KA, Silva ER, Miranda A, Soares IS. Structure of Rhoptry Neck Protein 2 is essential for the interaction in vitro with Apical Membrane Antigen 1 in Plasmodium vivax. Malar J 2019; 18:25. [PMID: 30683104 PMCID: PMC6347818 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2649-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In several Apicomplexa, the formation of moving junctions (MJs) at the interface between the external membranes of the invading parasite and the host cell is essential for the process of parasite invasion. In Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii, the MJ is composed of the Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (AMA1) and Rhoptry Neck Proteins (RONs) complex; specifically, AMA1 interacts with RON2 during host cell invasion. METHODS Recombinant proteins based on Plasmodium vivax RON2 (A2033-P2100) and its synthetic peptide fragments, one cyclic and one linear, based on PvRON2 (D2035-T2074) were generated and used to evaluate the interaction with P. vivax AMA1 (PvAMA1) by the far western blot, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC) methods. The structural studies of peptides were performed by circular dichroism, and the structural analysis of the complex of PvAMA1 with peptides based on PvRON2 (D2035-T2074) was conducted with small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). RESULTS Surface plasmon resonance (KD = 23.91 ± 2.078 μmol/L) and ITC (K = 3 × 105 mol/L) studies conclusively showed an interaction between the cyclic peptide based on PvRON2 and PvAMA1-His6. In contrast, the linear peptide and recombinant PvRON2 (GST fusion protein) did not show an interaction with PvAMA1. However, the interaction among recombinant proteins PvRON2.2 and PvAMA1-His6 was possible to show by far western blot. CONCLUSIONS The results show that the PvRON2 structure, particularly the S-S bond between C2051 and C2063, is determinant for the existence of the interaction between PvAMA1 and PvRON2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perla Salgado-Mejias
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Department of Chemical Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Flavio L Alves
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Kátia S Françoso
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Karin A Riske
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Emerson R Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio Miranda
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Irene S Soares
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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40
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Paing MM, Salinas ND, Adams Y, Oksman A, Jensen ATR, Goldberg DE, Tolia NH. Shed EBA-175 mediates red blood cell clustering that enhances malaria parasite growth and enables immune evasion. eLife 2018; 7:e43224. [PMID: 30556808 PMCID: PMC6305201 DOI: 10.7554/elife.43224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Erythrocyte Binding Antigen of 175 kDa (EBA-175) has a well-defined role in binding to glycophorin A (GpA) during Plasmodium falciparum invasion of erythrocytes. However, EBA-175 is shed post invasion and a role for this shed protein has not been defined. We show that EBA-175 shed from parasites promotes clustering of RBCs, and EBA-175-dependent clusters occur in parasite culture. Region II of EBA-175 is sufficient for clustering RBCs in a GpA-dependent manner. These clusters are capable of forming under physiological flow conditions and across a range of concentrations. EBA-175-dependent RBC clustering provides daughter merozoites ready access to uninfected RBCs enhancing parasite growth. Clustering provides a general method to protect the invasion machinery from immune recognition and disruption as exemplified by protection from neutralizing antibodies that target AMA-1 and RH5. These findings provide a mechanistic framework for the role of shed proteins in RBC clustering, immune evasion, and malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- May M Paing
- Department of Molecular MicrobiologyWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Nichole D Salinas
- Department of Molecular MicrobiologyWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and VaccinologyNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Yvonne Adams
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology (ISIM), Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Anna Oksman
- Department of MedicineWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Anja TR Jensen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology (ISIM), Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Daniel E Goldberg
- Department of MedicineWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
| | - Niraj H Tolia
- Department of Molecular MicrobiologyWashington University School of MedicineSt. LouisUnited States
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and VaccinologyNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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41
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Bittencourt NC, Leite JA, Silva ABIE, Pimenta TS, Silva-Filho JL, Cassiano GC, Lopes SCP, Dos-Santos JCK, Bourgard C, Nakaya HI, da Silva Ventura AMR, Lacerda MVG, Ferreira MU, Machado RLD, Albrecht L, Costa FTM. Genetic sequence characterization and naturally acquired immune response to Plasmodium vivax Rhoptry Neck Protein 2 (PvRON2). Malar J 2018; 17:401. [PMID: 30382855 PMCID: PMC6208078 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2543-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The genetic diversity of malaria antigens often results in allele variant-specific immunity, imposing a great challenge to vaccine development. Rhoptry Neck Protein 2 (PvRON2) is a blood-stage antigen that plays a key role during the erythrocyte invasion of Plasmodium vivax. This study investigates the genetic diversity of PvRON2 and the naturally acquired immune response to P. vivax isolates. Results Here, the genetic diversity of PvRON21828–2080 and the naturally acquired humoral immune response against PvRON21828–2080 in infected and non-infected individuals from a vivax malaria endemic area in Brazil was reported. The diversity analysis of PvRON21828–2080 revealed that the protein is conserved in isolates in Brazil and worldwide. A total of 18 (19%) patients had IgG antibodies to PvRON21828–2080. Additionally, the analysis of the antibody response in individuals who were not acutely infected with malaria, but had been infected with malaria in the past indicated that 32 patients (33%) exhibited an IgG immune response against PvRON2. Conclusions PvRON2 was conserved among the studied isolates. The presence of naturally acquired antibodies to this protein in the absence of the disease suggests that PvRON2 induces a long-term antibody response. These results indicate that PvRON2 is a potential malaria vaccine candidate. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-018-2543-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najara C Bittencourt
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana A Leite
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Tamirys S Pimenta
- Laboratório de Ensaios Clínicos e Imunogenética em Malária, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Ananindeua, PA, Brazil
| | - João Luiz Silva-Filho
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Stefanie C P Lopes
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Fundação de Medicina Tropical-Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Joao C K Dos-Santos
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Catarina Bourgard
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Helder I Nakaya
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Marcus V G Lacerda
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Fundação de Medicina Tropical-Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Marcelo U Ferreira
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo L D Machado
- Laboratório de Ensaios Clínicos e Imunogenética em Malária, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Ananindeua, PA, Brazil
| | - Letusa Albrecht
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
| | - Fabio T M Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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42
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Ishino T, Murata E, Tokunaga N, Baba M, Tachibana M, Thongkukiatkul A, Tsuboi T, Torii M. Rhoptry neck protein 2 expressed in Plasmodium sporozoites plays a crucial role during invasion of mosquito salivary glands. Cell Microbiol 2018; 21:e12964. [PMID: 30307699 PMCID: PMC6587811 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Malaria parasite transmission to humans is initiated by the inoculation of Plasmodium sporozoites into the skin by mosquitoes. Sporozoites develop within mosquito midgut oocysts, first invade the salivary glands of mosquitoes, and finally infect hepatocytes in mammals. The apical structure of sporozoites is conserved with the infective forms of other apicomplexan parasites that have secretory organelles, such as rhoptries and micronemes. Because some rhoptry proteins are crucial for Plasmodium merozoite infection of erythrocytes, we examined the roles of rhoptry proteins in sporozoites. Here, we demonstrate that rhoptry neck protein 2 (RON2) is also localized to rhoptries in sporozoites. To elucidate RON2 function in sporozoites, we applied a promoter swapping strategy to restrict ron2 transcription to the intraerythrocytic stage in the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei. Ron2 knockdown sporozoites were severely impaired in their ability to invade salivary glands, via decreasing the attachment capacity to the substrate. This is the first rhoptry protein demonstrated to be involved in salivary gland invasion. In addition, ron2 knockdown sporozoites showed less infectivity to hepatocytes, possibly due to decreased attachment/gliding ability, indicating that parts of the parasite invasion machinery are conserved, but their contribution might differ among infective forms. Our sporozoite stage‐specific knockdown system will help to facilitate understanding the comprehensive molecular mechanisms of parasite invasion of target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoko Ishino
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
| | - Eri Murata
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Japan.,Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Naohito Tokunaga
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
| | - Minami Baba
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
| | - Mayumi Tachibana
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
| | | | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Motomi Torii
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
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43
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Arévalo-Pinzón G, González-González M, Suárez CF, Curtidor H, Carabias-Sánchez J, Muro A, LaBaer J, Patarroyo MA, Fuentes M. Self-assembling functional programmable protein array for studying protein-protein interactions in malaria parasites. Malar J 2018; 17:270. [PMID: 30016987 PMCID: PMC6050706 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2414-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread malarial species, causing significant morbidity worldwide. Knowledge is limited regarding the molecular mechanism of invasion due to the lack of a continuous in vitro culture system for these species. Since protein–protein and host–cell interactions play an essential role in the microorganism’s invasion and replication, elucidating protein function during invasion is critical when developing more effective control methods. Nucleic acid programmable protein array (NAPPA) has thus become a suitable technology for studying protein–protein and host–protein interactions since producing proteins through the in vitro transcription/translation (IVTT) method overcomes most of the drawbacks encountered to date, such as heterologous protein production, stability and purification. Results Twenty P. vivax proteins on merozoite surface or in secretory organelles were selected and successfully cloned using gateway technology. Most constructs were displayed in the array expressed in situ, using the IVTT method. The Pv12 protein was used as bait for evaluating array functionality and co-expressed with P. vivax cDNA display in the array. It was found that Pv12 interacted with Pv41 (as previously described), as well as PvMSP142kDa, PvRBP1a, PvMSP8 and PvRAP1. Conclusions NAPPA is a high-performance technique enabling co-expression of bait and query in situ, thereby enabling interactions to be analysed rapidly and reproducibly. It offers a fresh alternative for studying protein–protein and ligand–receptor interactions regarding a parasite which is difficult to cultivate (i.e. P. vivax). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-018-2414-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Arévalo-Pinzón
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia.,PhD Programme in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 # 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - María González-González
- Proteomics Unit, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007, Salamanca, Spain.,Department of Medicine and General Cytometry Service-Nucleus, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Carlos Fernando Suárez
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia.,Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (U.D.C.A.), Calle 222 # 55-37, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Hernando Curtidor
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia.,School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 # 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Antonio Muro
- Unidad de Investigación Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales (e-INTRO), Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca-Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales de la Universidad de Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Universitario Miguel de Unamuno s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Joshua LaBaer
- Virginia G. Piper Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia.,School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 # 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel Fuentes
- Proteomics Unit, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007, Salamanca, Spain. .,Department of Medicine and General Cytometry Service-Nucleus, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
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44
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Lyth O, Vizcay-Barrena G, Wright KE, Haase S, Mohring F, Najer A, Henshall IG, Ashdown GW, Bannister LH, Drew DR, Beeson JG, Fleck RA, Moon RW, Wilson DW, Baum J. Cellular dissection of malaria parasite invasion of human erythrocytes using viable Plasmodium knowlesi merozoites. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10165. [PMID: 29976932 PMCID: PMC6033891 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28457-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium knowlesi, a zoonotic parasite causing severe-to-lethal malaria disease in humans, has only recently been adapted to continuous culture with human red blood cells (RBCs). In comparison with the most virulent human malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, there are, however, few cellular tools available to study its biology, in particular direct investigation of RBC invasion by blood-stage P. knowlesi merozoites. This leaves our current understanding of biological differences across pathogenic Plasmodium spp. incomplete. Here, we report a robust method for isolating viable and invasive P. knowlesi merozoites to high purity and yield. Using this approach, we present detailed comparative dissection of merozoite invasion (using a variety of microscopy platforms) and direct assessment of kinetic differences between knowlesi and falciparum merozoites. We go on to assess the inhibitory potential of molecules targeting discrete steps of invasion in either species via a quantitative invasion inhibition assay, identifying a class of polysulfonate polymer able to efficiently inhibit invasion in both, providing a foundation for pan-Plasmodium merozoite inhibitor development. Given the close evolutionary relationship between P. knowlesi and P. vivax, the second leading cause of malaria-related morbidity, this study paves the way for inter-specific dissection of invasion by all three major pathogenic malaria species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Lyth
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK
| | - Gema Vizcay-Barrena
- Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Katherine E Wright
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK
| | - Silvia Haase
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK
| | - Franziska Mohring
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Adrian Najer
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK
| | - Isabelle G Henshall
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - George W Ashdown
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK
| | - Lawrence H Bannister
- Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Damien R Drew
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - James G Beeson
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Central Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Roland A Fleck
- Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Robert W Moon
- Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia. .,Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, UK.
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45
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Bermúdez M, Arévalo-Pinzón G, Rubio L, Chaloin O, Muller S, Curtidor H, Patarroyo MA. Receptor-ligand and parasite protein-protein interactions in Plasmodium vivax: Analysing rhoptry neck proteins 2 and 4. Cell Microbiol 2018; 20:e12835. [PMID: 29488316 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Elucidating receptor-ligand and protein-protein interactions represents an attractive alternative for designing effective Plasmodium vivax control methods. This article describes the ability of P. vivax rhoptry neck proteins 2 and 4 (RON2 and RON4) to bind to human reticulocytes. Biochemical and cellular studies have shown that two PvRON2- and PvRON4-derived conserved regions specifically interact with protein receptors on reticulocytes marked by the CD71 surface transferrin receptor. Mapping each protein fragment's binding region led to defining the specific participation of two 20 amino acid-long regions selectively competing for PvRON2 and PvRON4 binding to reticulocytes. Binary interactions between PvRON2 (ligand) and other parasite proteins, such as PvRON4, PvRON5, and apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), were evaluated and characterised by surface plasmon resonance. The results revealed that both PvRON2 cysteine-rich regions strongly interact with PvAMA1 Domains II and III (equilibrium constants in the nanomolar range) and at a lower extent with the complete PvAMA1 ectodomain and Domains I and II. These results strongly support that these proteins participate in P. vivax's complex invasion process, thus providing new pertinent targets for blocking P. vivax merozoites' specific entry to their target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maritza Bermúdez
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gabriela Arévalo-Pinzón
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia.,PhD Programme in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Laura Rubio
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Olivier Chaloin
- CNRS, Immunopathology and therapeutic chemistry, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Strasbourg, France
| | - Sylviane Muller
- CNRS, Immunopathology and therapeutic chemistry, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC), Strasbourg, France.,CNRS, Biotechnology and cell signaling, University of Strasbourg, France / Laboratory of Excellence Medalis, France.,University of Strasbourg Institute for Advanced Study (USIAS), Strasbourg, France
| | - Hernando Curtidor
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia.,School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá, Colombia.,School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
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Guérin A, El Hajj H, Penarete-Vargas D, Besteiro S, Lebrun M. RON4 L1 is a new member of the moving junction complex in Toxoplasma gondii. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17907. [PMID: 29263399 PMCID: PMC5738351 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18010-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexa parasites, including Toxoplasma and Plasmodium species, possess a unique invasion mechanism that involves a tight apposition between the parasite and the host plasma membranes, called “moving junction” (MJ). The MJ is formed by the assembly of the microneme protein AMA1, exposed at the surface of the parasite, and the parasite rhoptry neck (RON) protein RON2, exposed at the surface of the host cell. In the host cell, RON2 is associated with three additional parasite RON proteins, RON4, RON5 and RON8. Here we describe RON4L1, an additional member of the MJ complex in Toxoplasma. RON4L1 displays some sequence similarity with RON4 and is cleaved at the C-terminal end before reaching the rhoptry neck. Upon secretion during invasion, RON4L1 is associated with MJ and targeted to the cytosolic face of the host membrane. We generated a RON4L1 knock-out cell line and showed that it is not essential for the lytic cycle in vitro, although mutant parasites kill mice less efficiently. Similarly to RON8, RON4L1 is a coccidian-specific protein and its traffic to the MJ is not affected in absence of RON2, RON4 and RON5, suggesting the co-existence of independent MJ complexes in tachyzoite of Toxoplasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Guérin
- UMR 5235 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France
| | - Hiba El Hajj
- Department of Internal Medicine and Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon
| | | | | | - Maryse Lebrun
- UMR 5235 CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34095, Montpellier, France.
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Chew CH, Lim YAL, Chua KH. Heterologous expression of Plasmodium vivax apical membrane antigen 1 (PvAMA1) for binding peptide selection. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3794. [PMID: 28929019 PMCID: PMC5600724 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium is an obligate intracellular parasite. Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is the most prominent and well characterized malarial surface antigen that is essential for parasite-host cell invasion, i.e., for sporozoite to invade and replicate within hepatocytes in the liver stage and merozoite to penetrate and replicate within erythrocytes in the blood stage. AMA1 has long served as a potent antimalarial drug target and is a pivotal vaccine candidate. A good understanding of the structure and molecular function of this Plasmodium protein, particularly its involvement in host-cell adhesion and invasion, is of great interest and hence it offers an attractive target for the development of novel therapeutics. The present study aims to heterologous express recombinant Plasmodium AMA1 ectodomain of P. vivax (rPvAMA1) for the selection of binding peptides. Methods The rPvAMA1 protein was heterologous expressed using a tag-free Profinity eXactTM system and codon optimized BL21-Codon Plus (DE3)-RIL Escherichia coli strain and further refolded by dialysis for renaturation. Binding peptides toward refolded rPvAMA1 were panned using a Ph.D.-12 random phage display library. Results The rPvAMA1 was successfully expressed and refolded with three phage-displayed dodecapeptides designated as PdV1 (DLTFTVNPLSKA), PdV2 (WHWSWWNPNQLT), and PdV3 (TSVSYINNRHNL) with affinity towards rPvAMA1 identified. All of them exhibited positive binding signal to rPvAMA1 in both direct phage assays, i.e., phage ELISA binding assay and Western blot binding assay. Discussion Phage display technology enables the mapping of protein-protein interactions based on a simple principle that a library of phage particles displaying peptides is used and the phage clones that bind to the target protein are selected and identified. The binding sites of each selected peptides toward PvAMA1 (Protein Data Bank, PDB ID: 1W8K) were in silico predicted using CABS-dock web server. In this case, the binding peptides provide a valuable starting point for the development of peptidomimetic as antimalarial antagonists directed at PvAMA1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching Hoong Chew
- School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Yvonne Ai Lian Lim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kek Heng Chua
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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49
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Arévalo-Pinzón G, Bermúdez M, Hernández D, Curtidor H, Patarroyo MA. Plasmodium vivax ligand-receptor interaction: PvAMA-1 domain I contains the minimal regions for specific interaction with CD71+ reticulocytes. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9616. [PMID: 28855657 PMCID: PMC5577344 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10025-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The malarial parasite’s invasion is complex, active and coordinated, involving many low and high affinity interactions with receptors on target cell membrane. Proteomics analysis has described around 40 proteins in P. vivax which could be involved in reticulocyte invasion; few have been studied with the aim of elucidating how many of them establish specific interactions with their respective host cells. Given the importance of knowing which of the parasite’s protein regions are functionally important for invasion, minimum regions mediating specific interaction between Plasmodium vivax apical membrane antigen 1 (PvAMA-1) and its host cell were here elucidated. The region covering PvAMA-1 domains I and II (PvAMA-DI-II) specifically bound to the CD71+ red blood cell subpopulation. A 20 residue-long region (81EVENAKYRIPAGRCPVFGKG100) located in domain I was capable of inhibiting PvAMA-DI-II recombinant protein binding to young reticulocytes (CD71+CD45−) and rosette formation. This conserved peptide specifically interacted with high affinity with reticulocytes (CD71+) through a neuraminidase- and chymotrypsin-treatment sensitive receptor. Such results showed that, despite AMA-1 having universal functions during late Plasmodium invasion stages, PvAMA-1 had reticulocyte-preferring binding regions, suggesting that P. vivax target cell selection is not just restricted to initial interactions but maintained throughout the erythrocyte invasion cycle, having important implications for designing a specific anti-P. vivax vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Arévalo-Pinzón
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia.,PhD Program in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #, 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Maritza Bermúdez
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia.,MSc Program in Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 # 40-62, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Diana Hernández
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Hernando Curtidor
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia.,School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #, 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50 # 26-20, Bogotá, Colombia. .,School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #, 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia.
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50
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Efficient invasion by Toxoplasma depends on the subversion of host protein networks. Nat Microbiol 2017; 2:1358-1366. [PMID: 28848228 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-017-0018-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites are important pathogens of humans and domestic animals, including Plasmodium species (the agents of malaria) and Toxoplasma gondii, which is responsible for toxoplasmosis. They replicate within the cells of their animal hosts, to which they gain access using a unique parasite-driven invasion process. At the core of the invasion machine is a structure at the interface between the invading parasite and host cell called the moving junction (MJ) 1 . The MJ serves as both a molecular doorway to the host cell and an anchor point enabling the parasite to engage its motility machinery to drive the penetration of the host cell 2 , ultimately yielding a protective vacuole 3 . The MJ is established through self-assembly of parasite proteins at the parasite-host interface 4 . However, it is unknown whether host proteins are subverted for MJ formation. Here, we show that Toxoplasma parasite rhoptry neck proteins (RON2, RON4 and RON5) cooperate to actively recruit the host CIN85, CD2AP and the ESCRT-I components ALIX and TSG101 to the MJ during invasion. We map the interactions in detail and demonstrate that the parasite mimics and subverts conserved binding interfaces with remarkable specificity. Parasite mutants unable to recruit these host proteins show inefficient host cell invasion in culture and attenuated virulence in mice. This study reveals molecular mechanisms by which parasites subvert widely conserved host machinery to force highly efficient host cell access.
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