1
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Cabral G, Moss WJ, Brown KM. Proteomic approaches for protein kinase substrate identification in Apicomplexa. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2024; 259:111633. [PMID: 38821187 PMCID: PMC11194964 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Apicomplexa is a phylum of protist parasites, notable for causing life-threatening diseases including malaria, toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis, and babesiosis. Apicomplexan pathogenesis is generally a function of lytic replication, dissemination, persistence, host cell modification, and immune subversion. Decades of research have revealed essential roles for apicomplexan protein kinases in establishing infections and promoting pathogenesis. Protein kinases modify their substrates by phosphorylating serine, threonine, tyrosine, or other residues, resulting in rapid functional changes in the target protein. Post-translational modification by phosphorylation can activate or inhibit a substrate, alter its localization, or promote interactions with other proteins or ligands. Deciphering direct kinase substrates is crucial to understand mechanisms of kinase signaling, yet can be challenging due to the transient nature of kinase phosphorylation and potential for downstream indirect phosphorylation events. However, with recent advances in proteomic approaches, our understanding of kinase function in Apicomplexa has improved dramatically. Here, we discuss methods that have been used to identify kinase substrates in apicomplexan parasites, classifying them into three main categories: i) kinase interactome, ii) indirect phosphoproteomics and iii) direct labeling. We briefly discuss each approach, including their advantages and limitations, and highlight representative examples from the Apicomplexa literature. Finally, we conclude each main category by introducing prospective approaches from other fields that would benefit kinase substrate identification in Apicomplexa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Cabral
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - William J Moss
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Kevin M Brown
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
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2
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Bondarenko K, Limoge F, Pedram K, Gissot M, Young JC. Enzymatically enhanced ultrastructure expansion microscopy unlocks expansion of in vitro Toxoplasma gondii cysts. mSphere 2024:e0032224. [PMID: 39189782 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00322-24] [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: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Expansion microscopy (ExM) is an innovative approach to achieve super-resolution images without using super-resolution microscopes, based on the physical expansion of the sample. The advent of ExM has unlocked the detail of super-resolution images for a broader scientific circle, lowering the cost and entry skill requirements for the field. One of its branches, ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM), has become popular among research groups studying apicomplexan parasites, including the acute stage of Toxoplasma gondii infection. Here, we show that the chronic cyst-forming stage of Toxoplasma, however, resists U-ExM expansion, impeding precise protein localization. We then solve the in vitro cyst's resistance to denaturation required for successful U-ExM. As the cyst's main structural protein CST1 contains a mucin domain, we added an enzymatic digestion step using the pan-mucinase StcE prior to the expansion protocol. This allowed full expansion of the cysts in fibroblasts and primary neuronal cell culture without disrupting immunofluorescence analysis of parasite proteins. Using StcE-enhanced U-ExM, we clarified the localization of the GRA2 protein, which is important for establishing a normal cyst, observing GRA2 granules spanning across the CST1 cyst wall. The StcE-U-ExM protocol allows accurate pinpointing of proteins in the bradyzoite cyst, which will greatly facilitate investigation of the underlying biology of cyst formation and its vulnerabilities. IMPORTANCE Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite capable of establishing long-term chronic infection in nearly all warm-blooded animals. During the chronic stage, parasites encapsulate to form cysts predominantly in neurons and skeletal muscle. Current anti-Toxoplasma drugs do not eradicate chronic parasites, leaving a reservoir of infection. The cyst is critical for disease transmission and pathology, yet it is harder to study, with the function of many chronic-stage proteins still unknown. Ultrastructure expansion microscopy, a new method to overcome the light microscopy's diffraction limit by physically expanding the sample, allowed in-depth studies of acute Toxoplasma infection. We show that Toxoplasma cysts resist expansion using standard protocol, but an additional enzymatic digestion with the mucinase StcE allows full expansion. This protocol offers new avenues for examining the chronic stage, including precise spatial organization of cyst-specific proteins, linking these locations to morphological structures, and detailed investigations of components of the durable cyst wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kseniia Bondarenko
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, Ashworth laboratories, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Floriane Limoge
- U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Kayvon Pedram
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, USA
| | - Mathieu Gissot
- U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Joanna C Young
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, Ashworth laboratories, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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3
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Li J, Shami GJ, Liffner B, Cho E, Braet F, Duraisingh MT, Absalon S, Dixon MWA, Tilley L. Disruption of Plasmodium falciparum kinetochore proteins destabilises the nexus between the centrosome equivalent and the mitotic apparatus. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5794. [PMID: 38987258 PMCID: PMC11237077 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50167-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum is the causative agent of malaria and remains a pathogen of global importance. Asexual blood stage replication, via a process called schizogony, is an important target for the development of new antimalarials. Here we use ultrastructure-expansion microscopy to probe the organisation of the chromosome-capturing kinetochores in relation to the mitotic spindle, the centriolar plaque, the centromeres and the apical organelles during schizont development. Conditional disruption of the kinetochore components, PfNDC80 and PfNuf2, is associated with aberrant mitotic spindle organisation, disruption of the centromere marker, CENH3 and impaired karyokinesis. Surprisingly, kinetochore disruption also leads to disengagement of the centrosome equivalent from the nuclear envelope. Severing the connection between the nucleus and the apical complex leads to the formation of merozoites lacking nuclei. Here, we show that correct assembly of the kinetochore/spindle complex plays a previously unrecognised role in positioning the nascent apical complex in developing P. falciparum merozoites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahong Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gerald J Shami
- School of Medical Sciences (Molecular and Cellular Biomedicine) & Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Benjamin Liffner
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ellie Cho
- Biological Optical Microscopy Platform, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Filip Braet
- School of Medical Sciences (Molecular and Cellular Biomedicine) & Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Manoj T Duraisingh
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Matthew W A Dixon
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Leann Tilley
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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4
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Das S, Manna A, Majumdar O, Dhara L. M- O-M mediated denaturation resistant P2 tetramer on the infected erythrocyte surface of malaria parasite imports serum fatty acids. iScience 2024; 27:109760. [PMID: 38726364 PMCID: PMC11079477 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In Plasmodium falciparum, DNA replication, and asynchronous nuclear divisions precede cytokinesis during intraerythrocytic schizogony. Regulation of nuclear division through the import of serum components was largely unknown. At the trophozoite stage, P. falciparum ribosomal protein P2 (PfP2) is exported to the infected erythrocyte (IE) cytosol and the surface as a denaturation-resistant tetramer. The inaccessibility of the IE surface exposed PfP2 to its bona fide ligand led to the arrest of nuclear division. Here, we show that at the onset of schizogony, denaturation-resistant PfP2 tetramer on the IE surface imports fatty acids (FAs). Blockage of import reversibly arrested parasite schizogony. In 11Met-O-Met11 mediated denaturation resistant PfP2 tetramer, the 12/53Cys-Cys12/53 redox switch regulates the binding and release of FAs based on oxidized/reduced state of disulfide linkages. This mechanistic insight of FAs import through PfP2 tetramer reveals a unique regulation of nuclear division at the onset of schizogony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudipta Das
- Division of infectious Disease and Immunology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Anwesa Manna
- Division of infectious Disease and Immunology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Oindrila Majumdar
- Division of infectious Disease and Immunology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Lena Dhara
- Division of infectious Disease and Immunology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4, Raja S.C Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
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5
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Verhoef JM, Boshoven C, Evers F, Akkerman LJ, Gijsbrechts BC, van de Vegte-Bolmer M, van Gemert GJ, Vaidya AB, Kooij TW. Detailing organelle division and segregation in Plasmodium falciparum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.30.577899. [PMID: 38352445 PMCID: PMC10862848 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.577899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The malaria causing parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, replicates through a tightly orchestrated process termed schizogony, where approximately 32 daughter parasites are formed in a single infected red blood cell and thousands of daughter cells in mosquito or liver stages. One-per-cell organelles, such as the mitochondrion and apicoplast, need to be properly divided and segregated to ensure a complete set of organelles per daughter parasites. Although this is highly essential, details about the processes and mechanisms involved remain unknown. We developed a new reporter parasite line that allows visualization of the mitochondrion in blood and mosquito stages. Using high-resolution 3D-imaging, we found that the mitochondrion orients in a cartwheel structure, prior to stepwise, non-geometric division during the last stage of schizogony. Analysis of focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) data confirmed these mitochondrial division stages. Furthermore, these data allowed us to elucidate apicoplast division steps, highlighted its close association with the mitochondrion, and showed putative roles of the centriolar plaques (CPs) in apicoplast segregation. These observations form the foundation for a new detailed mechanistic model of mitochondrial and apicoplast division and segregation during P. falciparum schizogony and pave the way for future studies into the proteins and protein complexes involved in organelle division and segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M.J. Verhoef
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Cas Boshoven
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Felix Evers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Laura J. Akkerman
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Barend C.A. Gijsbrechts
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marga van de Vegte-Bolmer
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan van Gemert
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Akhil B. Vaidya
- Center for Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Taco W.A. Kooij
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboudumc Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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6
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Guttery DS, Zeeshan M, Holder AA, Tewari R. The molecular mechanisms driving Plasmodium cell division. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:593-602. [PMID: 38563493 PMCID: PMC11088906 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Malaria, a vector borne disease, is a major global health and socioeconomic problem caused by the apicomplexan protozoan parasite Plasmodium. The parasite alternates between mosquito vector and vertebrate host, with meiosis in the mosquito and proliferative mitotic cell division in both hosts. In the canonical eukaryotic model, cell division is either by open or closed mitosis and karyokinesis is followed by cytokinesis; whereas in Plasmodium closed mitosis is not directly accompanied by concomitant cell division. Key molecular players and regulatory mechanisms of this process have been identified, but the pivotal role of certain protein complexes and the post-translational modifications that modulate their actions are still to be deciphered. Here, we discuss recent evidence for the function of known proteins in Plasmodium cell division and processes that are potential novel targets for therapeutic intervention. We also identify key questions to open new and exciting research to understand divergent Plasmodium cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S. Guttery
- School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, U.K
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, U.K
| | - Mohammad Zeeshan
- School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, U.K
| | - Anthony A. Holder
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, U.K
| | - Rita Tewari
- School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, U.K
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7
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Liffner B, Absalon S. Expansion microscopy of apicomplexan parasites. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:619-635. [PMID: 37571814 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15135] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites comprise significant pathogens of humans, livestock and wildlife, but also represent a diverse group of eukaryotes with interesting and unique cell biology. The study of cell biology in apicomplexan parasites is complicated by their small size, and historically this has required the application of cutting-edge microscopy techniques to investigate fundamental processes like mitosis or cell division in these organisms. Recently, a technique called expansion microscopy has been developed, which rather than increasing instrument resolution like most imaging modalities, physically expands a biological sample. In only a few years since its development, a derivative of expansion microscopy known as ultrastructure-expansion microscopy (U-ExM) has been widely adopted and proven extremely useful for studying cell biology of Apicomplexa. Here, we review the insights into apicomplexan cell biology that have been enabled through the use of U-ExM, with a specific focus on Plasmodium, Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium. Further, we summarize emerging expansion microscopy modifications and modalities and forecast how these may influence the field of parasite cell biology in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Liffner
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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8
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Reber S, Singer M, Frischknecht F. Cytoskeletal dynamics in parasites. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2024; 86:102277. [PMID: 38048658 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Cytoskeletal dynamics are essential for cellular homeostasis and development for both metazoans and protozoans. The function of cytoskeletal elements in protozoans can diverge from that of metazoan cells, with microtubules being more stable and actin filaments being more dynamic. This is particularly striking in protozoan parasites that evolved to enter metazoan cells. Here, we review recent progress towards understanding cytoskeletal dynamics in protozoan parasites, with a focus on divergent properties compared to classic model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Reber
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, 10117 Berlin, Germany; University of Applied Sciences Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mirko Singer
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical Faculty, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, DZIF Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical Faculty, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, DZIF Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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9
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Liffner B, Cepeda Diaz AK, Blauwkamp J, Anaguano D, Frolich S, Muralidharan V, Wilson DW, Dvorin JD, Absalon S. Atlas of Plasmodium falciparum intraerythrocytic development using expansion microscopy. eLife 2023; 12:RP88088. [PMID: 38108809 PMCID: PMC10727503 DOI: 10.7554/elife.88088] [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] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites exhibit tremendous diversity in much of their fundamental cell biology, but study of these organisms using light microscopy is often hindered by their small size. Ultrastructural expansion microscopy (U-ExM) is a microscopy preparation method that physically expands the sample by ~4.5×. Here, we apply U-ExM to the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum during the asexual blood stage of its lifecycle to understand how this parasite is organized in three dimensions. Using a combination of dye-conjugated reagents and immunostaining, we have cataloged 13 different P. falciparum structures or organelles across the intraerythrocytic development of this parasite and made multiple observations about fundamental parasite cell biology. We describe that the outer centriolar plaque and its associated proteins anchor the nucleus to the parasite plasma membrane during mitosis. Furthermore, the rhoptries, Golgi, basal complex, and inner membrane complex, which form around this anchoring site while nuclei are still dividing, are concurrently segregated and maintain an association to the outer centriolar plaque until the start of segmentation. We also show that the mitochondrion and apicoplast undergo sequential fission events while maintaining an association with the outer centriolar plaque during cytokinesis. Collectively, this study represents the most detailed ultrastructural analysis of P. falciparum during its intraerythrocytic development to date and sheds light on multiple poorly understood aspects of its organelle biogenesis and fundamental cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Liffner
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisUnited States
| | - Ana Karla Cepeda Diaz
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - James Blauwkamp
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisUnited States
| | - David Anaguano
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of GeorgiaAthensUnited States
- Department of Cellular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of GeorgiaAthensUnited States
| | - Sonja Frolich
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of AdelaideAdelaideAustralia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of AdelaideAdelaideAustralia
| | - Vasant Muralidharan
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of GeorgiaAthensUnited States
- Department of Cellular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of GeorgiaAthensUnited States
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of AdelaideAdelaideAustralia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of AdelaideAdelaideAustralia
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial RoadMelbourneAustralia
| | - Jeffrey D Dvorin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisUnited States
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10
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Stürmer VS, Stopper S, Binder P, Klemmer A, Lichti NP, Becker NB, Guizetti J. Progeny counter mechanism in malaria parasites is linked to extracellular resources. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011807. [PMID: 38051755 PMCID: PMC10723702 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is caused by the rapid proliferation of Plasmodium parasites in patients and disease severity correlates with the number of infected red blood cells in circulation. Parasite multiplication within red blood cells is called schizogony and occurs through an atypical multinucleated cell division mode. The mechanisms regulating the number of daughter cells produced by a single progenitor are poorly understood. We investigated underlying regulatory principles by quantifying nuclear multiplication dynamics in Plasmodium falciparum and knowlesi using super-resolution time-lapse microscopy. This confirmed that the number of daughter cells was consistent with a model in which a counter mechanism regulates multiplication yet incompatible with a timer mechanism. P. falciparum cell volume at the start of nuclear division correlated with the final number of daughter cells. As schizogony progressed, the nucleocytoplasmic volume ratio, which has been found to be constant in all eukaryotes characterized so far, increased significantly, possibly to accommodate the exponentially multiplying nuclei. Depleting nutrients by dilution of culture medium caused parasites to produce fewer merozoites and reduced proliferation but did not affect cell volume or total nuclear volume at the end of schizogony. Our findings suggest that the counter mechanism implicated in malaria parasite proliferation integrates extracellular resource status to modify progeny number during blood stage infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa S. Stürmer
- Heidelberg University Medical Faculty, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sophie Stopper
- Heidelberg University Medical Faculty, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Binder
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anja Klemmer
- Heidelberg University Medical Faculty, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicolas P. Lichti
- Heidelberg University Medical Faculty, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nils B. Becker
- Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julien Guizetti
- Heidelberg University Medical Faculty, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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11
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Voß Y, Klaus S, Lichti NP, Ganter M, Guizetti J. Malaria parasite centrins can assemble by Ca2+-inducible condensation. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011899. [PMID: 38150475 PMCID: PMC10775985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Centrins are small calcium-binding proteins that have a variety of roles and are universally associated with eukaryotic centrosomes. Rapid proliferation of the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum in the human blood depends on a particularly divergent and acentriolar centrosome, which incorporates several essential centrins. Their precise mode of action, however, remains unclear. In this study calcium-inducible liquid-liquid phase separation is revealed as an evolutionarily conserved principle of assembly for multiple centrins from P. falciparum and other species. Furthermore, the disordered N-terminus and calcium-binding motifs are defined as essential features for reversible biomolecular condensation, and we demonstrate that certain centrins can form co-condensates. In vivo analysis using live cell STED microscopy shows liquid-like dynamics of centrosomal centrin. Additionally, implementation of an inducible protein overexpression system reveals concentration-dependent formation of extra-centrosomal centrin assemblies with condensate-like properties. The timing of foci formation and dissolution suggests that centrin assembly is regulated. This study thereby provides a new model for centrin accumulation at eukaryotic centrosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannik Voß
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, partner site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Severina Klaus
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nicolas P. Lichti
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Ganter
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julien Guizetti
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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12
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Liffner B, Cepeda Diaz AK, Blauwkamp J, Anaguano D, Frölich S, Muralidharan V, Wilson DW, Dvorin J, Absalon S. Atlas of Plasmodium falciparum intraerythrocytic development using expansion microscopy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.22.533773. [PMID: 36993606 PMCID: PMC10055389 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.22.533773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Apicomplexan parasites exhibit tremendous diversity in much of their fundamental cell biology, but study of these organisms using light microscopy is often hindered by their small size. Ultrastructural expansion microscopy (U-ExM) is a microscopy preparation method that physically expands the sample ~4.5x. Here, we apply U-ExM to the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum during the asexual blood stage of its lifecycle to understand how this parasite is organized in three-dimensions. Using a combination of dye-conjugated reagents and immunostaining, we have catalogued 13 different P. falciparum structures or organelles across the intraerythrocytic development of this parasite and made multiple observations about fundamental parasite cell biology. We describe that the outer centriolar plaque and its associated proteins anchor the nucleus to the parasite plasma membrane during mitosis. Furthermore, the rhoptries, Golgi, basal complex, and inner membrane complex, which form around this anchoring site while nuclei are still dividing, are concurrently segregated and maintain an association to the outer centriolar plaque until the start of segmentation. We also show that the mitochondrion and apicoplast undergo sequential fission events while maintaining an association with the outer centriolar plaque during cytokinesis. Collectively, this study represents the most detailed ultrastructural analysis of P. falciparum during its intraerythrocytic development to date, and sheds light on multiple poorly understood aspects of its organelle biogenesis and fundamental cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Liffner
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ana Karla Cepeda Diaz
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - James Blauwkamp
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - David Anaguano
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sonja Frölich
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Vasant Muralidharan
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Danny W. Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jeffrey Dvorin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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13
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Zeeshan M, Rea E, Abel S, Vukušić K, Markus R, Brady D, Eze A, Rashpa R, Balestra AC, Bottrill AR, Brochet M, Guttery DS, Tolić IM, Holder AA, Le Roch KG, Tromer EC, Tewari R. Plasmodium ARK2 and EB1 drive unconventional spindle dynamics, during chromosome segregation in sexual transmission stages. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5652. [PMID: 37704606 PMCID: PMC10499817 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41395-3] [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: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The Aurora family of kinases orchestrates chromosome segregation and cytokinesis during cell division, with precise spatiotemporal regulation of its catalytic activities by distinct protein scaffolds. Plasmodium spp., the causative agents of malaria, are unicellular eukaryotes with three unique and highly divergent aurora-related kinases (ARK1-3) that are essential for asexual cellular proliferation but lack most canonical scaffolds/activators. Here we investigate the role of ARK2 during sexual proliferation of the rodent malaria Plasmodium berghei, using a combination of super-resolution microscopy, mass spectrometry, and live-cell fluorescence imaging. We find that ARK2 is primarily located at spindle microtubules in the vicinity of kinetochores during both mitosis and meiosis. Interactomic and co-localisation studies reveal several putative ARK2-associated interactors including the microtubule-interacting protein EB1, together with MISFIT and Myosin-K, but no conserved eukaryotic scaffold proteins. Gene function studies indicate that ARK2 and EB1 are complementary in driving endomitotic division and thereby parasite transmission through the mosquito. This discovery underlines the flexibility of molecular networks to rewire and drive unconventional mechanisms of chromosome segregation in the malaria parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Zeeshan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Edward Rea
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Steven Abel
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Kruno Vukušić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Robert Markus
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Declan Brady
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Antonius Eze
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Ravish Rashpa
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Andrew R Bottrill
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Mathieu Brochet
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David S Guttery
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Iva M Tolić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anthony A Holder
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Karine G Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Eelco C Tromer
- Cell Biochemistry, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rita Tewari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
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14
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Mauer S, Camargo N, Abatiyow BA, Gargaro OR, Kappe SHI, Kumar S. Plasmodium microtubule-binding protein EB1 is critical for partitioning of nuclei in male gametogenesis. mBio 2023; 14:e0082223. [PMID: 37535401 PMCID: PMC10470552 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00822-23] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual reproduction of the malaria parasites is critical for their transmission to a mosquito vector. Several signaling molecules, such as kinases and phosphatases, are known to regulate this process. We previously demonstrated that Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) Ca2+-dependent protein kinase 4 (CDPK4) and serine/arginine-rich protein kinase 1 (SRPK1) are critical for axoneme formation during male gametogenesis, with genetic deletion of either gene causing a complete block in parasite transmission to the mosquito. A comparative phospho-proteome analysis of Pfcdpk4- and RNA-seq analysis of Pfsrpk1- gametocytes showed that these kinases regulate similar biological processes linked to both microtubule (MT) dynamics and cell motility. One of these proteins was a nuclear MT-associated End Binding protein 1 (EB1), which was hypophosphorylated in Pfcdpk4- gametocytes. To study the functional relevance of EB1, we created gene deletion parasites for EB1. We further demonstrate that Pfeb1- parasites like WT NF54 parasites proliferate normally as asexuals and undergo gametocytogenesis and gametogenesis. Strikingly, these parasites suffer a severe defect in nuclear segregation and partitioning of nuclei into emerging microgametes. Further genetic crosses utilizing male- and female-sterile parasites revealed that Pfeb1- parasites only suffer a male fertility defect. Overall, our study reveals an essential function for PfEB1 in male gamete nuclear segregation and suggests a potential therapeutic avenue in the design of transmission-blocking drugs to prevent malaria transmission from humans to mosquito. IMPORTANCE Gametogenesis and subsequent gamete fusion are central to successful transmission of the malaria parasites to a female Anopheles mosquito vector and completion of the sexual phase of the parasite life cycle. Male gametogenesis involves the formation of axonemes inside male gametes from male gametocytes via active cytoskeleton remodeling. The tubulin and tubulin-binding proteins are, thus, attractive anti-malarial drug targets. In the present study, we demonstrate that a microtubule-binding protein PfEB1 is essential for male gamete fertility, specifically for the inheritance of nuclei from activated male gametocytes. Targeting PfEB1 function may provide new avenues into designing interventions to prevent malaria transmission and disease spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Mauer
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nelly Camargo
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Biley A. Abatiyow
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Olivia R. Gargaro
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Stefan H. I. Kappe
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
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15
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Machado M, Klaus S, Klaschka D, Guizetti J, Ganter M. Plasmodium falciparum CRK4 links early mitotic events to the onset of S-phase during schizogony. mBio 2023; 14:e0077923. [PMID: 37345936 PMCID: PMC10470535 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00779-23] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum proliferates through schizogony in the clinically relevant blood stage of infection. During schizogony, consecutive rounds of DNA replication and nuclear division give rise to multinucleated stages before cellularization occurs. Although these nuclei reside in a shared cytoplasm, DNA replication and nuclear division occur asynchronously. Here, by mapping the proteomic context of the S-phase-promoting kinase PfCRK4, we show that it has a dual role for nuclear-cycle progression: PfCRK4 orchestrates not only DNA replication, but in parallel also the rearrangement of intranuclear microtubules from hemispindles into early mitotic spindles. Live-cell imaging of a reporter parasite showed that these microtubule rearrangements coincide with the onset of DNA replication. Together, our data render PfCRK4 a key factor for nuclear-cycle progression, linking entry into S-phase with the initiation of mitotic events. In part, such links may compensate for the absence of canonical cell cycle checkpoints in P. falciparum. IMPORTANCE The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum proliferates in erythrocytes through schizogony, forming multinucleated stages before cellularization occurs. In marked contrast to the pattern of proliferation seen in most model organisms, P. falciparum nuclei multiply asynchronously despite residing in a shared cytoplasm. This divergent mode of replication is, thus, a good target for therapeutic interventions. To exploit this potential, we investigated a key regulator of the parasite's unusual cell cycle, the kinase PfCRK4 and found that this kinase regulated not only DNA replication but also in parallel the rearrangement of nuclear microtubules into early mitotic spindles. Since canonical cell cycle checkpoints have not been described in P. falciparum parasites, linking entry into S-phase and the initiation of mitotic events via a kinase, may be an alternative means to exert control, which is typically achieved by checkpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Machado
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Severina Klaus
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Darius Klaschka
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julien Guizetti
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Ganter
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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16
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Wenz C, Simon CS, Romão TP, Stürmer VS, Machado M, Klages N, Klemmer A, Voß Y, Ganter M, Brochet M, Guizetti J. An Sfi1-like centrin-interacting centriolar plaque protein affects nuclear microtubule homeostasis. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011325. [PMID: 37130129 PMCID: PMC10180636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria-causing parasites achieve rapid proliferation in human blood through multiple rounds of asynchronous nuclear division followed by daughter cell formation. Nuclear divisions critically depend on the centriolar plaque, which organizes intranuclear spindle microtubules. The centriolar plaque consists of an extranuclear compartment, which is connected via a nuclear pore-like structure to a chromatin-free intranuclear compartment. Composition and function of this non-canonical centrosome remain largely elusive. Centrins, which reside in the extranuclear part, are among the very few centrosomal proteins conserved in Plasmodium falciparum. Here we identify a novel centrin-interacting centriolar plaque protein. Conditional knock down of this Sfi1-like protein (PfSlp) caused a growth delay in blood stages, which correlated with a reduced number of daughter cells. Surprisingly, intranuclear tubulin abundance was significantly increased, which raises the hypothesis that the centriolar plaque might be implicated in regulating tubulin levels. Disruption of tubulin homeostasis caused excess microtubules and aberrant mitotic spindles. Time-lapse microscopy revealed that this prevented or delayed mitotic spindle extension but did not significantly interfere with DNA replication. Our study thereby identifies a novel extranuclear centriolar plaque factor and establishes a functional link to the intranuclear compartment of this divergent eukaryotic centrosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Wenz
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Marta Machado
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Natacha Klages
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anja Klemmer
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yannik Voß
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Ganter
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mathieu Brochet
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julien Guizetti
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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17
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Rashpa R, Klages N, Schvartz D, Pasquarello C, Brochet M. The Skp1-Cullin1-FBXO1 complex is a pleiotropic regulator required for the formation of gametes and motile forms in Plasmodium berghei. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1312. [PMID: 36898988 PMCID: PMC10006092 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36999-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria-causing parasites of the Plasmodium genus undergo multiple developmental phases in the human and the mosquito hosts, regulated by various post-translational modifications. While ubiquitination by multi-component E3 ligases is key to regulate a wide range of cellular processes in eukaryotes, little is known about its role in Plasmodium. Here we show that Plasmodium berghei expresses a conserved SKP1/Cullin1/FBXO1 (SCFFBXO1) complex showing tightly regulated expression and localisation across multiple developmental stages. It is key to cell division for nuclear segregation during schizogony and centrosome partitioning during microgametogenesis. It is additionally required for parasite-specific processes including gamete egress from the host erythrocyte, as well as integrity of the apical and the inner membrane complexes (IMC) in merozoite and ookinete, two structures essential for the dissemination of these motile stages. Ubiquitinomic surveys reveal a large set of proteins ubiquitinated in a FBXO1-dependent manner including proteins important for egress and IMC organisation. We additionally demonstrate an interplay between FBXO1-dependent ubiquitination and phosphorylation via calcium-dependent protein kinase 1. Altogether we show that Plasmodium SCFFBXO1 plays conserved roles in cell division and is also important for parasite-specific processes in the mammalian and mosquito hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravish Rashpa
- University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Natacha Klages
- University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Domitille Schvartz
- University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Proteomics Core Facility, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Carla Pasquarello
- University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Proteomics Core Facility, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Brochet
- University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
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18
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Ferreira JL, Pražák V, Vasishtan D, Siggel M, Hentzschel F, Binder AM, Pietsch E, Kosinski J, Frischknecht F, Gilberger TW, Grünewald K. Variable microtubule architecture in the malaria parasite. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1216. [PMID: 36869034 PMCID: PMC9984467 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36627-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are a ubiquitous eukaryotic cytoskeletal element typically consisting of 13 protofilaments arranged in a hollow cylinder. This arrangement is considered the canonical form and is adopted by most organisms, with rare exceptions. Here, we use in situ electron cryo-tomography and subvolume averaging to analyse the changing microtubule cytoskeleton of Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, throughout its life cycle. Unexpectedly, different parasite forms have distinct microtubule structures coordinated by unique organising centres. In merozoites, the most widely studied form, we observe canonical microtubules. In migrating mosquito forms, the 13 protofilament structure is further reinforced by interrupted luminal helices. Surprisingly, gametocytes contain a wide distribution of microtubule structures ranging from 13 to 18 protofilaments, doublets and triplets. Such a diversity of microtubule structures has not been observed in any other organism to date and is likely evidence of a distinct role in each life cycle form. This data provides a unique view into an unusual microtubule cytoskeleton of a relevant human pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie L Ferreira
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Vojtěch Pražák
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Daven Vasishtan
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marc Siggel
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Hentzschel
- Integrative Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annika M Binder
- Integrative Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Emma Pietsch
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Kosinski
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg, Germany
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim W Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kay Grünewald
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany.
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
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19
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Abstract
Malaria remains a significant threat to global health, and despite concerted efforts to curb the disease, malaria-related morbidity and mortality increased in recent years. Malaria is caused by unicellular eukaryotes of the genus Plasmodium, and all clinical manifestations occur during asexual proliferation of the parasite inside host erythrocytes. In the blood stage, Plasmodium proliferates through an unusual cell cycle mode called schizogony. Contrary to most studied eukaryotes, which divide by binary fission, the parasite undergoes several rounds of DNA replication and nuclear division that are not directly followed by cytokinesis, resulting in multinucleated cells. Moreover, despite sharing a common cytoplasm, these nuclei multiply asynchronously. Schizogony challenges our current models of cell cycle regulation and, at the same time, offers targets for therapeutic interventions. Over the recent years, the adaptation of advanced molecular and cell biological techniques have given us deeper insight how DNA replication, nuclear division, and cytokinesis are coordinated. Here, we review our current understanding of the chronological events that characterize the unusual cell division cycle of P. falciparum in the clinically relevant blood stage of infection.
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20
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Wichers-Misterek JS, Binder AM, Mesén-Ramírez P, Dorner LP, Safavi S, Fuchs G, Lenz TL, Bachmann A, Wilson D, Frischknecht F, Gilberger TW. A Microtubule-Associated Protein Is Essential for Malaria Parasite Transmission. mBio 2023; 14:e0331822. [PMID: 36625655 PMCID: PMC9973338 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03318-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Mature gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum display a banana (falciform) shape conferred by a complex array of subpellicular microtubules (SPMT) associated with the inner membrane complex (IMC). Microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) define MT populations and modulate interaction with pellicular components. Several MAPs have been identified in Toxoplasma gondii, and homologues can be found in the genomes of Plasmodium species, but the function of these proteins for asexual and sexual development of malaria parasites is still unknown. Here, we identified a novel subpellicular MAP, termed SPM3, that is conserved within the genus Plasmodium, especially within the subgenus Laverania, but absent in other Apicomplexa. Conditional knockdown and targeted gene disruption of Pfspm3 in Plasmodium falciparum cause severe morphological defects during gametocytogenesis, leading to round, nonfalciform gametocytes with an aberrant SPMT pattern. In contrast, Pbspm3 knockout in Plasmodium berghei, a species with round gametocytes, caused no defect in gametocytogenesis, but sporozoites displayed an aberrant motility and a dramatic defect in invasion of salivary glands, leading to a decreased efficiency in transmission. Electron microscopy revealed a dissociation of the SPMT from the IMC in Pbspm3 knockout parasites, suggesting a function of SPM3 in anchoring MTs to the IMC. Overall, our results highlight SPM3 as a pellicular component with essential functions for malaria parasite transmission. IMPORTANCE A key structural feature driving the transition between different life cycle stages of the malaria parasite is the unique three-membrane pellicle, consisting of the parasite plasma membrane (PPM) and a double membrane structure underlying the PPM termed the inner membrane complex (IMC). Additionally, there are numerous linearly arranged intramembranous particles (IMPs) linked to the IMC, which likely link the IMC to the subpellicular microtubule cytoskeleton. Here, we identified, localized, and characterized a novel subpellicular microtubule-associated protein unique to the genus Plasmodium. The knockout of this protein in the human-pathogenic species P. falciparum resulted in malformed gametocytes and aberrant microtubules. We confirmed the microtubule association in the P. berghei rodent malaria homologue and show that its knockout results in a perturbed microtubule architecture, aberrant sporozoite motility, and decreased transmission efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Stephan Wichers-Misterek
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Annika M. Binder
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paolo Mesén-Ramírez
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lilian Patrick Dorner
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Soraya Safavi
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gwendolin Fuchs
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias L. Lenz
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Unit for Evolutionary Immunogenomics, Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Danny Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- Integrative Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Medical School, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim-Wolf Gilberger
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
- Biology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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21
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Zeeshan M, Rea E, Abel S, Vukušić K, Markus R, Brady D, Eze A, Rashpa R, Balestra AC, Bottrill AR, Brochet M, Guttery DS, Tolić IM, Holder AA, Le Roch KG, Tromer EC, Tewari R. Plasmodium ARK2-EB1 axis drives the unconventional spindle dynamics, scaffold formation and chromosome segregation of sexual transmission stages. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2539372. [PMID: 36798191 PMCID: PMC9934748 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2539372/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Mechanisms of cell division are remarkably diverse, suggesting the underlying molecular networks among eukaryotes differ extensively. The Aurora family of kinases orchestrates the process of chromosome segregation and cytokinesis during cell division through precise spatiotemporal regulation of their catalytic activities by distinct scaffolds. Plasmodium spp., the causative agents of malaria, are unicellular eukaryotes that have three divergent aurora-related kinases (ARKs) and lack most canonical scaffolds/activators. The parasite uses unconventional modes of chromosome segregation during endomitosis and meiosis in sexual transmission stages within mosquito host. This includes a rapid threefold genome replication from 1N to 8N with successive cycles of closed mitosis, spindle formation and chromosome segregation within eight minutes (termed male gametogony). Kinome studies had previously suggested likely essential functions for all three Plasmodium ARKs during asexual mitotic cycles; however, little is known about their location, function, or their scaffolding molecules during unconventional sexual proliferative stages. Using a combination of super-resolution microscopy, mass spectrometry, omics and live-cell fluorescence imaging, we set out to investigate the contribution of the atypical Aurora paralog ARK2 to proliferative sexual stages using rodent malaria model Plasmodium berghei. We find that ARK2 primarily localises to the spindle apparatus associated with kinetochores during both mitosis and meiosis. Interactomics and co-localisation studies reveal a unique ARK2 scaffold at the spindle including the microtubule plus end-binding protein EB1 and lacking some other conserved molecules. Gene function studies indicate complementary functions of ARK2 and EB1 in driving endomitotic divisions and thereby parasite transmission. Our discovery of a novel Aurora spindle scaffold underlines the emerging flexibility of molecular networks to rewire and drive unconventional mechanisms of chromosome segregation in the malaria parasite Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Zeeshan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Edward Rea
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Steven Abel
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, USA
| | - Kruno Vukušić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Robert Markus
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Declan Brady
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Antonius Eze
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ravish Rashpa
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Andrew R. Bottrill
- School of Life Sciences, Gibbet Hill Campus, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Mathieu Brochet
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - David S. Guttery
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Iva M. Tolić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anthony A. Holder
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Karine G. Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, USA
| | - Eelco C. Tromer
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Cell Biochemistry, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rita Tewari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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22
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Kimmel J, Schmitt M, Sinner A, Jansen PWTC, Mainye S, Ramón-Zamorano G, Toenhake CG, Wichers-Misterek JS, Cronshagen J, Sabitzki R, Mesén-Ramírez P, Behrens HM, Bártfai R, Spielmann T. Gene-by-gene screen of the unknown proteins encoded on Plasmodium falciparum chromosome 3. Cell Syst 2023; 14:9-23.e7. [PMID: 36657393 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Taxon-specific proteins are key determinants defining the biology of all organisms and represent prime drug targets in pathogens. However, lacking comparability with proteins in other lineages makes them particularly difficult to study. In malaria parasites, this is exacerbated by technical limitations. Here, we analyzed the cellular location, essentiality, function, and, in selected cases, interactome of all unknown non-secretory proteins encoded on an entire P. falciparum chromosome. The nucleus was the most common localization, indicating that it is a hotspot of parasite-specific biology. More in-depth functional studies with four proteins revealed essential roles in DNA replication and mitosis. The mitosis proteins defined a possible orphan complex and a highly diverged complex needed for spindle-kinetochore connection. Structure-function comparisons indicated that the taxon-specific proteins evolved by different mechanisms. This work demonstrates the feasibility of gene-by-gene screens to elucidate the biology of malaria parasites and reveal critical parasite-specific processes of interest as drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Kimmel
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marius Schmitt
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexej Sinner
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Sheila Mainye
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gala Ramón-Zamorano
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christa Geeke Toenhake
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jakob Cronshagen
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ricarda Sabitzki
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Paolo Mesén-Ramírez
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Michaela Behrens
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Richárd Bártfai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Tobias Spielmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany.
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23
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Inhibitors of ApiAP2 protein DNA binding exhibit multistage activity against Plasmodium parasites. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010887. [PMID: 36223427 PMCID: PMC9591056 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites are reliant on the Apicomplexan AP2 (ApiAP2) transcription factor family to regulate gene expression programs. AP2 DNA binding domains have no homologs in the human or mosquito host genomes, making them potential antimalarial drug targets. Using an in-silico screen to dock thousands of small molecules into the crystal structure of the AP2-EXP (Pf3D7_1466400) AP2 domain (PDB:3IGM), we identified putative AP2-EXP interacting compounds. Four compounds were found to block DNA binding by AP2-EXP and at least one additional ApiAP2 protein. Our top ApiAP2 competitor compound perturbs the transcriptome of P. falciparum trophozoites and results in a decrease in abundance of log2 fold change > 2 for 50% (46/93) of AP2-EXP target genes. Additionally, two ApiAP2 competitor compounds have multi-stage anti-Plasmodium activity against blood and mosquito stage parasites. In summary, we describe a novel set of antimalarial compounds that interact with AP2 DNA binding domains. These compounds may be used for future chemical genetic interrogation of ApiAP2 proteins or serve as starting points for a new class of antimalarial therapeutics. Plasmodium parasites are the causative agent of malaria, which resulted in over 600,000 deaths in 2021. Due to resistance arising for every antimalarial therapeutic deployed to date, new drug targets and druggable pathways must be explored. To address this concern, we used a molecular docking screen to predict competitors of DNA binding by the parasite specific family of Apicomplexan AP2 (ApiAP2) transcription factor proteins for testing in vitro and in vivo. We find that ApiAP2 competing compounds have antimalarial activity consistent with the disruption of gene regulation. This work will further our understanding of both the biological role and targetability of parasite transcriptional regulation.
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24
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Zeeshan M, Brady D, Markus R, Vaughan S, Ferguson D, Holder AA, Tewari R. Plasmodium SAS4: basal body component of male cell which is dispensable for parasite transmission. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:e202101329. [PMID: 35550346 PMCID: PMC9098390 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The centriole/basal body (CBB) is an evolutionarily conserved organelle acting as a microtubule organising centre (MTOC) to nucleate cilia, flagella, and the centrosome. SAS4/CPAP is a conserved component associated with BB biogenesis in many model flagellated cells. Plasmodium, a divergent unicellular eukaryote and causative agent of malaria, displays an atypical, closed mitosis with an MTOC (or centriolar plaque), reminiscent of an acentriolar MTOC, embedded in the nuclear membrane. Mitosis during male gamete formation is accompanied by flagella formation. There are two MTOCs in male gametocytes: the acentriolar nuclear envelope MTOC for the mitotic spindle and an outer centriolar MTOC (the basal body) that organises flagella assembly in the cytoplasm. We show the coordinated location, association and assembly of SAS4 with the BB component, kinesin-8B, but no association with the kinetochore protein, NDC80, indicating that SAS4 is part of the BB and outer centriolar MTOC in the cytoplasm. Deletion of the SAS4 gene produced no phenotype, indicating that it is not essential for either male gamete formation or parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Zeeshan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Declan Brady
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Robert Markus
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Sue Vaughan
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Science, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - David Ferguson
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Science, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Anthony A Holder
- Malaria Parasitology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Rita Tewari
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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25
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TurboID Identification of Evolutionarily Divergent Components of the Nuclear Pore Complex in the Malaria Model Plasmodium berghei. mBio 2022; 13:e0181522. [PMID: 36040030 PMCID: PMC9601220 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01815-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Twenty years since the publication of the Plasmodium falciparum and P. berghei genomes one-third of their protein-coding genes still lack functional annotation. In the absence of sequence and structural homology, protein-protein interactions can facilitate functional prediction of such orphan genes by mapping protein complexes in their natural cellular environment. The Plasmodium nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a case in point: it remains poorly defined; its constituents lack conservation with the 30+ proteins described in the NPC of many opisthokonts, a clade of eukaryotes that includes fungi and animals, but not Plasmodium. Here, we developed a labeling methodology based on TurboID fusion proteins, which allows visualization of the P. berghei NPC and facilitates the identification of its components. Following affinity purification and mass spectrometry, we identified 4 known nucleoporins (Nups) (138, 205, 221, and the bait 313), and verify interaction with the putative phenylalanine-glycine (FG) Nup637; we assigned 5 proteins lacking annotation (and therefore meaningful homology with proteins outside the genus) to the NPC, which is confirmed by green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagging. Based on gene deletion attempts, all new Nups — Nup176, 269, 335, 390, and 434 — are essential to parasite survival. They lack primary sequence homology with proteins outside the Plasmodium genus; albeit 2 incorporate short domains with structural homology to human Nup155 and yeast Nup157, and the condensin SMC (Structural Maintenance Of Chromosomes 4). The protocols developed here showcase the power of proximity labeling for elucidating protein complex composition and annotation of taxonomically restricted genes in Plasmodium. It opens the door to exploring the function of the Plasmodium NPC and understanding its evolutionary position.
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26
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Dynamics of DNA Replication during Male Gametogenesis in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum. Cell Microbiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1155/2022/2701868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasites undergo a single phase of sexual reproduction in their complex lifecycle. It involves specialised, sexually committed cells called gametocytes, which develop rapidly into mature gametes and mate upon entering the mosquito midgut. Gamete development is unique, involving unprecedentedly fast replication to produce male gametes. Within ~15 minutes a male gametocyte replicates its ~23 Mb genome three times to produce 8 genomes, segregates these into newly-assembled flagellated gametes and releases them to seek female gametes. Here, for the first time, we use fluorescent labelling of de novo DNA synthesis to follow this process at the whole-cell and single-molecule levels. We make several novel observations, including characterising the origin recognition complex protein Orc1 for the first time in gametocytes, finding that cytokinesis is uncoupled from DNA replication (implying a lack of cell cycle checkpoints), and that the single-molecule dynamics of DNA replication are entirely different from the dynamics in asexual schizogony.
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27
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Li J, Shami GJ, Cho E, Liu B, Hanssen E, Dixon MWA, Tilley L. Repurposing the mitotic machinery to drive cellular elongation and chromatin reorganisation in Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5054. [PMID: 36030238 PMCID: PMC9419145 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32579-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The sexual stage gametocytes of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, adopt a falciform (crescent) shape driven by the assembly of a network of microtubules anchored to a cisternal inner membrane complex (IMC). Using 3D electron microscopy, we show that a non-mitotic microtubule organizing center (MTOC), embedded in the parasite's nuclear membrane, orients the endoplasmic reticulum and the nascent IMC and seeds cytoplasmic microtubules. A bundle of microtubules extends into the nuclear lumen, elongating the nuclear envelope and capturing the chromatin. Classical mitotic machinery components, including centriolar plaque proteins, Pfcentrin-1 and -4, microtubule-associated protein, End-binding protein-1, kinetochore protein, PfNDC80 and centromere-associated protein, PfCENH3, are involved in the nuclear microtubule assembly/disassembly process. Depolymerisation of the microtubules using trifluralin prevents elongation and disrupts the chromatin, centromere and kinetochore organisation. We show that the unusual non-mitotic hemispindle plays a central role in chromatin organisation, IMC positioning and subpellicular microtubule formation in gametocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahong Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Gerald J Shami
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ellie Cho
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Biological Optical Microscopy Platform, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Boyin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Eric Hanssen
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Ian Holmes Imaging Center, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Matthew W A Dixon
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Peter Doherty Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia. .,Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| | - Leann Tilley
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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28
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Kumari G, Jain R, Kumar Sah R, Kalia I, Vashistha M, Singh P, Prasad Singh A, Samby K, Burrows J, Singh S. Multistage and transmission-blocking tubulin targeting potent antimalarial discovered from the open access MMV pathogen box. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 203:115154. [PMID: 35798201 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The development of resistance to current antimalarial therapies remains a significant source of concern. To address this risk,newdrugswithnoveltargetsin distinct developmental stages ofPlasmodiumparasites are required. In the current study,we have targetedP. falciparumTubulin(PfTubulin)proteins which represent some of thepotentialdrug targetsfor malaria chemotherapy. PlasmodialMicrotubules (MTs) play a crucial role during parasite proliferation, growth, and transmission, which render them highlydesirabletargets for the development ofnext-generation chemotherapeutics. Towards this,we have evaluated the antimalarial activity ofTubulintargetingcompounds received from theMedicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)"Pathogen Box"against the human malaria parasite,P. falciparumincluding 3D7 (chloroquine and artemisinin sensitive strain), RKL-9 (chloroquine-resistant strain), and R539T (artemisinin-resistant strain). At nanomolar concentrations, the filtered-out compounds exhibitedpronouncedmultistage antimalarialeffects across the parasite life cycle, including intra-erythrocytic blood stages, liver stage parasites, gametocytes, and ookinetes. Concomitantly, these compoundswere found toimpedemale gamete ex-flagellation, thus showingtheir transmission-blocking potential. Target mining of these potent compounds, by combining in silico, biochemical and biophysical assays,implicatedPfTubulinas their moleculartarget, which may possibly act bydisruptingMT assembly dynamics by binding at the interface of α-βTubulin-dimer.Further, the promising ADME profile of the parent scaffold supported its consideration as a lead compound for further development.Thus, our work highlights the potential of targetingPfTubulin proteins in discovering and developing next-generation, multistage antimalarial agents against Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geeta Kumari
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Ravi Jain
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Raj Kumar Sah
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | | | - Manu Vashistha
- Advanced Instrumentation Research Facility, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Pooja Singh
- National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | | | | | | | - Shailja Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India.
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29
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McDonald J, Merrick CJ. DNA replication dynamics during erythrocytic schizogony in the malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium knowlesi. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010595. [PMID: 35731838 PMCID: PMC9255763 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites are unusual, early-diverging protozoans with non-canonical cell cycles. They do not undergo binary fission, but divide primarily by schizogony. This involves the asynchronous production of multiple nuclei within the same cytoplasm, culminating in a single mass cytokinesis event. The rate and efficiency of parasite reproduction is fundamentally important to malarial disease, which tends to be severe in hosts with high parasite loads. Here, we have studied for the first time the dynamics of schizogony in two human malaria parasite species, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium knowlesi. These differ in their cell-cycle length, the number of progeny produced and the genome composition, among other factors. Comparing them could therefore yield new information about the parameters and limitations of schizogony. We report that the dynamics of schizogony differ significantly between these two species, most strikingly in the gap phases between successive nuclear multiplications, which are longer in P. falciparum and shorter, but more heterogenous, in P. knowlesi. In both species, gaps become longer as schizogony progresses, whereas each period of active DNA replication grows shorter. In both species there is also extreme variability between individual cells, with some schizonts producing many more nuclei than others, and some individual nuclei arresting their DNA replication for many hours while adjacent nuclei continue to replicate. The efficiency of schizogony is probably influenced by a complex set of factors in both the parasite and its host cell. Malaria parasites are unusual, early-diverging single-celled organisms. One of their atypical features is their mode of producing new cells. Most cells replicate their genome, segregate the copies into two nuclei and then split the whole cell in two: a process called binary fission. Malaria parasites, by contrast, multiply primarily by schizogony. Each cell replicates its genome several times over, asynchronously, generating many nuclei within the same cytoplasm, before splitting into many new daughter cells in a single mass event. All malaria species do this, but there are stark differences between species in how long schizogony takes and how many progeny each cell can produce. Understanding this is important because the rate of parasite reproduction is fundamentally important to malarial disease: humans who have a high burden of parasites in their blood are most likely to suffer severe malaria. Here we compare the process of schizogony in two different species, by developing cell lines in which we can follow de novo DNA replication at high spatial and temporal resolution, at both whole-cell and single-molecule levels. We establish the dynamics of schizogony, highlighting similarities and differences between two species and setting parameters for future studies of interventions that could interfere with parasite reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer McDonald
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine J. Merrick
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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30
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Liffner B, Absalon S. Hand-in-hand advances in microscopy and Plasmodium nuclear biology. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:421-423. [PMID: 35450787 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
For 140 years, microscopy has repeatedly revolutionized the study of nucleus biology, but despite this our understanding of the evolutionarily divergent nucleus biology of Plasmodium remains limited. Here, we discuss how microscopy advances have enabled two groundbreaking studies by Simon et al. and Klaus et al. into Plasmodium nucleus biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Liffner
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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31
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Klaus S, Binder P, Kim J, Machado M, Funaya C, Schaaf V, Klaschka D, Kudulyte A, Cyrklaff M, Laketa V, Höfer T, Guizetti J, Becker NB, Frischknecht F, Schwarz US, Ganter M. Asynchronous nuclear cycles in multinucleated Plasmodium falciparum facilitate rapid proliferation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabj5362. [PMID: 35353560 PMCID: PMC8967237 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj5362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Malaria-causing parasites proliferate within erythrocytes through schizogony, forming multinucleated stages before cellularization. Nuclear multiplication does not follow a strict geometric 2n progression, and each proliferative cycle produces a variable number of progeny. Here, by tracking nuclei and DNA replication, we show that individual nuclei replicate their DNA at different times, despite residing in a shared cytoplasm. Extrapolating from experimental data using mathematical modeling, we provide strong indication that a limiting factor exists, which slows down the nuclear multiplication rate. Consistent with this prediction, our data show that temporally overlapping DNA replication events were significantly slower than partially overlapping or nonoverlapping events. Our findings suggest the existence of evolutionary pressure that selects for asynchronous DNA replication, balancing available resources with rapid pathogen proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severina Klaus
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patrick Binder
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Juyeop Kim
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marta Machado
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Graduate Program in Areas of Basic and Applied Biology, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Charlotta Funaya
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Violetta Schaaf
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Darius Klaschka
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aiste Kudulyte
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marek Cyrklaff
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Vibor Laketa
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Höfer
- Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julien Guizetti
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nils B. Becker
- Theoretical Systems Biology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Ulrich S. Schwarz
- Institute for Theoretical Physics and BioQuant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Ganter
- Center for Infectious Diseases, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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32
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Tomasina R, González FC, Francia ME. Structural and Functional Insights into the Microtubule Organizing Centers of Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2503. [PMID: 34946106 PMCID: PMC8705618 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) perform critical cellular tasks by nucleating, stabilizing, and anchoring microtubule's minus ends. These capacities impact tremendously a wide array of cellular functions ranging from ascribing cell shape to orchestrating cell division and generating motile structures, among others. The phylum Apicomplexa comprises over 6000 single-celled obligate intracellular parasitic species. Many of the apicomplexan are well known pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii and the Plasmodium species, causative agents of toxoplasmosis and malaria, respectively. Microtubule organization in these parasites is critical for organizing the cortical cytoskeleton, enabling host cell penetration and the positioning of large organelles, driving cell division and directing the formation of flagella in sexual life stages. Apicomplexans are a prime example of MTOC diversity displaying multiple functional and structural MTOCs combinations within a single species. This diversity can only be fully understood in light of each organism's specific MT nucleation requirements and their evolutionary history. Insight into apicomplexan MTOCs had traditionally been limited to classical ultrastructural work by transmission electron microscopy. However, in the past few years, a large body of molecular insight has emerged. In this work we describe the latest insights into nuclear MTOC biology in two major human and animal disease causing Apicomplexans: Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramiro Tomasina
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay; (R.T.); (F.C.G.)
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Fabiana C. González
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay; (R.T.); (F.C.G.)
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Maria E. Francia
- Laboratory of Apicomplexan Biology, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay; (R.T.); (F.C.G.)
- Departamento de Parasitología y Micología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
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Liffner B, Absalon S. Expansion Microscopy Reveals Plasmodium falciparum Blood-Stage Parasites Undergo Anaphase with A Chromatin Bridge in the Absence of Mini-Chromosome Maintenance Complex Binding Protein. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2306. [PMID: 34835432 PMCID: PMC8620465 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum undergoes closed mitosis, which occurs within an intact nuclear envelope, and differs significantly from its human host. Mitosis is underpinned by the dynamics of microtubules and the nuclear envelope. To date, our ability to study P. falciparum mitosis by microscopy has been hindered by the small size of the P. falciparum nuclei. Ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) has recently been developed for P. falciparum, allowing the visualization of mitosis at the individual nucleus level. Using U-ExM, three intranuclear microtubule structures are observed: hemispindles, mitotic spindles, and interpolar spindles. A previous study demonstrated that the mini-chromosome maintenance complex binding-protein (MCMBP) depletion caused abnormal nuclear morphology and microtubule defects. To investigate the role of microtubules following MCMBP depletion and study the nuclear envelope in these parasites, we developed the first nuclear stain enabled by U-ExM in P. falciparum. MCMBP-deficient parasites show aberrant hemispindles and mitotic spindles. Moreover, anaphase chromatin bridges and individual nuclei containing multiple microtubule structures were observed following MCMBP knockdown. Collectively, this study refines our understanding of MCMBP-deficient parasites and highlights the utility of U-ExM coupled with a nuclear envelope stain for studying mitosis in P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabrina Absalon
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA;
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