Project description:To study the effect of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes on gene expression in NK92 cells, microarray analysis after 6, 12 and 24 hours of co-culture with either uRBC or iRBC was performed. The aim was to identify pathways in NK92 cells that are switched on after iRBC encounter in a time-dependent manner that will help to understand the mechanisms in innate immune defenses against Plasmodium falciparum infection.
Project description:Transcriptome of DHA-treated Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 parasite strain was generated by collecting RNA samples from 500 sorted cells from Day 1 till Day 12 after the drug treatment
Project description:Investigation of whole genome gene expression level changes in Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 delta-PfPuf2 mutant, compared to the wild-type strain 3D7. The mutation engineered into this strain render tanslational control. The mutants analyzed in this study are further described in Miao J, Li J, Fan Q, Li X, Li X, Cui L.2010. The Puf-family RNA-binding protein PfPuf2 regulates sexual development and sex differentiation in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. J Cell Sci. 123(7):1039-49 (PMID 20197405). A 12 chip study using total RNA recovered from six separate wild-type cultures of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 at gametocyte stage III (three cultures) and stage V (three cultures) and six separate cultures of dalta PfPuf2 mutant at gametocyte stage III (three cultures) and stage V (three cultures). Each chip measures the expression level of 5,367 genes from Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 with 45-60 mer probes with two replicates on final array of 71618 probes.
Project description:To date, total mRNA analysis throughout intraerythrocytic development of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, has only revealed abundance profiles of each gene at a given time. Here, we establish a new methodology in Plasmodium falciparum that enables biosynthetic labeleing and capture of sub-population mRNA. As a proof of principle for this novel method, we examine the mRNA dynamics of early gametocyte commitment. Plasmodium falciparum strains 3D7, E5, and F12 were highly synchronized and, at 36 hours post invasion, incubated with 40um 4-TU for 12 hours followed immediately by Trizol total RNA extraction. Total RNA from each timepoint was then biotinylated via a thiol-group on any transcript that incorporated a thiol-modified UTP. Biotinylated transcripts were then separated from total RNA by Streptavidin magnetic beads resulting in a Labeled sample. Any mRNA that was not bound to the beads resulted in an Unlabeled sample. Every 12 hours, two samples were analyzed by Agilent P. falciparum DNA microarray, Unlabeled and Labeled, resulting in 48 individual DNA microarrays (4 for each sample type).
Project description:Tetracyclines are effective but slow-acting antimalarial drugs whose mechanism of action remains uncertain. To characterize the antimalarial mechanism of tetracyclines, we evaluated their stage-specific activities, impacts on parasite transcription, and effects on two predicted organelle targets, the apicoplast and the mitochondrion, in cultured Plasmodium falciparum. Antimalarial effects were much greater after two 48-h life cycles than after one cycle, even if the drugs were removed at the end of the first cycle. Doxycycline-treated parasites appeared morphologically normal until late in the second cycle of treatment but failed to develop into merozoites. Doxycycline specifically impaired the expression of apicoplast genes. Apicoplast morphology initially appeared normal in the presence of doxycycline. However, apicoplasts were abnormal in the progeny of doxycycline-treated parasites, as evidenced by a block in apicoplast genome replication, a lack of processing of an apicoplast-targeted protein, and failure to elongate and segregate during schizogeny. Replication of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes and mitochondrial morphology appeared normal. Our results demonstrate that tetracyclines specifically block expression of the apicoplast genome, resulting in the distribution of nonfunctional apicoplasts into daughter merozoites. The loss of apicoplast function in the progeny of treated parasites leads to a slow but potent antimalarial effect. We analyzed a series of 12 microarrays covering 55 hours of Plasmodium falciparum treated with doxycycline and 12 microarrays covering the same 55 hours with no doxycycline treatment
Project description:New insights into the blood-stage transcriptome of Plasmodium falciparum using RNA-Seq was published in 2010 (Otto et al. Molecular Microbiology 2010, April;67 (1), pp. 12-24). Here in collaboration with Manuel Llinas (Princetown University) we are utilising advances in RNA-Seq to gain further understanding of Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage transcription. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/
Project description:Transcriptomic Analysis of Cultured Sporozoites of P. falciparum RNA-seq reads from each of three developmental stages (2 replicates per sample) were mapped to the reference Plasmodium falciparum genome, and gene expression levels were calculated for each sample.