Project description:Abstract: The antimalarial activity of the antibiotic thiostrepton has long been attributed to inhibition of apicoplast protein synthesis through binding of apicoplast ribosomal RNA. However, the kinetics of parasite death upon thiostrepton treatment differ from those seen for other inhibitors of apicoplast housekeeping functions. We have analysed global changes in gene expression of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, in an attempt to shed light on the responses of the parasite to this drug. Our results indicate a delay in gene expression profiles of thiostrepton-treated parasites. A small number of genes appear to be regulated outside of this trend; our data suggest a response from genes encoding components of the mitochondrial translational machinery, while little response is seen from genes encoding apicoplast-targeted proteins. Our findings are consistent with an effect of thiostrepton on mitochondrial protein synthesis, and thus warrant a re-evaluation of the target of thiostrepton in Plasmodium. They also provide some suggestion of mitochondrion – nucleus signalling in the parasite. 3 biological replicates each for treated and untreated: control (1/2000 DMSO) and LD70 thiostrepton, respectively
Project description:Abstract: The antimalarial activity of the antibiotic thiostrepton has long been attributed to inhibition of apicoplast protein synthesis through binding of apicoplast ribosomal RNA. However, the kinetics of parasite death upon thiostrepton treatment differ from those seen for other inhibitors of apicoplast housekeeping functions. We have analysed global changes in gene expression of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, in an attempt to shed light on the responses of the parasite to this drug. Our results indicate a delay in gene expression profiles of thiostrepton-treated parasites. A small number of genes appear to be regulated outside of this trend; our data suggest a response from genes encoding components of the mitochondrial translational machinery, while little response is seen from genes encoding apicoplast-targeted proteins. Our findings are consistent with an effect of thiostrepton on mitochondrial protein synthesis, and thus warrant a re-evaluation of the target of thiostrepton in Plasmodium. They also provide some suggestion of mitochondrion – nucleus signalling in the parasite.
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:In malaria infection, Plasmodium spp. parasites accumulate in the bone marrow near sites of erythroid development. While it has been observed that Plasmodium falciparum infection of late-stage erythroblasts can delay terminal erythroid differentiation and enucleation, the mechanism(s) underlying this phenomenon are unknown. Here, we apply RNA-seq after fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) of infected erythroblasts to identify transcriptional responses to direct and indirect interaction with P. falciparum.
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).
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.
Project description:Investigation of whole genome gene expression level in Plasmodium falciparum male and female mature gametocytes, and detection of any transcriptional differences between male and female gametocytes. The Plasmodium falciparum parasite with green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression under the control of alpha tubulin II promoter facilitated the separation of male and female gametocyte. This engineered parasite strain in this study are further described in Miao J, Fan Q, Parker D, Li X, Li J, et al. (2013) Puf Mediates Translation Repression of Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Candidates in Malaria Parasites. PLoS Pathog 9(4): e1003268. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003268