Project description:C5 methylation of cytosines is a common RNA modification in eukaryotes, and the NSUN family are essential m5C modification executors. Currently, little is known about this family in Plasmodium spp. Thus, we constructed the pfnsun1 knockdown strain, and the knockdown efficiency was confirmed by growth curves and western blot experiments. The knockdown transcriptome data was acquired to find differentially expressed genes, and target genes of PfNSUN1 protein were identified by RNA immunoprecipitation and high-throughput sequencing experiments. Our data revealed that pfnsun1 is an indispensable RNA post-transcriptional modification regulator in P. falciparum that regulates gene expression.
Project description:C5 methylation of cytosines is a common RNA modification in eukaryotes, and the NSUN family are essential m5C modification executors. Currently, little is known about this family in Plasmodium spp. Thus, we constructed the pfnsun1 knockdown strain, and the knockdown efficiency was confirmed by growth curves and western blot experiments. The knockdown transcriptome data was acquired to find differentially expressed genes, and target genes of PfNSUN1 protein were identified by RNA immunoprecipitation and high-throughput sequencing experiments. Our data revealed that pfnsun1 is an indispensable RNA post-transcriptional modification regulator in P. falciparum that regulates gene expression.
Project description:Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria has emerged in western Cambodia. This is a major threat to global plans to control and eliminate malaria as the artemisinins are a key component of antimalarial treatment throughout the world. Using DNA microarrays we identify key features of a transcriptional profile that are associated with the delayed parasite clearance phenotype. These include reduced expression of several basic metabolic and cellular pathways in the early stages, and increased expression of essentially all functionalities associated with protein metabolism in the later stages of P. falciparum intraerythrocytic development. This is consistent with the reduced ring stage susceptibility that characterizes artemisinin resistant P. falciparum. This modulation of the P. falciparum intraerythrocytic transcriptome may result from differential expression of several regulatory proteins such as transcription factors of chromatin remodeling associated factors. In addition, the artemisinin resistant phenotype is strongly associated with a specific pattern of copy number variations, some of which are linked with differential expression of several regulatory proteins such as histone 4 and zinc permease. This study reports the first global transcriptional survey of artemisinin resistant parasites and provides a set of candidate genes for further investigation. 6 P. falciparum parasites (field isolates) which are either Artemsinin resistant or sensitive from 3 study sites (Pailin in Cambodia, Xepon in Laos, Mae Sot in Thailand) were sampled and harvested for genomic DNA. gDNA from a total of 6 samples were extracted by phenol chloroform. Synthesis of labelled target DNA was carried out as previously described: Mackinnon, M.J. et al. Comparative transcriptional and genomic analysis of Plasmodium falciparum field isolates. PLoS Pathog 5, e1000644 (2009), and used in comparative genomic microarray hybridizations (CGH).