Project description:AP2-FG is a female-specific transcription factor (TF) that plays an essential role in female gametocyte development. AP2-FG activates hundreds of genes by binding to a female-specific ten-base cis-acting element. Here, we report that in the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei, another female-specific TF designated as a partner of AP2-FG (PFG), controls gene expression in female gametocytes cooperatively with AP2-FG. Transcriptional mechanisms were analyzed in Plasmodium berghei female gametocytes.
Project description:AP2-FG is a female-specific transcription factor (TF) that plays an essential role in female gametocyte development. AP2-FG activates hundreds of genes by binding to a female-specific ten-base cis-acting element. Here, we report that in the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei, another female-specific TF designated as a partner of AP2-FG (PFG), controls gene expression in female gametocytes cooperatively with AP2-FG. Transcriptional mechanisms were analyzed in Plasmodium berghei female gametocytes.
Project description:AP2-FG is a female-specific transcription factor (TF) that plays an essential role in female gametocyte development. AP2-FG activates hundreds of genes by binding to a female-specific ten-base cis-acting element. Here, we report that in the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei, another female-specific TF designated as a partner of AP2-FG (PFG), controls gene expression in female gametocytes cooperatively with AP2-FG.
Project description:Male and female gametocytes are sexual precursor cells essential for transmission of malaria parasite in the mosquitoes. Differentiation of gametocytes to fertile gametes (gametogenesis) relies on the gender-specific transcriptome. However, how the parasites establish distinct repertoire of gene transcription in the male and female gametocytes remains largely unknown. Here, we report that an Apetala2 (AP2) family transcription factor (TF) AP2-O3 operates as a transcription repressor regulating female gametocyte transcriptome. AP2-O3 is specifically localized in the nucleus of the female gametocytes. AP2-O3-deficient parasites produce apparently normal female gametocytes, which fail to differentiate to fully fertile female gametes, leading to developmental arrest in fertilization and early development post-fertilization. AP2-O3 disruption causes massive up-regulation of transcriptionally dormant male genes and simultaneously down-regulation of highly transcribed female genes in female gametocytes. ChIP-seq and EMSA analysis establish AP2-O3 as a transcription repressor that targets a significant proportion of the upregulated male genes by recognizing an eight-base DNA motif in the promoters. In addition, the maternal AP2-O3 is removed after fertilization, which is required for the zygote to ookinete development. These results demonstrate that global transcriptional repression of male genes in the female gametocytes is required for safeguarding female-specific transcriptome and essential for the mosquito transmission of Plasmodium.
Project description:Male and female gametocytes are sexual precursor cells essential for transmission of malaria parasite in the mosquitoes. Differentiation of gametocytes to fertile gametes (gametogenesis) relies on the gender-specific transcriptome. However, how the parasites establish distinct repertoire of gene transcription in the male and female gametocytes remains largely unknown. Here, we report that an Apetala2 (AP2) family transcription factor (TF) AP2-O3 operates as a transcription repressor regulating female gametocyte transcriptome. AP2-O3 is specifically localized in the nucleus of the female gametocytes. AP2-O3-deficient parasites produce apparently normal female gametocytes, which fail to differentiate to fully fertile female gametes, leading to developmental arrest in fertilization and early development post-fertilization. AP2-O3 disruption causes massive up-regulation of transcriptionally dormant male genes and simultaneously down-regulation of highly transcribed female genes in female gametocytes. ChIP-seq and EMSA analysis establish AP2-O3 as a transcription repressor that targets a significant proportion of the upregulated male genes by recognizing an eight-base DNA motif in the promoters. In addition, the maternal AP2-O3 is removed after fertilization, which is required for the zygote to ookinete development. These results demonstrate that global transcriptional repression of male genes in the female gametocytes is required for safeguarding female-specific transcriptome and essential for the mosquito transmission of Plasmodium.
Project description:Malaria gametocytes, the precursors of gametes, is the stage essential for malaria transmission to the mosquito vector. In the circulation they arise from asexual erythrocytic stages and then develop into mature females and males. Identification of sex-specific transcription factors is a key to understand biology of this stage. However, despite of intensive studies, none of them have been identified yet. In this paper we report an AP2 family transcription factor AP2-FG is responsible for female-specific gene expression.