Article
Infectious Diseases
Issaka Sagara, Sara A. Healy, Mahamadoun H. Assadou, Mamady Kone, Bruce J. Swihart, Jennifer L. Kwan, Jonathan Fintzi, Kourane Sissoko, Bourama Kamate, Yacouba Samake, Merepen A. Guindo, M'Bouye Doucoure, Karamoko Niare, Amagana Dolo, Balla Diarra, Kelly M. Rausch, David L. Narum, David S. Jones, Nicholas J. Macdonald, Daming Zhu, J. Patrick Gorres, Alemush Imeru, Rathy Mohan, Ismaila Thera, Irfan Zaidi, Fernando Salazar-Miralles, Junhui Duan, Jillian Neal, Robert D. Morrison, Olga Muratova, Daman Sylla, Elise M. O'Connell, Yimin Wu, Jen C. C. Hume, Mamadou B. Coulibaly, Charles F. Anderson, Sekou F. Traore, Ogobara K. Doumbo, Patrick E. Duffy
Summary: The Pfs230D1 vaccine induces durable serum functional activity in Malian adults, suggesting its potential effectiveness in malaria prevention.
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Lei Xu, Shanshan Jiang, Jin Wu, Quan Zou
Summary: Exploring the function of proteins in protein-nucleic acid interactions is important for understanding related biological events and predicting these interactions. Establishing databases by collecting and identifying protein sequence information helps in predicting protein function, leading to improved prediction accuracy.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wenqi Feng, Hongwanjun Zhang, Yang Cao, Cheng Yang, Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid, Qingqing Yang, Wanchen Li, Yingge Wang, Fengling Fu, Haoqiang Yu
Summary: This study identified and classified 19 ZmPum genes in maize and found that they exhibit diversity in gene and protein architectures, physicochemical properties, and expression patterns. The research also revealed the involvement of ZmPum genes in kernel development, with certain genes showing significantly high expression levels during seed development. These findings provide valuable information for understanding the functions of ZmPum genes and offer insights for improving maize yield.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laty G. Thiam, Prince B. Nyarko, Kwadwo A. Kusi, Makhtar Niang, Yaw Aniweh, Gordon A. Awandare
Summary: There are significant differences in invasion efficiency among different blood donors, but invasion efficiency is not correlated with susceptibility to enzyme treatment or with the levels of selected erythrocyte surface receptors. Additionally, no relationship was found between P. falciparum invasion phenotype and blood group or hemoglobin genotype.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sean Yanik, Varsha Venkatesh, Michelle L. Parker, Raghavendran Ramaswamy, Ababacar Diouf, Deepti Sarkar, Kazutoyo Miura, Carole A. Long, Martin J. Boulanger, Prakash Srinivasan
Summary: This study investigates the interaction mechanism between Plasmodium falciparum and human erythrocytes, and finds that the chimeric antigen, in which the AMA1 DII loop is replaced by RON2L, has better neutralizing effect against vaccine-type parasites and enhanced neutralizing effect against non-vaccine type parasites, holding promise for developing an effective and strain-transcending malaria vaccine.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Brittany N. Araj, Bruce Swihart, Robert Morrison, Patricia Gonzales Hurtado, Andrew Teo, Almahamoudou Mahamar, Oumar Attaher, Bacary S. Diarra, Santara Gaoussou, Djibrilla Issiaka, Alassane Dicko, Patrick E. Duffy, Michal Fried
Summary: The study utilized proteomic analyses of PfEMP1 from clinical parasite isolates collected from Malian children to identify targets of immunity. Peptide-specific antibody responses in children were examined, and it was found that high antibody levels to specific PfEMP1 domains correlated with decreased parasite burden in future infections. These findings suggest that certain PfEMP1 domains play a role in protective immunity against malaria.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Siying Xiang, Minsong Gao, Jie Cao, Xiao Shu, Mohan Cheng, Fengqin Wang, Ting Deng, Jianzhao Liu
Summary: The method utilizes allyl-substituted methyltransferase cofactor to label a specific base in an RNA substrate, enabling precise identification of the labeling site using mutation signals from standard nucleic acid sequencing. It provides a platform for studying enzymatic methylations in long and complex RNA substrates, as well as facilitating the discovery of new methyltransferases.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Marc A. Schureck, Joseph E. Darling, Alan Merk, Jinfeng Shao, Geervani Daggupati, Prakash Srinivasan, Paul Dominic B. Olinares, Michael P. Rout, Brian T. Chait, Kurt Wollenberg, Sriram Subramaniam, Sanjay A. Desai
Summary: Malaria parasites use the RhopH complex for erythrocyte invasion and nutrient uptake, with the complex integrating into the erythrocyte membrane through a PTEX translocon-dependent process after transferring to a new host cell. The complex is tightly assembled with extensive disulfide bonding and predicted transmembrane helices, poised for large-scale rearrangements for host membrane insertion.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Sara A. Healy, Charles Anderson, Bruce J. Swihart, Agnes Mwakingwe, Erin E. Gabriel, Hope Decederfelt, Charlotte Hobbs, Kelly M. Rausch, Daming Zhu, Olga Muratova, Raul Herrera, Puthupparampil Scaria, Nicholas J. MacDonald, Lynn E. Lambert, Irfan Zaidi, Camila H. Coelho, Jonathan P. Renn, Yimin Wu, David L. Narum, Patrick E. Duffy
Summary: In this study, the vaccine candidate Pfs230D1-EPA induced stronger serum functional activity in rhesus monkeys and US adults compared to Pfs25, with complement-dependency noted. This suggests that Pfs230D1 may be more suitable for advancing transmission-blocking vaccines for malaria eradication.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Justin Nicholas, Sai Lata De, Pongsakorn Thawornpan, Awtum M. Brashear, Surendra Kumar Kolli, Pradeep Annamalai Subramani, Samantha J. Barnes, Liwang Cui, Patchanee Chootong, Francis Babila Ntumngia, John H. Adams
Summary: This study identified potential pre-erythrocytic vaccine candidates for Plasmodium vivax. The selected antigens showed immunogenicity in mice and positive reactivity with serum antibodies from P. vivax-exposed individuals. Additionally, the vaccine immune antisera demonstrated significant inhibition of P. vivax sporozoite invasion and liver stage development.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biology
J. Stephan Wichers, Gerry Tonkin-Hill, Thorsten Thye, Ralf Krumkamp, Benno Kreuels, Jan Strauss, Heidrun von Thien, Judith A. M. Scholz, Helle Smedegaard Hansson, Rasmus Weisel Jensen, Louise Turner, Freia-Raphaella Lorenz, Anna Schollhorn, Iris Bruchhaus, Egbert Tannich, Rolf Fendel, Thomas D. Otto, Thomas Lavstsen, Tim W. Gilberger, Michael F. Duffy, Anna Bachmann
Summary: The study found that parasite with PfEMP1 variants that bind to the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) were associated with severe malaria, while those binding to CD36 were linked to non-severe outcomes. First-time infected adults are more likely to develop severe symptoms, indicating that certain pathogenic PfEMP1 variants are more common in patients with naive immune systems.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Jessica Poole, Lauren E. Hartley-Tassell, Christopher J. Day, Danielle Stanisic, Penny L. Groves, Sumana Chakravarty, B. Kim Lee Sim, Stephen L. Hoffman, Joe Tiralongo, Nicolai Bovin, Denise L. Doolan, Michael P. Jennings
Summary: The transmission of Plasmodium spp. sporozoites to the mammalian host is crucial for the development of malaria, yet the exact route of transmission and the host glycan structures involved are not fully understood. By analyzing the glycan structures recognized and bound by sporozoites from P. falciparum and P. yoelii, this study identified key host glycan structures for human and rodent Plasmodium spp. sporozoites. Understanding how these sporozoites interact with specific glycan structures could offer insight into the infectious disease and aid in the development of effective therapeutics.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kohei Hamanaka, Daisuke Yamauchi, Eriko Koshimizu, Kei Watase, Kaoru Mogushi, Kinya Ishikawa, Hidehiro Mizusawa, Naomi Tsuchida, Yuri Uchiyama, Atsushi Fujita, Kazuharu Misawa, Takeshi Mizuguchi, Satoko Miyatake, Naomichi Matsumoto
Summary: This study constructed a comprehensive catalog of tandem repeats regulating gene splicing, with a total of 58,290 significant associations across 49 tissues. Regression models suggested that some tandem repeats directly modulate splicing. The catalog also identified two tandem repeats associated with repeat expansion diseases.
Article
Oncology
Yang Wang, Wenyan Cheng, Yvyin Zhang, Yuliang Zhang, Tengfei Sun, Yongmei Zhu, Wei Yin, Jianan Zhang, Jianfeng Li, Yang Shen
Summary: 23 (4.84%) small sequence variants of IKZF1 were identified in 475 newly diagnosed AML (non-M3) patients. Based on RNA sequencing, three classes of IKZF1-related AML were defined, including 9 patients (39.13%) with IKZF1 N159S mutations, 10 (43.47%) with CEBPA mutations and 4 others (17.39%). IKZF1 N159S may define a unique subgroup with higher HOXA/B expression and native B-cell immune fractions. Gene expression data of multiple knock-in cell lines indicate that the lymphocyte differentiation-related MME and CD44 kept high expression in IKZF1 N159Y but were downregulated in N159S. CUT&TAG sequencing showed that IKZF1 N159S reshaped the binding profiles of IKZF1. Integration analysis suggested that the pathogenesis of IKZF1 N159S may depend on the deregulation of several cofactors, such as oncogenic MYC and CPNE7 targets. In conclusion, we dissected the molecular spectrum and clinical features of IKZF1-related AML, which may promote an in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis, lineage susceptibility, and clinical research of AML.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jessica Molina-Franky, David Fernando Plaza, Carmen Merali, Salim Merali, Carlos Barrero, Gabriela Arevalo-Pinzon, Manuel Elkin Patarroyo, Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
Summary: The successful invasion of red blood cells by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum heavily relies on specific receptor-ligand interactions, which can be elucidated through synthetic peptide affinity capture assays. Identifying host receptors is crucial for understanding the parasite's biology and developing potential therapeutic options. In this study, interactions between PfRH5 and basigin were confirmed, offering a novel approach to studying malaria pathogenesis and identifying therapeutic targets.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Elvin J. Lauron, Han Xian Aw Yeang, Samantha M. Taffner, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
Article
Parasitology
Jenny S. Carlson, Erika Walther, Rebecca TroutFryxell, Sarah Staley, Lisa A. Tell, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal, Christopher M. Barker, Anthony J. Cornel
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2015)
Review
Ecology
Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2015)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alfonso Marzal, Luz Garcia-Longoria, Jorge M. Cardenas Callirgos, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2015)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Elvin J. Lauron, Khouanchy S. Oakgrove, Lisa A. Tell, Kevin Biskar, Scott W. Roy, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
Article
Parasitology
Elvin J. Lauron, Claire Loiseau, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Greg S. Spicer, Thomas B. Smith, Martim Melo, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
Article
Parasitology
Erika L. Walther, Gediminas Valkiunas, Angie D. Gonzalez, Nubia E. Matta, Robert E. Ricklefs, Anthony Cornel, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2014)
Article
Ecology
Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2019)
Article
Parasitology
Adrienne M. Mackenzie, Megan Dudenhoeffer, Berit Bangoura, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal, Lisa A. Tell, Braden L. Godwin, Holly B. Ernest
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidians in Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. The results showed that different types of haemosporidians were detected in the blood samples of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, providing important information for understanding haemosporidian infections in hummingbirds in North America.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Tierra C. Groff, Teresa J. Lorenz, Tatjana A. Iezhova, Gediminas Valkiunas, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
Summary: We described a new Leucocytozoon species, Leucocytozoon polynuclearisn. sp., found in two North American woodpeckers. This study analyzed the morphology of the parasite in its blood stages and a portion of its mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The distinctive features of L. polynuclearisn. sp. include triangular-shaped host cell nuclei and the position of host cell nuclei above the gametocytes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that L. polynuclearisn. sp. is more closely related to other North American Leucocytozoon species than to the only other Leucocytozoon species found in Picidae birds, Leucocytozoon squamatus Nandi, 1986. The distribution data suggests that L. polynuclearisn. sp. infects woodpeckers throughout North America, while L. squamatus is restricted to Old World Piciformes birds.
SYSTEMATIC PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Foncha David Forfuet, Marie Paul Audrey Mayi, Jerome Fru-Cho, Cyril Kowo, Damian Nota Anong, Andongma Esack Fonda, Charlene Djomo, Timoleon Tchuinkam, Katherine K. Brisco, Ravinder Sehgal, Anthony John Cornel
Summary: This study investigated the biology of an afrotropical rainforest mosquito Eretmapodites and evaluated different trapping methods. The results showed that net traps, bamboo pots, and sweep nets are efficient in collecting high abundance of forest mosquitoes.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Wilmer Amaya-Mejia, Molly Dodge, Brett Morris, John P. Dumbacher, Ravinder N. M. Sehgal
Summary: The island archipelagos of Papua New Guinea provide a unique ecological framework for studying haemosporidian parasite differentiation and geographic structure. The diverse avifauna of these islands have been found to harbor a wide range of avian blood parasites. This study identified 40 new lineages of haemosporidians, including a previously undescribed genus in the region, and revealed heterogeneous patterns of parasite diversity and host specificity across different islands.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Faith De Amaral, Robert E. Wilson, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Ravinder Sehgal
Summary: This study provides the first comparative assessment of avian haemosporidia distribution of Arctic Alaska with subarctic host populations for four species of grouse and three species of ptarmigan. Results showed a high overall prevalence of at least one haemospordian genus, with spruce grouse showing the highest prevalence. Different parasite lineages were found in different bird species and different tissues, highlighting the importance of considering methodological factors in parasite diversity assessments.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kevin B. Yang, Maria Cameranesi, Manjunath Gowder, Criseyda Martinez, Yosef Shamovsky, Vitaliy Epshtein, Zhitai Hao, Thao Nguyen, Eric Nirenstein, Ilya Shamovsky, Aviram Rasouly, Evgeny Nudler
Summary: Using multiplex genome engineering, a collection of RNA polymerase mutants spanning the entire rifampicin binding site was generated and characterized. Mutations in certain regions were found to enhance or disrupt rifampicin binding, and some mutations prolonged antibiotic binding, converting rifampicin into a bactericidal drug. Other mutations were identified to increase the speed of RNA polymerase.
Article
Ornithology
M. A. Jasper, J. M. Hull, A. C. Hull, R. N. M. Sehgal
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2014)