Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Wenjie Xu, Xuan Zhang, Hualiang Chen, Jiaqi Zhang, Qiaoyi Lu, Wei Ruan, Xiaoxiao Wang
Summary: This study investigated the molecular marker distributions of k13, Pfcrt, and Pfmdr1 genes in Plasmodium falciparum parasites imported from central Africa to Zhejiang Province, China between 2016 and 2021. The results showed geographical and temporal variations in the polymorphisms of these genes. This data provides updated evidence for adjusting anti-malarial drug policies in central Africa and China.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ghyslaine Bruna Djeunang Dongho, Karthigayan Gunalan, Mariangela L'Episcopia, Giacomo Maria Paganotti, Michela Menegon, Rose Efeutmecheh Sangong, Bouting Mayaka Georges, Joseph Fondop, Carlo Severini, Martin Sanou Sobze, Louis H. Miller, Gianluca Russo
Summary: Unusually high numbers of P. vivax infections were found in Duffy-negative Africans in Dschang, Cameroon, compared with other areas in Cameroon. This raises questions about the reasons behind this difference and the factors contributing to P. vivax infections in Duffy-negative individuals.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Franziska Hentzschel, Matthew P. Gibbins, Charalampos Attipa, Dario Beraldi, Christopher A. Moxon, Thomas D. Otto, Matthias Marti
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of rodent P. berghei infection using flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing. The researchers identified CD71 as a host receptor for reticulocyte invasion and found that parasites adapt metabolically to the host cell environment. Transcriptional analysis and functional assays revealed the importance of nutrient-dependent tropism for gametocyte formation in reticulocytes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tsubasa Nishi, Naoaki Shinzawa, Masao Yuda, Shiroh Iwanaga
Summary: The study improved the CRISPR/Cas9 system by combining Cas9-expressing parasite with a liner donor template, achieving high efficiency in site-directed mutagenesis and fusion of proteins. The improved system successfully avoided technical issues present in the current CRISPR/Cas9 system and enabled modification of genes on different chromosomes in a single transfection.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Aissata Barry, Shehu S. Awandu, Alfred B. Tiono, Lynn Grignard, Teun Bousema, Katharine A. Collins
Summary: The detectability of Plasmodium falciparum clones was evaluated in incident and chronic infections in naturally exposed children. The results showed that multiple day sampling provided more accurate detection of infection clones. Incidences of infection had lower clone numbers but higher complexity in early stages.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Angela Fan, Phillip P. Sharp
Summary: Inhibiting eukaryotic protein translation with small molecules is effective for targeting highly proliferative cells and certain viruses. Recent studies have shown that specific small molecules can reduce cytotoxicity and expand the therapeutic opportunities for translation inhibitors.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biology
Julien Martinez, Alicia Showering, Catherine Oke, Robert T. Jones, James G. Logan
Summary: Mosquito-borne diseases pose a major threat to global health, and eradicating them through vector control methods remains challenging. The speed at which mosquitoes bite humans is a key factor in disease transmission, while biological factors such as body odor, genetics, and parasite infection influence mosquitoes' attractiveness to humans. Addressing these issues will help improve current tools and drive the development of future interventions.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
J. J. David Ho, Jonathan H. Schatz, Jim Uniacke, Stephen Lee
Summary: Global translational remodeling is a key mechanism for biological adaptation, where oxygen deficiency triggers a specific translational architecture to reorganize the translatome independently of mRNA fluctuations, shifting away from the traditional dominance of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcriptional program.
TRENDS IN BIOCHEMICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yassamine Lazrek, Celia Florimond, Beatrice Volney, Manon Discours, Emilie Mosnier, Sandrine Houze, Stephane Pelleau, Lise Musset
Summary: Molecular detection methods show higher sensitivity and specificity for malaria diagnosis compared to microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests. A multiplex real-time PCR assay was implemented and validated in this study to detect and identify the five human malaria parasites according to ISO 15,189 requirements. The PCR method exhibited excellent sensitivity and specificity, with detection limits varying for each parasite species.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eloise Bertiaux, Aurelia C. Balestra, Lorene Bournonville, Vincent Louvel, Bohumil Maco, Dominique Soldati-Favre, Mathieu Brochet, Paul Guichard, Virginie Hamel
Summary: The study demonstrates that ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) can reveal detailed organization of nanoscale cytoskeleton in Plasmodium parasites, and shows that a divergent and considerably reduced form of the conoid is actually conserved in Plasmodium species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joy Y. Yang, Wenwen Fang, Fabiola Miranda-Sanchez, Julia M. Brown, Kathryn M. Kauffman, Chantel M. Acevero, David P. Bartel, Martin F. Polz, Libusha Kelly
Summary: Viruses under selective pressure to maintain compact genomes depend on host cell translational machinery for reproduction, but some encode abundant tRNA and other translation-related genes to optimize for codon usage differences between virus and host. Research shows that carrying 18 tRNAs may convey selective advantages to a T4-like Vibriophage, suggesting that the main driver behind phage tRNA acquisition is to sustain translation as host machinery degrades, resulting in a dynamically adapted codon usage strategy during infection.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jody E. Phelan, Anna Turkiewicz, Emilia Manko, Joseph Thorpe, Leen N. Vanheer, Marga van de Vegte-Bolmer, Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc, Nguyen Thi Huong Binh, Nguyen Quang Thieu, Jesse Gitaka, Debbie Nolder, Khalid B. Beshir, Jamille G. Dombrowski, Silvia Maria Di Santi, Teun Bousema, Colin J. Sutherland, Susana Campino, Taane G. Clark
Summary: Malaria-Profiler is a tool that can rapidly and accurately predict the geographical regional source and anti-malarial drug resistance profiles across large numbers of samples with whole genome sequencing data. It has the potential to be integrated into point-of-care and surveillance settings, assisting in malaria control.
Article
Plant Sciences
Seungmin Son, Jong Hee Im, Giha Song, Sang Ryeol Park
Summary: The study demonstrates that OsSnRK1A and AtSnRK1.1 maintain energy homeostasis by suppressing protein translation, without affecting the transcription levels and stability of encoded proteins.
Article
Microbiology
Manuela Carrasquilla, Ndey F. Drammeh, Mukul Rawat, Theo Sanderson, Zenon Zenonos, Julian C. Rayner, Marcus C. S. Lee
Summary: The study presents a scalable method to assess parasite fitness and drug response using CRISPR editing and barcode sequencing. By inserting unique DNA barcodes into a safe-harbor genomic locus, multiple parasite strains were tagged and their dynamics were tracked using next-generation sequencing. The results revealed inherent fitness differences between the strains and sensitive modulation of responses to clinically relevant antimalarials, including artemisinin. This high-throughput approach provides a scalable solution for tracking parasite growth in complex mixtures.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tony Triglia, Stephen W. Scally, Benjamin A. Seager, Michal Pasternak, Laura F. Dagley, Alan F. Cowman
Summary: The authors characterized the function of the aspartic protease PMX and its role in activating the PCRCR complex, which is involved in erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum. This study provides important insights into the essential role of PMX and the fine regulation of PCRCR function in P. falciparum biology.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Timo Reiss, Thiago F. de A. Rosa, Katharina Blaesius, Rebecca P. Bobbert, Peter F. Zipfel, Christine Skerka, Gabriele Pradel
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Cell Biology
Ansgar Flammersfeld, Atscharah Panyot, Yoshiki Yamaryo-Botte, Philipp Aurass, Jude M. Przyborski, Antje Flieger, Cyrille Botte, Gabriele Pradel
CELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Letter
Immunology
Timo Reiss, Hannah I. Theis, Andres Gonzalez-Delgado, Joel Vega-Rodriguez, Peter F. Zipfel, Christine Skerka, Gabriele Pradel
Summary: The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum binds plasminogen during intraerythrocytic stages and converts it into plasmin to inactivate parasite-bound C3b, evading complement attack and promoting survival in human blood.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sandra Bennink, Gabriele Pradel
Summary: Malaria parasites require rupturing the red blood cell membrane to escape intracellularly and continue their life cycle. Specialized secretory vesicles are involved in triggering membrane rupture and aiding in the discharge from the red blood cell.
MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Che Julius Ngwa, Afia Farrukh, Gabriele Pradel
Summary: Zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) are a diverse family of proteins important in various cellular processes. The Plasmodium falciparum genome encodes 170 putative ZFPs, with C2H2, CCCH, RING finger, and PHD finger subfamilies being most represented. Known functions of ZFPs include the regulation of mRNA metabolism and proteostasis.
CELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Borja Hanhsen, Afia Farrukh, Gabriele Pradel, Che Julius Ngwa
Summary: This study characterized the CCCH zinc finger protein ZNF4 in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and found that it plays a crucial role in male gametocyte exflagellation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abeer H. Elmaidomy, Eman Maher Zahran, Raya Soltane, Ahlam Alasiri, Hani Saber, Che Julius Ngwa, Gabriele Pradel, Faisal Alsenani, Ahmed M. Sayed, Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen
Summary: Compound 2 from the green seaweed Halimeda macroloba exhibits potential antimalarial activity and strongly binds to cytochrome-C enzyme, making it a promising lead compound for the development of new antimalarial agents.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Noha M. M. Gamaleldin, Hebatallah S. S. Bahr, Yaser A. A. Mostafa, Bryant F. F. McAllister, Amr El Zawily, Che J. J. Ngwa, Gabriele Pradel, Hossam M. M. Hassan, Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen, Dalal Hussien M. Alkhalifah, Wael N. N. Hozzein
Summary: This study described the actinomycetes associated with Red Sea soft coral and their potential as antimalarial agents. The extract derived from the ISP2 media showed the best antimalarial activity, while LC-HRMS metabolomics identified a range of alkaloids from the genus Rhodococcus. The docking analysis predicted the potential compounds that could be the source of the antimalarial potential.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juliane Sassmannshausen, Sandra Bennink, Ute Distler, Juliane Kuechenhoff, Allen M. M. Minns, Scott E. E. Lindner, Paul-Christian Burda, Stefan Tenzer, Tim W. W. Gilberger, Gabriele Pradel
Summary: Transmission of malaria parasites to the mosquito is mediated by sexual precursor cells called gametocytes. These gametocytes undergo egress from the enveloping erythrocyte in the mosquito midgut, and egress is facilitated by the release of two types of vesicles - osmiophilic bodies (OBs) and P-EVs (perforin-like protein 2-containing vesicles). The OBs are responsible for rupturing the membrane of the parasitophorous vacuole (PV), while the P-EVs are involved in erythrocyte lysis. This study provides insight into the complex molecular machinery involved in the egress process of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes.
MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)