Revisiting the initial steps of sexual development in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Human to vector transmission of malaria requires that some blood-stage parasites abandon asexual growth and convert into non-replicating sexual forms called gametocytes. The initial steps of gametocytogenesis remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we study this part of the malaria life cycle in Plasmodium falciparum using PfAP2-G, the master regulator of sexual conversion, as a marker of commitment. We demonstrate the existence of PfAP2-G-positive sexually committed parasite stages that precede the previously known committed schizont stage. We also found that sexual conversion can occur by two different routes: the previously described route in which PfAP2-G-expressing parasites complete a replicative cycle as committed forms before converting into gametocytes upon re-invasion, or a direct route with conversion within the same cycle as initial PfAP2-G expression. The latter route is linked to early PfAP2-G expression in ring stages. Reanalysis of published single-cell RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data confirmed the presence of both routes. Consistent with these results, using plaque assays we observed that, in contrast to the prevailing model, many schizonts produced mixed plaques containing both asexual parasites and gametocytes. Altogether, our results reveal unexpected features of the initial steps of sexual development and extend the current view of this part of the malaria life cycle.

publication date

  • November 26, 2018

Research

keywords

  • Life Cycle Stages
  • Plasmodium falciparum
  • Sexual Development

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC6294672

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85057311814

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1038/s41564-018-0291-7

PubMed ID

  • 30478286

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 4

issue

  • 1