Reporter Lines Based on the Gexp02 Promoter Enable Early Quantification of Sexual Conversion Rates in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2019 Oct 12

PMID 31601834

Citations 21

Authors

Harvie P Portugaliza

Oriol Llora-Batlle

Anna Rosanas-Urgell

Alfred Cortes

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Transmission of malaria parasites from humans to mosquito vectors requires that some asexual parasites differentiate into sexual forms termed gametocytes. The balance between proliferation in the same host and conversion into transmission forms can be altered by the conditions of the environment. The ability to accurately measure the rate of sexual conversion under different conditions is essential for research addressing the mechanisms underlying sexual conversion, and to assess the impact of environmental factors. Here we describe new Plasmodium falciparum transgenic lines with genome-integrated constructs in which a fluorescent reporter is expressed under the control of the promoter of the gexp02 gene. Using these parasite lines, we developed a sexual conversion assay that shortens considerably the time needed for an accurate determination of sexual conversion rates, and dispenses the need to add chemicals to inhibit parasite replication. Furthermore, we demonstrate that gexp02 is expressed specifically in sexual parasites, with expression starting as early as the sexual ring stage, which makes it a candidate marker for circulating sexual rings in epidemiological studies.

Citing Articles

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Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte production correlates with genetic markers of parasite replication but is not influenced by experimental exposure to mosquito biting.

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