Featured
-
-
Article
| Open Access
Multiple pathways for glucose phosphate transport and utilization support growth of Cryptosporidium parvum
The parasite Cryptosporidium has a reduced genome and is dependent on glycolysis for energy production. Here, Xu et al demonstrate that multiple pathways and glucose transporters exist in this organism which are essential for growth and facilitate energy acquisition and utilization.
- Rui Xu
- , Wandy L. Beatty
- & L. David Sibley
-
Article
| Open Access
The vacuolar iron transporter mediates iron detoxification in Toxoplasma gondii
Iron is essential to cells, however without correct storage can lead to cell damage. Aghabi et al. show that the vacuolar iron transporter (VIT) is required for iron storage in the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. They find VIT protects against iron toxicity and has a role in parasite virulence.
- Dana Aghabi
- , Megan Sloan
- & Clare R. Harding
-
Article
| Open Access
The Toxoplasma micropore mediates endocytosis for selective nutrient salvage from host cell compartments
Toxoplasma gondii acquires host cytosolic materials, yet the mechanism remains unknown. Wan et al. reveal the micropore as an essential organelle at the plasma membrane for endocytosis of host cytosolic proteins and biotin, and Golgi ceramide.
- Wenyan Wan
- , Hui Dong
- & Shaojun Long
-
Article
| Open Access
In vitro maturation of Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites in human myotubes and their metabolomic characterization
Bradyzoites are a quiescent form of Toxoplasma gondii enclosed in cysts during chronic infections. Here, Christiansen et al. develop a human myotube-based in vitro culture model of cysts that are infectious to mice and characterize their metabolism in comparison to fast replicating tachyzoites.
- Céline Christiansen
- , Deborah Maus
- & Martin Blume
-
Article
| Open Access
A plastid two-pore channel essential for inter-organelle communication and growth of Toxoplasma gondii
Two-pore channels (TPCs) are cation channels that localize to acidic organelles to regulate Ca2+ dependent events. Here, Li et al. characterize a TPC from Toxoplasma gondii(TgTPC) that localizes to the apicoplast, is critical for maintaining its integrity and relevant for Ca2+ uptake from the ER through stabilizing inter-organelle contact.
- Zhu-Hong Li
- , Thayer P. King
- & Silvia N. J. Moreno
-
Article
| Open Access
The apicoplast link to fever-survival and artemisinin-resistance in the malaria parasite
Repeating fever is a hallmark of malaria. Here, a large-scale forward genetic screen in malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum identifies genes associated with parasite tolerance to host fever, including apicoplast targeted isoprenoid biosynthesis—sharing features with artemisinin resistance.
- Min Zhang
- , Chengqi Wang
- & John H. Adams
-
Article
| Open Access
The natural function of the malaria parasite’s chloroquine resistance transporter
Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT) mediates multidrug resistance, but its natural function remains unclear. Here, Shafik et al. show that PfCRT transports host-derived peptides of 4-11 residues but not other ions or metabolites, and that drug-resistance-conferring PfCRT mutants have reduced peptide transport.
- Sarah H. Shafik
- , Simon A. Cobbold
- & Rowena E. Martin
-
Article
| Open Access
Cationic amino acid transporters play key roles in the survival and transmission of apicomplexan parasites
Apicomplexans are parasites that use membrane transporters to scavenge essential nutrients from the host. Here the authors identify and characterize two apicomplexans transporters showing that these are crucial for cationic amino acid uptake, parasite survival and virulence.
- Esther Rajendran
- , Sanduni V. Hapuarachchi
- & Giel G. van Dooren
-
Article
| Open Access
Oxidative insult can induce malaria-protective trait of sickle and fetal erythrocytes
Carriers of haemoglobinopathies are protected from severe malaria, likely due to reduced surface expression of virulence factors. Here, Cyrklaff et al. show that, similar to haemoglobinopathies, a transient oxidative insult affects actin reorganization and mitigates the development of cerebral malaria in mice.
- Marek Cyrklaff
- , Sirikamol Srismith
- & Michael Lanzer
-
Article
| Open Access
Infected erythrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles alter vascular function via regulatory Ago2-miRNA complexes in malaria
Inflammatory response to malaria pathogen Plasmodium falciparumcan be triggered by infected red blood cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). This study shows these EVs contain functional microRNA-Argonaute 2 complex that modulates gene expression and alter vascular barrier properties.
- Pierre-Yves Mantel
- , Daisy Hjelmqvist
- & Matthias Marti
-
Article
| Open Access
An essential malaria protein defines the architecture of blood-stage and transmission-stage parasites
Blood-stage malaria parasites replicate through a specialised type of cell division known as schizogony. Here, Absalon et al. identify a parasite protein that is essential during schizogony for cytokinesis and formation of the inner membrane complex, the structural scaffold of daughter parasites.
- Sabrina Absalon
- , Jonathan A. Robbins
- & Jeffrey D. Dvorin
-
Article
| Open Access
A vacuolar iron-transporter homologue acts as a detoxifier in Plasmodium
Iron is an essential nutrient but, in high concentrations, it is also toxic to cells. Here, Slavic et al. identify an iron transporter in malaria parasites that plays a major role in iron detoxification and is required for the parasite’s normal development.
- Ksenija Slavic
- , Sanjeev Krishna
- & Maria M. Mota
-
Article |
A lactate and formate transporter in the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum
Malaria parasites generate metabolic energy through anaerobic glycolysis, yielding lactate that is then secreted out of the parasite cell by an unknown transporter. Here, Marchetti et al. identify and characterize a transporter that may be carrying out such a function in Plasmodium.
- Rosa V. Marchetti
- , Adele M. Lehane
- & Kiaran Kirk
-
Article |
A female gametocyte-specific ABC transporter plays a role in lipid metabolism in the malaria parasite
Production of male and female forms of the malaria parasite in an infected person is crucial for transmission of the disease. Here, Tran et al.show that an ABC transporter protein of the parasite, expressed in the female cells, modulates lipid accumulation and formation of sexual cells.
- Phuong N. Tran
- , Simon H. J. Brown
- & Alexander G. Maier
-
Article |
A sugar phosphatase regulates the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway in malaria parasites
The malaria parasite uses the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway to synthesize crucial isoprenoid metabolites. Here the authors identify and characterize a sugar phosphatase that regulates the MEP pathway by indirectly regulating the levels of isoprenoid precursors.
- Ann M. Guggisberg
- , Jooyoung Park
- & Audrey R. Odom
-
Article |
Centrin3 in trypanosomes maintains the stability of a flagellar inner-arm dynein for cell motility
Beating flagella are essential for the locomotion of Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of human sleeping sickness. Here, Wei et al. identify a role for one of five centrin proteins, TbCentrin3, in stabilizing the assembly of a dynein motor essential for flagellar motility.
- Ying Wei
- , Huiqing Hu
- & Ziyin Li
-
Article |
Essential regulation of cell bioenergetics in Trypanosoma brucei by the mitochondrial calcium uniporter
The mitochondrial calcium uniporter supports oxidative phosphorylation in mammals; however, it is also present in blood-stage trypanosomes, which lack a functional respiratory chain. Huang et al. show that the mitochondrial calcium uniporter is essential for blood-stage survival and metabolism in Trypanosoma brucei.
- Guozhong Huang
- , Anibal E. Vercesi
- & Roberto Docampo
The transcription factor AP2XI-2 is a key negative regulator of Toxoplasma gondii merogony