A Candidate Bacterial-Type Amino Acid Decarboxylase Is Essential for Male Gamete Exflagellation and Mosquito Transmission of the Malaria Parasite.

ABSTRACT: A frequent side effect of chemotherapy against malaria parasite blood infections is a dramatic induction of the sexual blood stages, thereby enhancing the risk of future malaria transmissions. The polyamine biosynthesis pathway has been suggested as a candidate target for transmission-blocking anti-malarial drug development. Herein, we describe the role of a bacterial-type amino acid decarboxylase (AAD) in the life cycle of the malaria model parasite Plasmodium yoelii. Hallmarks of AAD include a conserved catalytic lysine residue and high-level homology to arginine/lysine/ornithine decarboxylases of pathogenic bacteria. By targeted gene deletion, we show that AAD plays an essential role in the exflagellation of microgametes, resulting in complete absence of sporozoites in the

SUBMITTER: Kina UY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10353352 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature