A single valine to leucine switch disrupts <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> AP2-G DNA binding and reveals GDV1's role in <i>ap2-g</i> activation.

ABSTRACT: Sexual commitment in Plasmodium parasites is essential for malaria transmission, yet much remains unknown about the underlying signaling events initiating sexual conversion in a subpopulation of parasites. We discovered a single valine (V₂₁₆₃) to leucine (L₂₁₆₃) mutation in an Apetala 2 (AP2) transcription factor required for P. falciparum gametocytogenesis, ap2-g that abrogates sexual differentiation and confirmed this with forward and reverse mutation editing. Mutated AP2-G.L₂₁₆₃ does not bind the ap2-g consensus motif, GnGTAC, or stimulate AP2-G-dependent gene transcription including autoregulation. We then used AP2-G.L₂₁₆₃ parasite lines as tools to demonstrate the critical role of GDV1 in the initial activation of

SUBMITTER: Prajapati SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12190761 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature