Mapping Plasmodium transitions and interactions in the Anopheles female.

ABSTRACT: The human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, relies exclusively on Anopheles mosquitoes for transmission. Once ingested during blood feeding, most parasites die in the mosquito midgut lumen or during epithelium traversal¹. How surviving ookinetes interact with midgut cells and form oocysts remains poorly understood, yet these steps are essential to initiate a remarkable growth process culminating in the production of thousands of infectious sporozoites². Here, using single-cell RNA sequencing of both parasites and mosquito cells across different developmental stages and metabolic conditions, we unveil key transitions and mosquito-parasite interactions that occur in the midgut. Functional analyses uncover processes that regulate oocyst growth and identify the Pla

SUBMITTER: Yan Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12695668 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature