An atlas of novel microtubule-associated proteins in the malaria parasite <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i>.

ABSTRACT: Mature gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum exhibit a characteristic falciform shape, which is conferred by a complex array of subpellicular microtubules (SPMTs) associated with the inner membrane complex (IMC). While several microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) have been characterized in the related apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, the identity and function of MAPs in Plasmodium remain poorly understood. Here, we employed proximity-dependent biotinylation (BioID) using PfSPM3, a subpellicular MAP, as a bait in order to identify proteins associated with P. falciparum gametocyte SPMTs. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed 37 high-confidence proteins in the immediate vicinity of PfSPM3 constituting its "proxiome." Using GFP tags on the endog

SUBMITTER: Niedermuller K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12802302 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature