Mitochondrial RNA polymerase is an essential enzyme in erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum.

ABSTRACT: We have shown that transgenic Plasmodium falciparum parasites expressing the yeast DHODH (dihydroorotate dehydrogenase) are independent of the mtETC (mitochondrial electron transport chain), suggesting that they might not need the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA), since it only encodes three protein subunits belonging to the mtETC and fragmentary ribosomal RNA molecules. Disrupting the mitochondrial RNA polymerase (mtRNAP), which is critical for mtDNA replication and transcription, might then cause the generation of a ρ(0) parasite line lacking mtDNA. We made multiple attempts to disrupt the mtRNAP gene by double crossover recombination methods in parasite lines expressing yDHODH either episomally or integrated in the genome, but were unable to produce the desired knockout. We verified that th

SUBMITTER: Ke H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3433233 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature