Plasmodium falciparum GPCR-like receptor SR25 mediates extracellular K⁺ sensing coupled to Ca²⁺ signaling and stress survival.

ABSTRACT: The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is exposed, during its development, to major changes of ionic composition in its surrounding medium. We demonstrate that the P. falciparum serpentine-like receptor PfSR25 is a monovalent cation sensor capable of modulating Ca²⁺ signaling in the parasites. Changing from high (140 mM) to low (5.4 mM) KCl concentration triggers [Ca²⁺]_cyt increase in isolated parasites and this Ca²⁺ rise is blocked either by phospholipase C (PLC) inhibition or by depleting the parasite's internal Ca²⁺ pools. This response persists even in the absence of free extracellular Ca²⁺ and cannot be elicited by addition of Na⁺, Mg²⁺ or Ca²⁺. However, when the PfSR25 gene was dele

SUBMITTER: Moraes MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5573319 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature