A protease cascade regulates release of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum from host red blood cells.

ABSTRACT: Malaria parasites replicate within a parasitophorous vacuole in red blood cells (RBCs). Progeny merozoites egress upon rupture of first the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM), then poration and rupture of the RBC membrane (RBCM). Egress is protease-dependent ¹ , but none of the effector molecules that mediate membrane rupture have been identified and it is unknown how sequential rupture of the two membranes is controlled. Minutes before egress, the parasite serine protease SUB1 is discharged into the parasitophorous vacuole^2-6 where it cleaves multiple substrates^2,5,7-9 including SERA6, a putative cysteine protease^10-12. Here, we show that Plasmodium falciparum parasites lacking SUB1 undergo none of the morphological transformations that prec

SUBMITTER: Thomas JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6089347 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature