Conditional expression of PfAP2-G for controlled massive sexual conversion in Plasmodium falciparum.

ABSTRACT: Malaria transmission requires that some asexual parasites convert into sexual forms termed gametocytes. The initial stages of sexual development, including sexually committed schizonts and sexual rings, remain poorly characterized, mainly because they are morphologically identical to their asexual counterparts and only a small subset of parasites undergo sexual development. Here, we describe a system for controlled sexual conversion in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, based on conditional expression of the PfAP2-G transcription factor. Using this system, ~90 percent of the parasites converted into sexual forms upon induction, enabling the characterization of committed and early sexual stages without further purification. We characterized sexually committed schizonts

SUBMITTER: Llora-Batlle O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7286680 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature