Pleiotropic Roles for the Plasmodium berghei RNA Binding Protein UIS12 in Transmission and Oocyst Maturation.

ABSTRACT: Colonization of the mosquito host by Plasmodium parasites is achieved by sexually differentiated gametocytes. Gametocytogenesis, gamete formation and fertilization are tightly regulated processes, and translational repression is a major regulatory mechanism for stage conversion. Here, we present a characterization of a Plasmodium berghei RNA binding protein, UIS12, that contains two conserved eukaryotic RNA recognition motifs (RRM). Targeted gene deletion resulted in viable parasites that replicate normally during blood infection, but form fewer gametocytes. Upon transmission to Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, both numbers and size of midgut-associated oocysts were reduced and their development stopped at an early time point. As a consequence, no salivary gland sporozo

SUBMITTER: Muller K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7973279 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature