Plasmodium falciparum Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 4 is Critical for Male Gametogenesis and Transmission to the Mosquito Vector.

ABSTRACT: Gametocytes of the malaria parasite Plasmodium are taken up by the mosquito vector with an infectious blood meal, representing a critical stage for parasite transmission. Calcium-independent protein kinases (CDPKs) play key roles in calcium-mediated signaling across the complex life cycle of the parasite. We sought to understand their role in human parasite transmission from the host to the mosquito vector and thus investigated the role of the human-infective parasite Plasmodium falciparum CDPK4 in the parasite life cycle. P. falciparum cdpk4^- parasites created by targeted gene deletion showed no effect in blood stage development or gametocyte development. However, cdpk4^- parasites showed a severe defect in male gametogenesis and the emergence of

SUBMITTER: Kumar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8561384 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature