Revisiting the Effect of Pharmaceuticals on Transmission Stage Formation in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

ABSTRACT: Malaria parasites rely on specialized stages, called gametocytes, to ensure human-to-human transmission. The formation of these sexual precursor cells is initiated by commitment of blood stage parasites to the sexual differentiation pathway. Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent of six parasite species infecting humans, employs nutrient sensing to control the rate at which sexual commitment is initiated, and the presence of stress-inducing factors, including antimalarial drugs, has been linked to increased gametocyte production in vitro and in vivo. These observations suggest that therapeutic interventions may promote gametocytogenesis and malaria transmission. Here, we engineered a P. falciparum reporter line to quantify sexual commitment rates after exposur

SUBMITTER: Thommen BT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8873190 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature