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The G9a histone methyltransferase inhibitor BIX-01294 modulates gene expression during gametocyte development and transmission

ABSTRACT: Transmission of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum from the human to the mosquito is initiated by sexual precursor cells, the gametocytes. Gametocytes are formed in response to stress signals and following up-take by a blood-feeding Anopheles mosquito initiate sexual reproduction. Gametocytes need to fine tune their gene expression in order to develop inside the mosquito to continue life-cycle progression. Previously we showed that post-translational histone acetylation controls gene expression during gametocyte development and transmission. However, the role of histone methylation remains poorly understood. We here use the histone G9a methyltransferase inhibitor BIX-01294 to investigate the role of histone methylation in regulating gene expression in gametocytes. Growth assays demonstrated that BIX-01294 inhibits intraerythrocytic replication with an IC50 of 13.0 nM. Furthermore, BIX-01294 significantly impairs gametocyte maturation and reduces the formation of gametes and zygotes. Comparative transcriptomics between BIX-01294-treated and untreated immature, mature and activated gametocytes demonstrated greater than 1.5-fold deregulation of over 359 genes. The majority of these genes are transcriptionally down-regulated in the activated gametocytes and could be assigned to transcription, translation, and signaling indicating a contribution of histone methylations in mediating gametogenesis. Our combined data shows that inhibitors of histone methylation may serve as a multi-stage antimalarials.

ORGANISM(S): Plasmodium falciparum

PROVIDER: GSE136008 | GEO | 2019/11/25

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:During intra-erythrocytic development, late asexually replicating Plasmodium falciparum parasites sequester from peripheral circulation. This facilitates chronic infection and is linked to severe disease and organ-specific pathology including cerebral and placental malaria. Immature gametocytes M-bM-^@M-^S sexual stage precursor cells M-bM-^@M-^S likewise disappear from circulation. Recent work has demonstrated that these sexual stage parasites are located in the hematopoietic system of the bone marrow before mature gametocytes are released into the blood stream to facilitate mosquito transmission. However, as sequestration occurs only in vivo and not during in vitro culture, the mechanisms by which it is regulated and enacted (particularly by the gametocyte stage) remain poorly understood. We generated the most comprehensive P. falciparum functional gene network to date by integrating global transcriptional data from a large set of asexual and sexual in vitro samples, patient-derived in vivo samples, and a new set of in vitro samples profiling sexual commitment. We defined more than 250 functional modules (clusters) of genes that are co-expressed primarily during the intra-erythrocytic parasite cycle, including 35 during sexual commitment and gametocyte development. Comparing the in vivo and in vitro datasets allowed us, for the first time, to map the time point of asexual parasite sequestration in patients to 22 hours post invasion, confirming previous in vitro observations on the dynamics of host cell modification and cytoadherence. Moreover, we were able to define the properties of gametocyte sequestration, demonstrating the presence of two circulating gametocyte populations: gametocyte rings between 0 and ~30 hours post invasion and mature gametocytes after around 7 days post invasion. We used 164/TdTom, a transgenic parasite line expressing a red fluorescent protein reporter under a gametocyte-specific promoter to generate schizont samples. Schizonts were subsequently isolated from both the fluorescent and non-fluorescent population by FACS and prepared for microarray analysis. Two biological replicates were produced for both the fluorescent and the non-fluorescent samples.

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The G9a histone methyltransferase inhibitor BIX-01294 modulates gene expression during gametocyte development and transmission

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