Potential role of uracil in the antigenic variation of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Plasmodium falciparum
PROVIDER: GSE262467 | GEO | 2025/12/31
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Dataset's files
| Action | DRS | |||
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| Other | ||||
| GSE262467_3d7_merged.MAPQfiltered.IPvsINPUT.bin10bp.log2.bw | Other | |||
| GSE262467_RAW.tar | Raw | |||
| filelist.txt | Txt |
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Project description:Background: The cytoadherence of Plasmodium falciparum is thought to be mediated by variant surface antigens (VSA), encoded by var, rif, stevor and pfmc-2tm genes. The last three families have rarely been studied in the context of cytoadherence. As most VSA genes are unique, the variability among sequences has impeded the functional study of VSA across different P. falciparum strains. However, many P. falciparum genomes have recently been sequenced, allowing the development of specific microarray probes to each VSA gene. Methods: All VSA sequences from the HB3, Dd2 and IT/FCR3 genomes were extracted using HMMer. Oligonucleotide probes were designed with OligoRankPick and added to the 3D7-based microarray chip. As a proof of concept, IT/R29 parasites were selected for and against rosette formation and the transcriptomes of isogenic rosetting and non-rosetting parasites were compared by microarray. Results: From each parasite strain 50-56 var genes, 125-132 rif genes, 26-33 stevor genes and 3-8 pfmc-2tm genes were identified. The ability of the VSA-supplemented microarray chip to detect cytoadherence-related genes was assessed using P. falciparum clone IT/R29, in which rosetting is known to be mediated by PfEMP1 encoded by ITvar9. Whole transcriptome analysis showed that the most highly upregulated gene in rosetting parasites was ITvar9 (19 to 429-fold upregulated over six time points). Only one rif gene (IT4rifA_042) was upregulated by more than 4-fold (5-fold at 12 hours post-invasion), and no stevor or pfmc-2tm genes were upregulated by more than 2-fold. 49 non-VSA genes were upregulated in rosetting parasites by more than 3-fold in at least two time-points, although none as markedly as ITvar9. Conclusions: We demonstrate that the VSA of newly sequenced P. falciparum strains can be added to the 3D7-based microarray chip, allowing the analysis of the entire transcriptome of multiple strains. For the rosetting clone IT/R29, the striking transcriptional upregulation of ITvar9 was confirmed, and the data did not support the involvement of other VSA families in rosette formation.
2011-07-01 | GSE28990 | GEO
Project description:Epigenetic regulation is recognized as a critical mechanism in controlling virulence, differentiation, and survival of the human malaria parasite P. falciparum. Bromodomain proteins contribute to this process by binding to acetylated lysine residues of histones and thereby targeting the gene regulatory machinery to gene promoters. A protein complex containing the bromodomain proteins PfBDP1 and PfBDP2 (BDP1/BDP2 core complex) was shown to play an essential role for the correct transcription of invasion related genes. Here, we performed a functional characterization of a third component of this complex, which we dubbed PfBDP7 (P. falciparum bromodomain protein 7), because structural modelling predicted a typical bromodomain fold. We confirmed that PfBDP7 is a nuclear protein that interacts with PfBDP1 at invasion gene promoters in mature schizont stage parasites and contributes to their transcription. Although partial depletion of PfBDP7 showed no significant effect on parasite viability, conditional knock down of either PfBDP7 or PfBDP1 resulted in the de-repression of variant surface antigens (VSA), which are important pathogenicity factors. This de-repression was evident both on mRNA and protein level. To understand the underlying mechanism, we mapped the genome wide binding sites of PfBDP7 by ChIPseq and showed that in early schizonts, PfBDP7 and PfBDP1 are commonly enriched in heterochromatic regions across the gene body of all VSA families, including genes coding for PfEMP1, RIFIN, Stevor, and PfMC2TM. This suggests that PfBDP7 and PfBDP1 contribute to the silencing of VSAs by associating with heterochromatin. In conclusion, we identified PfBDP7 as a chromatin binding protein that is a constitutive part of the P. falciparum BDP1/BDP2 core complex and identified PfBDP1 and PfBDP7 as novel players in the silencing of heterochromatin regulated virulence gene families of the malaria parasite P. falciparum.
2021-11-09 | GSE186984 | GEO
Project description:Plasmodium falciparum expresses variant surface antigens (VSAs), including PfEMP1, RIFIN, and STEVOR, on the surface of infected red blood cells. These antigens interact with host receptors on vascular endothelial and immune cells, contributing to both parasite pathogenicity and immune evasion. VSAs are encoded by large multigene families, comprising dozens to hundreds of genes located primarily in heterochromatic regions such as subtelomeric domains, which are notoriously refractory to genetic manipulation. In addition, because P. falciparum parasites undergo antigenic variation by randomly switching VSA expression, it is challenging to use parasites that stably express target VSAs for experimental purposes. As a result, functional characterization of these VSAs has been limited, despite their well-established clinical significance. Here, we present a novel method for targeted deletion of subtelomeric regions in P. falciparum chromosomes by combining the heterochromatin-accessible AsCas12a-UL nuclease with telomere healing. Using this approach, we successfully deleted both subtelomeric regions of chromosome 2. Furthermore, we achieved simultaneous removal of up to seven subtelomeric regions using tandemly arrayed crRNAs, with an efficiency exceeding 85%. This method provides a powerful tool for generating VSA-null parasites, facilitating precise genetic dissection of individual VSA gene families and their roles in host–parasite interactions.
2025-05-07 | GSE296188 | GEO
Project description:Background: The cytoadherence of Plasmodium falciparum is thought to be mediated by variant surface antigens (VSA), encoded by var, rif, stevor and pfmc-2tm genes. The last three families have rarely been studied in the context of cytoadherence. As most VSA genes are unique, the variability among sequences has impeded the functional study of VSA across different P. falciparum strains. However, many P. falciparum genomes have recently been sequenced, allowing the development of specific microarray probes to each VSA gene. Methods: All VSA sequences from the HB3, Dd2 and IT/FCR3 genomes were extracted using HMMer. Oligonucleotide probes were designed with OligoRankPick and added to the 3D7-based microarray chip. As a proof of concept, IT/R29 parasites were selected for and against rosette formation and the transcriptomes of isogenic rosetting and non-rosetting parasites were compared by microarray. Results: From each parasite strain 50-56 var genes, 125-132 rif genes, 26-33 stevor genes and 3-8 pfmc-2tm genes were identified. The ability of the VSA-supplemented microarray chip to detect cytoadherence-related genes was assessed using P. falciparum clone IT/R29, in which rosetting is known to be mediated by PfEMP1 encoded by ITvar9. Whole transcriptome analysis showed that the most highly upregulated gene in rosetting parasites was ITvar9 (19 to 429-fold upregulated over six time points). Only one rif gene (IT4rifA_042) was upregulated by more than 4-fold (5-fold at 12 hours post-invasion), and no stevor or pfmc-2tm genes were upregulated by more than 2-fold. 49 non-VSA genes were upregulated in rosetting parasites by more than 3-fold in at least two time-points, although none as markedly as ITvar9. Conclusions: We demonstrate that the VSA of newly sequenced P. falciparum strains can be added to the 3D7-based microarray chip, allowing the analysis of the entire transcriptome of multiple strains. For the rosetting clone IT/R29, the striking transcriptional upregulation of ITvar9 was confirmed, and the data did not support the involvement of other VSA families in rosette formation. Plasmodium falciparum parasites, strain IT/R29, were selected for (R29R+) or against (R29R-) rosetting. Both cultures (R29R+ and R29R-) were tightly synchronised before a timecourse experiment was performed. 6 samples, named time points 1 to 6, were taken every 8 hours. 12μg of RNA from the R29 non-rosetting parasites at each of the 6 time points was combined together to form the reference pool. The pool and 12μg of each individual time point sample from both rosetting and non-rosetting parasites were then used for cDNA synthesis. For microarray hybridizations,each cDNA sample was coupled to Cy5 (red dye) while Cy3 (green dye) was added to the pool. Cy5-labelled time point samples were mixed with the same amount of Cy3-labelled pool sample. The solution was loaded on a microarray slide and hybridized for 14–16 h.
2011-07-01 | E-GEOD-28990 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Uracil DNA glycosylases (UDGs) excise uracil from DNA arising from dUMP misincorporation during replication or from cytosine deamination. Besides functioning in canonical uracil repair, UDGs cooperate with DNA base modifying enzymes to effect mutagenesis or DNA demethylation. Mammalian cells express four UDGs, the functional dissection of which represents a challenge. Here, we used Schizosaccharomyces pombe with only two UDGs, Ung1 and Thp1, as a simpler model to study functional interactions in uracil repair. We show that despite a predominance of Ung1 activity in cell extracts, both UDGs act redundantly against genomic uracil accumulation and mutations from cytosine deamination in cells. Notably, Thp1 but not Ung1-dependent repair is cytotoxic under genomic uracil stress induced by 5-fluorouracil exposure or AID expression. Also, Thp1- but not Ung1-mediated base excision is recombinogenic, accounting for more than 60% of spontaneous mitotic recombination events in a recombination assay. Hence, the qualitative outcome of uracil repair depends on the initiating UDG; while Ung1 shows expected features of a bona-fide DNA repair enzyme, Thp1-initiated repair appears slow and non-productive, implicating a function beyond canonical DNA repair. Given the epigenetic role of mammalian TDGs, we performed transcriptome analyses and identified a possible function of Thp1 in stabilizing gene expression.
2014-12-31 | GSE64585 | GEO
Project description:HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) belong to a new group of chemotherapeutics that are increasingly used to treat B-cell-derived malignancies. Such malignancies regularly carry mutational signatures that conform to off-target induction of uracil by the AID/APOBEC family of cytidine deaminases, or downstream processing of uracil. . HDACi suppress thymidylate synthase increasing the cellular dUTP/dTTP ratio and leading to increased pressure on uracil repair machinery due to misincorporated uracil lesions. To investigate potential effect upon other enzymes involved in genomic uracil induction and processing, Jurkat (T-cell lymphoma) and SUDHL5 (B-cell lymphoma) cells were treated with pan-HDACi SAHA prior to SILAC based MS/MS investigation. HDACi treatment mediated significant differential expression of xx and xx proteins in Jurkat and SUDHL5, respectively, and had a substantial impact upon enzymes involved in in pyrimidine metabolism. Surprisingly, uracil N-glycosylase, UNG, was strongly downregulated by HDACi treatment. Further analysis in HEK and HeLa cells revealed that HDACis induce specific loss of the nuclear isoform UNG2 independent of transcription and cell-cycle alterations. More than 80% of UNG2 is degraded proteasomally after 24 hours treatment with SAHA, MS275, Valproate or Na-butyrate, indicating a universal ability of HDACis to mediate loss of UNG2. Targeted MS/MS analysis in HEK cells against a panel of proteins involved in DNA repair, translesion synthesis and nucleotide metabolism, revealed that UNG2 was the most pronounced differentially expressed among these after HDACi treatment. 48 hour treatment lead to a 30-40% increase in uracil lesions in the nuclear genome of HeLa and HEK cells and MS275 treatment in murine CH12F3 cell line mediated robust UNG2-loss accompanied by reduced class switch recombination. Furthermore, our analysis identified the PCNA-associated factor PAF15 among the downregulated proteins. PAF15 is overexpressed in many cancers and suppress TLS by inducing double monoubiquitinylation of PCNA and recruitment of the replicative polymerases. In summary, our findings demonstrate that HDAC inhibition affects the levels of proteins involved in DNA base excision repair, translesion synthesis and pyrimidine metabolism. These findings are important for a wide range of clinical applications of HDACi, such as in rheumatology, HIV-, and cancer treatment.
2020-04-14 | PXD008293 | Pride
Project description:The P. falciparum genome is equipped with several subtelomeric gene families that are implicated in parasite virulence and immune evasion. The members of these gene families are uniformly positioned within heterochromatic domains of the genome and are thus subject to variegated expression. The best-studied example is that of the var gene family encoding the major parasite virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). Transcriptional regulation of other subtelomeric gene families and their role in parasite biology is much less understood. Here, we investigated the mode of transcriptional control of var, rif, stevor, phist and pfmc-2tm families by comparative genome-wide transcriptional profiling of transgenic parasite lines. Our results establish a clear functional distinction between var and non-var transcriptional control mechanisms. Unlike var promoters, we find that promoters of non-var families are not silenced by default. Moreover, we show that mutually exclusive transcription is unique to the var gene family. 3D7 wild-type parasites were transfected with constructs carrying eight different promoters that drive expression of the drug-selectable marker hdhfr-gfp. Thereof seven promoters are members of the multigene families upsA var, upsB var, upsC var, rif, stevor, phistb and pfmc-2tm. The cam promoter was used as transfection-based control and also a wild-type 3D7 cell line was included as control. These nine cell lines were subjected to genome-wide transcriptional profiling. Parasites were synchronized to obtain an 8 hour growth window and were harvested at four consecutive timepoints (TP): TP1 (6-14 hours post-invasion (hpi)); TP2 (14-22 hpi); TP3 (22-30 hpi); TP4 (30-38 hpi) to monitor intra- and inter-family specific linkage of multigene family expression.
2011-09-01 | E-GEOD-31829 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:The P. falciparum genome is equipped with several subtelomeric gene families that are implicated in parasite virulence and immune evasion. The members of these gene families are uniformly positioned within heterochromatic domains of the genome and are thus subject to variegated expression. The best-studied example is that of the var gene family encoding the major parasite virulence factor P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). Transcriptional regulation of other subtelomeric gene families and their role in parasite biology is much less understood. Here, we investigated the mode of transcriptional control of var, rif, stevor, phist and pfmc-2tm families by comparative genome-wide transcriptional profiling of transgenic parasite lines. Our results establish a clear functional distinction between var and non-var transcriptional control mechanisms. Unlike var promoters, we find that promoters of non-var families are not silenced by default. Moreover, we show that mutually exclusive transcription is unique to the var gene family.
2011-09-02 | GSE31829 | GEO
Project description:Genomic variation is an inherent phenomena observed among members of same species belonging to different geographical locations. In case of P. falciparum, an apicomplexan protozoan parasite, its 22.8 MB nuclear genome is known to display vast genetic diversity in the subtelomeric compartments having but not exclusively variant gene families like var, rifins and stevors and examples in other elements of the genome have recently been documented. Microarrays, relies solely on the genomic sequence information to capture the relevant transcript abundance and needs to consider these variations into account for revealing true transcriptional variation.Here, we describe the designing strategy of a custom P. falciparum 15K array using Agilent platform to study the transcriptome of Indian field isolates for which genome sequence information is limited. Array contains probes representing genome sequence of two distinct geographical isolates (i.e 3D7 and HB3) and subtelomeric var gene sequence of a third isolate (IT4) known to adhere in culture condition. Probes in the array have been selected based on their efficiency to detect transcripts by performing a 244K array experiment representing multiple probes per gene/transcript. Array performance was evaluated and validated using RNA materials from P. falciparum clinical isolates obtained directly from patients with differing clinical conditions due to malaria infection.Due to pre probe screening large percentage (91 %) of the represented transcripts could be detected from Indian P. falciparum isolates. Replicated probes and multiple probes representing the same gene showed perfect correlation between them suggesting good probe performance. Additional transcripts could be detected due to inclusion of unique probes representing HB3 strain transcripts. Variant surface antigen (VSA) transcripts were detected by optimized probes representing the VSA genes of three geographically distinct strains. Plasmodium falciparum isolates were collected from patients (n=13) with differing clinical conditions. The patients exhibited symptoms categorized as uncomplicated (n=6) or complicated malaria (n=7). Criteria for determination of complicated disease were based on World Health Organization year 2000 guidelines. Microarray array based transcriptional profiling was carried out to evaluate the performance of the array.
2016-01-17 | E-GEOD-54253 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Falciparum malaria is clinically heterogeneous and the relative contribution of parasite and host in shaping disease severity remains unclear. We explored the interaction between inflammation and parasite variant surface antigen (VSA) expression, asking whether this relationship underpins the variation observed in controlled human malaria infection (CHMI). We uncovered marked heterogeneity in the host response to blood challenge; some volunteers remained quiescent, others triggered interferon-stimulated inflammation and some showed transcriptional evidence of myeloid cell suppression. Significantly, only inflammatory volunteers experienced hallmark symptoms of malaria. When we tracked temporal changes in parasite VSA expression to ask whether variants associated with severe disease rapidly expand in naive hosts, we found no transcriptional evidence to support this hypothesis. These data indicate that parasite variants that dominate severe malaria do not have an intrinsic growth or survival advantage; instead, they presumably rely upon infection-induced changes in their within-host environment for selection.
2020-12-02 | MTBLS1188 | MetaboLights