Transcription Factor 25 Modulates Gametocytogenesis in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum [RNA-Seq]
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Plasmodium falciparum
PROVIDER: GSE298805 | GEO | 2025/08/20
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:This study elucidates the role of TCF25 as a transcriptional regulator orchestrating sexual conversion in Plasmodium falciparum. Through generation of isogenic tcf25_ko parasite lines, we performed comparative transcriptomic analysis of synchronized ring-stage and schizont-stage parasites (WT vs knockout). Our data demonstrate that tcf25 deletion causes significant dysregulation of both gametocytogenesis-associated genes and antigenic variation gene families. TCF25 directly binds a sexual conversion regulator ap2-g4. These results indicate TCF25 as an essential upstream regulator of malaria parasite sexual development and potential transmission-blocking target.
2025-08-20 | GSE298804 | GEO
Project description:A genome-wide expression analysis was undertaken to identify novel genes specifically activated from early stages of gametocytogenesis in Plasmodium falciparum. A comparative analysis was conducted on sexually induced cultures of reference parasite clone 3D7 and its gametocyteless derivative clone F12. Competitive hybridisations on long-oligomer microarrays representing 4488 P. falciparum genes identified a remarkably small number of transcripts differentially produced in the two clones. Upregulation of the mRNAs for the early gametocyte markers Pfs16 and Pfg27 was however readily detected in 3D7, and such genes were used as reference transcripts in a comparative time course analysis of 3D7 and F12 parasites between 30 and 40 h post-invasion in cultures induced to enter gametocytogenesis. One hundred and seventeen genes had expression profiles which correlated to those of pfs16 and pfg27, and Northern blot analysis and published proteomic data identified those whose expression was gametocyte-specific. Immunofluorescence analysis with antibodies against two of these gene products identified two novel parasite membrane associated, sexual stage-specific proteins. One was produced from stage I gametocytes and the second showed peak production in stage II gametocytes. The two proteins were named Pfpeg-3 and Pfpeg-4, for P. falciparum proteins of early gametocytes.
2007-09-26 | E-MEXP-1250 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Malaria is spread by the transmission of sexual stage parasites, called gametocytes. However, with Plasmodium falciparum, gametocytes can only be detected in peripheral blood when they are mature and transmissible to a mosquito, which complicates control efforts. Here, we identify the set of genes overexpressed in patient blood samples with high levels of gametocyte-committed ring stage parasites. Expression of all 18 genes was regulated by transcription factor AP2-G, which is required for gametocytogenesis. We selected three genes, not expressed in mature gametocytes, to develop as biomarkers. All three biomarkers were validated in vitro using 6 different parasite lines and an algorithm developed that predicted gametocyte production in ex vivo samples and volunteer infection studies. The biomarkers were also sensitive enough to monitor gametocyte production in asymptomatic P. falciparum carriers allowing early detection and treatment of infectious reservoirs, as well as the in vivo analysis of factors that modulate sexual conversion.
2020-09-25 | GSE152536 | GEO
Project description:We demonstrate that Protein Phosphatase PfPPM2 regulates both asexual and sexual development of human malaria parasite P. falciparum. It is involved in the division of the parasite during asexual development and promotes its sexual differentiation. Phosphoproteomics studies revealed that PfPPM2 targets in the parasite include key regulators of protein translation and chromatin remodelling. We demonstrate that it regulates dephosphorylation of S33 of Heterochromatin Protein 1 (HP1), a regulator of heritable gene silencing and contributes to both mitotic proliferation as well as sexual differentiation of the parasite into sexual forms. Detailed investigations revealed that PfPPM2 mediated dephosphorylation of HP1 at S33 is a signal for parasite sexual conversion. HP1- S33 dephosphorylation impairs its interaction with trimethylated form of histone 3 (H3) at lysine 9 (H3K9me3), which is known to stabilize the heterochromatin. As a result, the expression of transcription of ap2g-which is repressed by HP1-H3K9me3-was stimulated resulting in sexual conversion of the parasite. Interestingly, the state of HP1-S33 phosphorylation seems to largely reflect the fate of the parasite-its optimal phosphorylation is important for asexual division whereas it is dephosphorylated form favours sexual differentiation. PfPPM2 also regulates protein synthesis in the parasite by repressing a signaling pathway involved in the phosphorylation of initiation factor eIF2α, which are likely to contribute to parasite division and possibly differentiation.
2025-04-08 | GSE275086 | GEO
Project description:We described the biological role of a putative zinc finger protein (Plasmodb id: PF3D7_1008600), which plays an important role during the initiation and subsequent progression of gametocytogenesis in P. falciparum. Hence we termed the protein P. falciparum Zinc Finger Protein for Gametocytogenesis (PfZnFP-G). During the asexual intraerythrocyic developmental cycle (IDC), PfZnFP-G levels peak during the schizont stage during which it is localized in the nucleus. During the IDC, PfZnFP-G appears to be stochastically expressed in ~3% parasite population. Deactivation of PfZnFP-G appears to suppress, but not fully inhibit, production of gametocytes and vice versa overproduction of PfZnFP-G stimulates gametocytogenesis. In addition, PfZnFP-G is capable of associating with DNA binding preferentially to intergenic, promoter regions of the genome, and this binding correlates positively with transcription, particularly of other gametocyte specific genes. PfZnFP-G is also expressed in the mid-to-late gametocytes where it is present in the cytoplasm. Overall, these results suggest a dual function of PfZnFP-G in gametocytogenesis including: (i) commitment as a transcription factor and (ii) gametocyte maturation as a putative RNA binding protein. Transgenic 3D7 wild type parasite lines were generated with PfZnFP-G tagged, over-expressed and knocked-out. Transcriptional profiles across the parasite life cycle were generated. Genome occupancy of PfZnFP-G were also investigated and compared to the corresponding transcriptional profiles.
2015-11-24 | E-GEOD-75295 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Purpose: this study is to analyze the change of overal transcriptome after disruption of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) in Plasmodium falciparum. Methods: In this study, the transcriptomes of a PfDNMT gene knockout (KO) parasite line with its wildtype control, its complementation (adding back the DNMT expression by episomal expression of DNMT in the DNMT KO parasite), and overexpression (episomal expression of DNMT in the wildtype parasite) were analyzed by RNAseq. Total RNA were harvested from the asexual parasites at three developmental stages (ring, trophozoite, and schizont) using the Quick-RNA MiniPrep kit (Zymo Research). RNA sequencing libraries were prepared using the KAPA stranded RNA-seq library preparation kit (Roche) with 500 ng RNA from each sample. Illumina adapter sequence removal and quality trimming of reads were performed using Trimmomatic. Only reads that had a minimum length of 50 base pairs were retained. Reads were then mapped to the P. falciparum 3D7 strain reference genome with HISAT2. Results: Using an optimized data analysis workflow, we mapped about 5 million sequence reads per sample to the malaria parasite genome (pf3D7_V3.0.) and identified 5712 transcripts with high mapping rate at the range between 80% and 95. PfDNMT KO profoundly disturbed the global transcription pattern,especially at trophozoite stage, causing 1732 (30.3%) genes to be differentially expressed at trophozoite.Complementation restored the expression pattern and overexpression of PfDNMT caused nearly 2000 gene ro be differentially expressed at schizont stage. Conclusions: Collectively, transcriptomic analysis of DNMT KO, complemetation and overexpression shows PfDNMT plays important role in gene regulation.
2023-05-17 | GSE199368 | GEO
Project description:This study is to analyze the chromatin landscape of the active mark H3K9ac, an active mark catalyzed by GCN5, and GCN5 in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum at the schizont stage by both ChIP-seq and CUT&Tag-seq for H3K9ac and CUT&Tag-seq for GCN5.
2025-06-09 | GSE284527 | GEO
Project description:Gametocytogenesis, the process by which malaria parasites produce sexual forms that can infect mosquitoes, is essential for the transmission of malaria. A transcriptional switch of the pfap2-g gene triggers sexual commitment, but how the complex multi-step process is precisely programed remains largely unknown. Here, by systematic functional screening of a panel of ApiAP2 transcription factors, we identify six new apiAP2 members associated with gametocytogenesis in Plasmodium falciparum. Among these, PfAP2-G5 (PF3D7_1139300) was found to be indispensable for gametocytogenesis. This factor suppresses the transcriptional activity of the pfap2-g gene via binding to both the upstream region and exonic gene body, the latter is linked to the maintenance of local heterochromatin structure, thereby preventing initiation of sexual commitment. Removal of this repressive effect through pfap2-g5 knockout disrupts the asexual replication cycle and promotes sexual commitment accompanied by upregulation of pfap2-g expression. However, the gametocytes produced fail to mature fully. Further analyses show that PfAP2-G5 is essential for gametocyte maturation, and causes the down-regulation of pfap2-g and a set of early gametocyte genes activated by PfAP2-G prior to gametocyte development. Collectively, our findings reveal a regulation cascade of gametocyte production in malaria parasites, and provide a new target for transmission blocking interventions.
2021-08-03 | GSE149772 | GEO
Project description:Gametocytogenesis, the process by which malaria parasites produce sexual forms that can infect mosquitoes, is essential for the transmission of malaria. A transcriptional switch of the pfap2-g gene triggers sexual commitment, but how the complex multi-step process is precisely programed remains largely unknown. Here, by systematic functional screening of a panel of ApiAP2 transcription factors, we identify six new apiAP2 members associated with gametocytogenesis in Plasmodium falciparum. Among these, PfAP2-G5 (PF3D7_1139300) was found to be indispensable for gametocytogenesis. This factor suppresses the transcriptional activity of the pfap2-g gene via binding to both the upstream region and exonic gene body, the latter is linked to the maintenance of local heterochromatin structure, thereby preventing initiation of sexual commitment. Removal of this repressive effect through pfap2-g5 knockout disrupts the asexual replication cycle and promotes sexual commitment accompanied by upregulation of pfap2-g expression. However, the gametocytes produced fail to mature fully. Further analyses show that PfAP2-G5 is essential for gametocyte maturation, and causes the down-regulation of pfap2-g and a set of early gametocyte genes activated by PfAP2-G prior to gametocyte development. Collectively, our findings reveal a regulation cascade of gametocyte production in malaria parasites, and provide a new target for transmission blocking interventions.
2021-08-03 | GSE175931 | GEO
Project description:We present highly replicated whole transcriptome gene expression profiles of schizont-stage malaria parasites using RNA-seq analysis of multiple clinical isolates and laboratory-adapted lines Methods: Transcript profiles of schizont-stage laboratory-adapted and clinical malaria parasite isolates were generated by RNA sequencing. Five to ten replicates were sequenced per sample. Illumina stranded TruSeq libraries were sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq. Paired-end fastQ files were aligned using hisat2 and converted to indexed bam files using samtools. Bam files were filtered to exclude reads with MAPQ scores below 60. Reads were counted using SummarizeOverlaps feature of the GenomicAlignments package in R. Differential expression analysis was conducted using DESeq2 in R. qRT–PCR validation of differentially expressed genes was performed using SYBR Green assays for eight genes. Results: We show that increasing sample replication improves the true-positive discovery rate, and that when fewer replicates are available, focussing on the most highly expressed genes maintains the true-positive discovery rate. We identify schizont-stage genes that appear to alter in expression through the process of culture adaptation, as well as genes that show variable expression between isolates. We extend transcript quantitation for variably expressed genes to an even wider panel of ex vivo clinical isolate samples. Conclusions: Our study represents the first detailed analysis of replicated P. falciparum schizont-stage transcriptomes. Our data show that high levels of replication are necessary to capture gene expression differences among parasite isolates. We identify schizont-stage expressed genes that may be differentially expressed as a mechanism of immune evasion.
2018-04-27 | GSE113718 | GEO