Project description:Recent advances in high throughput sequencing methodologies allow the opportunity to probe in depth the transcriptomes of organisms including important human pathogens. In this project, we are using Illumina sequencing technology to analyze the transcriptome (RNA-Seq) of experimentally accessible stages of the mouse malaria parasite, P. chabaudi AS. The aim is to analyse cir gene expression during Plasmodium chabaudi infection and determine whether host genetic background can influence cir expression. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/. Abstract: Transcriptome sequencing of blood stage P. chabaudi AS parasites grown under different host genetic backgrounds.
Project description:Analysis of spleen samples taken throughout the acute phase of infection from mice infected with virulent P. chabaudi CB strain spleen samples collected at 2-day intervals till parasite load were controlled
Project description:Analysis of blood samples taken throughout the acute phase of infection from mice infected with avirulent P. chabaudi AS strain or virulent CB strain The influence of parasite genetic factors on immune responses and development of severe pathology of malaria is largely unknown. In this study, we performed genome-wide transcriptomic profiling of whole blood during blood-stage infections of two strains of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi that differ in virulence. We identified several transcriptomic signatures associated with the virulent infection, including signatures for lung inflammation, stronger and prolonged anemia and platelet aggregation. The latter two signatures were detected prior to pathology. The anemia signature indicated deregulation of host erythropoiesis, and the lung inflammation signature was linked to increased neutrophil infiltration, more cell death and greater parasite sequestration in the lungs. This comparative whole-blood transcriptomics profiling of virulent and avirulent malaria infections shows the validity of this approach to inform severity of malarial infection and provide insight into pathogenic mechanisms.
Project description:The purpose of this research is to identify and evaluate the global gene expression of the rodent malaria parasites Plasmodium yoelii, Plasmodium berghei and Plasmodium chabaudi blood-stage parasites and specifically compare the blood stage gene expression profiles of samples derived from previous studies on Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi
Project description:The goal of this study was to examine whether immune responses to Plasmodium chabaudi infection differ between the sexes and are altered by the presence of gonadal steroids. Gonadally-intact males were more likely than intact females to die following P. chabaudi infection, exhibit slower recovery from infection-associated weight loss, hypothermia, and anemia, have reduced IFNγ-associated gene expression and IFNγ production during peak parasitemia, and produce less antibody during the recovery phase of infection. Gonadectomy of male and female mice altered these sex-associated differences, suggesting that sex steroid hormone, in particular androgens and estrogens, may modulate immune responses to infection. Keywords: Time Course
Project description:The aim of this study is to look at antigenic variation in recrudescent Plasmodium chabaudi infections and to identify the genes, if any, which allow the parasite to avoid the acquired immune response during recrudescence. This has been done in collaboration with Jean Langhorne at NIMR whose group performed the mouse work and extracted the RNA. This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/
