biostudies-literatureXu RNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaDivision of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)1774https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10899652biostudies-literatureUnknown15(1)Mutations in a Plasmodium de-ubiquitinase UBP1 have been linked to antimalarial drug resistance. However, the UBP1-mediated drug-resistant mechanism remains unknown. Through drug selection, genetic mapping, allelic exchange, and functional characterization, here we show that simultaneous mutations of two amino acids (I1560N and P2874T) in the Plasmodium yoelii UBP1 can mediate high-level resistance to mefloquine, lumefantrine, and piperaquine. Mechanistically, the double mutations are shown to impair UBP1 cytoplasmic aggregation and de-ubiquitinating activity, leading to increased ubiquitination levels and altered protein localization, from the parasite digestive vacuole to the plasma membrane, of the P. yoelii multidrug resistance transporter 1 (MDR1). The MDR1 on the plasma membrane enhaNature communicationsDeaggregation of mutant Plasmodium yoelii de-ubiquitinase UBP1 alters MDR1 localization to confer multidrug resistance.PMC1089965282072302Yao LLi JGuo YXu RSu XZLiu SYuan JZhang YShang XWang XJiao ZWang YLin LDeng XLiang RfalseDeaggregation of mutant Plasmodium yoelii de-ubiquitinase UBP1 alters MDR1 localization to confer multidrug resistance.Mutations in a Plasmodium de-ubiquitinase UBP1 have been linked to antimalarial drug resistance. However, the UBP1-mediated drug-resistant mechanism remains unknown. Through drug selection, genetic mapping, allelic exchange, and functional characterization, here we show that simultaneous mutations of two amino acids (I1560N and P2874T) in the Plasmodium yoelii UBP1 can mediate high-level resistance to mefloquine, lumefantrine, and piperaquine. Mechanistically, the double mutations are shown to impair UBP1 cytoplasmic aggregation and de-ubiquitinating activity, leading to increased ubiquitination levels and altered protein localization, from the parasite digestive vacuole to the plasma membrane, of the P. yoelii multidrug resistance transporter 1 (MDR1). The MDR1 on the plasma membrane enha2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Feb2026-07-14T23:59:47.466Z2025-05-18T12:53:13.557ZS-EPMC108996523841356610.1038/s41467-024-46006-3