Malaria parasite LIMP protein regulates sporozoite gliding motility and infectivity in mosquito and mammalian hosts

ELife
Jorge M SantosGunnar R Mair

Abstract

Gliding motility allows malaria parasites to migrate and invade tissues and cells in different hosts. It requires parasite surface proteins to provide attachment to host cells and extracellular matrices. Here, we identify the Plasmodium protein LIMP (the name refers to a gliding phenotype in the sporozoite arising from epitope tagging of the endogenous protein) as a key regulator for adhesion during gliding motility in the rodent malaria model P. berghei. Transcribed in gametocytes, LIMP is translated in the ookinete from maternal mRNA, and later in the sporozoite. The absence of LIMP reduces initial mosquito infection by 50%, impedes salivary gland invasion 10-fold, and causes a complete absence of liver invasion as mutants fail to attach to host cells. GFP tagging of LIMP caused a limping defect during movement with reduced speed and transient curvature changes of the parasite. LIMP is an essential motility and invasion factor necessary for malaria transmission.

References

Sep 13, 1988·Journal of Immunological Methods·L RéniaD Mazier
Feb 1, 1996·Journal of Molecular Graphics·W HumphreyK Schulten
Mar 21, 1998·Experimental Parasitology·A L BeetsmaW M Eling
Nov 24, 1999·The EMBO Journal·J T DessensR E Sinden
Mar 1, 2000·Trends in Biochemical Sciences·C CombetG Deléage
Apr 11, 2001·Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology·M M MotaV Nussenzweig
May 22, 2002·The Journal of Experimental Medicine·Tohru KariuYasuo Chinzei
Jun 28, 2003·Molecular Microbiology·Johannes T DessensRobert E Sinden
Dec 12, 2003·Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology·Joon Mo MyungPhotini Sinnis
Dec 17, 2003·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Olivier SilvieDominique Mazier
Jul 29, 2004·Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology·Blandine Franke-FayardChris J Janse
Nov 3, 2004·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Kimie KadotaMasao Yuda
Mar 9, 2005·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Fabien BrossierSinisa Urban
Aug 17, 2005·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Melissa R van DijkChris J Janse
Oct 26, 2005·Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology·Chris J JanseAndrew P Waters
Aug 5, 2006·Science·Gunnar R MairAndrew P Waters
Oct 17, 2006·Nature Reviews. Microbiology·Miguel PrudêncioMaria M Mota
Mar 6, 2007·PLoS Pathogens·J Dale RaineRobert E Sinden
Jun 29, 2007·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Photini SinnisRobert J Linhardt

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 6, 2018·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Nicole KilianChoukri Ben Mamoun
Dec 27, 2019·PLoS Pathogens·Kelly T Rios, Scott E Lindner
Feb 9, 2020·Journal of Cell Science·Catherine A MoreauFriedrich Frischknecht
Jun 20, 2020·Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics·Vidushi Sharma, Sharad Wakode
Sep 14, 2019·Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics·Bhavya Somalapura GangadharappaTeja Priya Vardhineni
Jul 28, 2018·Scientific Reports·Jessica KehrerFriedrich Frischknecht
May 1, 2021·PLoS Computational Biology·Lisette Meerstein-KesselMartijn A Huynen

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
electron microscopy
gene knock-out
genotyping
PCR
pLIS0079
FACS
motility assay
transgenic
co-immunoprecipitation
motility assays

Software Mentioned

ClustalW
tleap
AMBER
ImageJ
AxioVision
Prism
CPPTRAJ
Schrödinger
PyMOL
PMEMD

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antimalarial Agents (ASM)

Antimalarial agents, also known as antimalarials, are designed to prevent or cure malaria. Discover the latest research on antimalarial agents here.

Antimalarial Agents

Antimalarial agents, also known as antimalarials, are designed to prevent or cure malaria. Discover the latest research on antimalarial agents here.