Molecular basis of synchronous replication of malaria parasites in the blood stage

Benedito M Dos Santos; Pedro Hs Pereira; Célia Rs Garcia

doi:10.1016/j.mib.2021.08.002

Molecular basis of synchronous replication of malaria parasites in the blood stage

Curr Opin Microbiol. 2021 Oct:63:210-215. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.08.002. Epub 2021 Aug 21.

Authors

Benedito M Dos Santos¹, Pedro Hs Pereira¹, Célia Rs Garcia²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Antimalarial Discovery, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-000, São Paulo, Brazil.
² Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Antimalarial Discovery, Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-000, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: cgarcia@usp.br.

PMID: 34428626
DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.08.002

Abstract

The search for host factors that leads to malaria parasite synchronization has been the focus of several laboratories. The host hormone melatonin synchronizes Plasmodium falciparum in culture by increasing the number of mature parasite stages through a PLC-IP3 activation. Melatonin signaling is linked to crosstalk between Ca²⁺-cAMP that results in PKA activation. Two other kinases, PfPK7 and PfeIK1, and the nuclear protein PfMORC that lacks melatonin sensitivity in the inducible knock-down parasites are also identified as part of the hormone-signal transduction pathways. Melatonin also modulates P. falciparum mitochondrial fission genes FIS1, DYN1, and DYN2 in a stage-specific manner. How these multiple molecular mechanisms are orchestrated to lead to parasite synchronization is a fascinating and opened biological question.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Erythrocytes
Malaria, Falciparum*
Melatonin*
Parasites*
Plasmodium falciparum / genetics

Substances

Melatonin