Serpentine receptors (SRs) are transmembrane proteins generally acting as mediators to facilitate the communication between a cell and its environment. At least six putative SR-like proteins are encoded in the genome of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. For two of them, roles in cell stress control were reported; however, for most of the SR-like proteins the functions are not yet known. In this study, we provide a first phenotypic analysis of the plasmodial SR10. The transmembrane protein is expressed in the asexual and sexual blood stages of P. falciparum. Co-localization and co-immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated an association of SR10 with the endoplasmic reticulum protein ERC. Gene disruption of SR10 leads to impaired intraerythrocytic replication and strongly reduces gametocyte numbers. We thus propose that SR10 is a protein associated with the endoplasmic reticulum that has important functions for asexual and sexual blood stage development.
Keywords: Blood stage replication; Endoplasmic reticulum; Gametocyte; Malaria; Plasmodium falciparum; Serpentine receptor; Seven-Helix protein.
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