A suitable RNA preparation methodology for whole transcriptome shotgun sequencing harvested from Plasmodium vivax-infected patients

Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 3;11(1):5089. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-84607-w.

Abstract

Plasmodium vivax is a world-threatening human malaria parasite, whose biology remains elusive. The unavailability of in vitro culture, and the difficulties in getting a high number of pure parasites makes RNA isolation in quantity and quality a challenge. Here, a methodological outline for RNA-seq from P. vivax isolates with low parasitemia is presented, combining parasite maturation and enrichment with efficient RNA extraction, yielding ~ 100 pg.µL-1 of RNA, suitable for SMART-Seq Ultra-Low Input RNA library and Illumina sequencing. Unbiased coding transcriptome of ~ 4 M reads was achieved for four patient isolates with ~ 51% of transcripts mapped to the P. vivax P01 reference genome, presenting heterogeneous profiles of expression among individual isolates. Amongst the most transcribed genes in all isolates, a parasite-staged mixed repertoire of conserved parasite metabolic, membrane and exported proteins was observed. Still, a quarter of transcribed genes remain functionally uncharacterized. In parallel, a P. falciparum Brazilian isolate was also analyzed and 57% of its transcripts mapped against IT genome. Comparison of transcriptomes of the two species revealed a common trophozoite-staged expression profile, with several homologous genes being expressed. Collectively, these results will positively impact vivax research improving knowledge of P. vivax biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Genes, Protozoan
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / diagnosis
  • Malaria, Falciparum / epidemiology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Malaria, Vivax / diagnosis*
  • Malaria, Vivax / epidemiology
  • Malaria, Vivax / parasitology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parasitemia
  • Plasmodium falciparum / genetics
  • Plasmodium falciparum / isolation & purification
  • Plasmodium vivax / genetics*
  • Plasmodium vivax / isolation & purification
  • RNA, Protozoan / genetics*
  • RNA, Protozoan / isolation & purification*
  • RNA-Seq / methods*
  • Transcriptome*

Substances

  • RNA, Protozoan