Plasmodium berghei Gamete Egress Protein is required for fertility of both genders

PBANKA_1115200, which we named Gamete Egress Protein (GEP), is a gametocyte protein found only in malaria parasites. GEP partly localizes to osmophilic bodies. A mutant lacking this protein showed aberrant rupture of the parasitophorous vacuole and the red blood cell membranes. Axonemes of the male flagellar gametesgep( ‐) were not motile. AbstractMale and femalePlasmodium gametocytes ingested by theAnopheles mosquitoes during a blood meal egress from the red blood cells by rupturing the two surrounding membranes, the parasitophorous vacuole and the red blood cell membranes. Proteins of the so ‐called osmiophilic bodies, (OBs), secretory organelles resident in the cytoplasm, are important players in this process. Once gametes emerge, the female is ready to be fertilized while the male develops into motile flagellar gametes. Here, we describe the function(s) of PBANKA_1115200, which we n amed Gamete Egress Protein (GEP), a protein specific to malaria parasites. GEP is restricted to gametocytes, expressed in gametocytes of both genders and partly localizes to the OBs. A mutant lacking the protein shows aberrant rupture of the two surrounding membranes, while OBs discharge is delayed but not aborted. Moreover, we identified a second function of GEP during exflagellation since the axonemes of the male flagellar gametes were not motile. Genetic crossing experiments reveal that both genders are unable to establish infections in mosquitoes and thus the lack of GEP leads to a com...
Source: MicrobiologyOpen - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research