Journal article
The transcriptome of circulating sexually committed Plasmodium falciparum ring stage parasites forecasts malaria transmission potential
Surendra K Prajapati, Ruth Ayanful-Torgby, Zuleima Pava, Michelle C Barbeau, Festus K Acquah, Elizabeth Cudjoe, Courage Kakaney, Jones A Amponsah, Evans Obboh, Anwar E Ahmed, Benjamin K Abuaku, James S McCarthy, Linda E Amoah, Kim C Williamson
Nature Communications | Nature Research | Published : 2020
Abstract
Malaria is spread by the transmission of sexual stage parasites, called gametocytes. However, with Plasmodium falciparum, gametocytes can only be detected in peripheral blood when they are mature and transmissible to a mosquito, which complicates control efforts. Here, we identify the set of genes overexpressed in patient blood samples with high levels of gametocyte-committed ring stage parasites. Expression of all 18 genes is regulated by transcription factor AP2-G, which is required for gametocytogenesis. We select three genes, not expressed in mature gametocytes, to develop as biomarkers. All three biomarkers we validate in vitro using 6 different parasite lines and develop an algorithm t..
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Grants
Awarded by Public Health Service grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Awarded by Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
Funding Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all the volunteers who participated in this study, Prof. Manuel Llinas for sharing gametocyte-inducible line (E5.ap2-g.dd), Katharine Collins, and others involved in the VIS study, and Joerg Mohrle from Medicines for Malaria for support. We thank Medicines for Malaria Venture for their support and permission to use the trial data. This investigation received financial support from Public Health Service grants AI069314 and AI103638 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and intramural research funds from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, USA (KCW) and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Program grants 1037304 and Fellowship 1135955 (JSM). The volunteer infection studies were funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University or the Department of Defense.