Related Experiment Videos
CTRP is essential for mosquito infection by malaria ookinetes
J T Dessens1, A L Beetsma, G Dimopoulos
1Infection and Immunity Section, Department of Biology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
The EMBO Journal
|November 24, 1999
Summary
The malaria parasite
Area of Science:
- Malariology
- Parasitology
- Vector biology
Background:
- The malaria parasite (Plasmodium) undergoes critical developmental stages within the mosquito vector.
- Ookinete invasion of the mosquito midgut epithelium is essential for malaria transmission but poorly understood.
- Identifying molecular interactions during these stages offers targets for malaria control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize key molecules involved in Plasmodium ookinete development and midgut invasion.
- To investigate the role of the novel microneme protein CTRP in parasite infectivity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the rodent malaria model Plasmodium berghei.
- Generated transgenic parasites with a disrupted CTRP gene.
- Analyzed ookinete motility, midgut invasion, immune response elicitation, and oocyst development.
Main Results:
- Disruption of the CTRP gene severely impaired ookinete motility.
- CTRP-deficient parasites failed to invade the mosquito midgut epithelium.
- These parasites did not trigger the mosquito innate immune response and did not develop into oocysts.
- CTRP is the first identified molecule essential for ookinete infectivity.
Conclusions:
- Circumsporozoite- and TRAP-related protein (CTRP) is essential for Plasmodium ookinete infectivity and mosquito transmission.
- CTRP plays a critical role in midgut invasion and immune evasion.
- Targeting CTRP presents a potential strategy for blocking malaria transmission.