Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
10:22
Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum
Published on: December 4, 2015
Plasmodium gene regulation: far more to factor in
Manuel Llinás1, Kirk W Deitsch, Till S Voss
1Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, 246 Carl Icahn Laboratory, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. mllinas@princeton.edu
Trends in Parasitology
|October 22, 2008
Summary
Researchers have uncovered new insights into malaria parasite gene expression and development. Advances in technology and biochemistry shed light on transcriptional regulation beyond antigenic variation, aiding parasite development.
Area of Science:
- Malariology
- Molecular Parasitology
- Gene Regulation
Background:
- Gene expression in malaria parasites, particularly var genes, is crucial for antigenic variation and immune evasion.
- Transcriptional regulation of other Plasmodium genes during development remains poorly understood due to a lack of identified regulators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of transcriptional regulation in Plasmodium parasites beyond antigenic variation.
- To understand how transcriptional regulation coordinates stage-specific parasite development.
Main Methods:
- Integration of traditional biochemistry with novel technological innovations.
- Analysis of gene expression patterns and regulatory mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Advances have clarified the function of transcriptional regulation in controlling gene expression.
- Understanding has increased regarding the coordination of stage-specific parasite development.
Conclusions:
- Transcriptional regulation plays a vital role in both antigenic variation and the coordinated development of the malaria parasite.
- New technological approaches are enhancing our understanding of Plasmodium gene regulation.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Malaria
Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...
01:17Gene Regulation During Sporulation
Sporulation is a complex developmental process that allows certain Gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis and Clostridium species, to survive extreme environmental conditions. This process is tightly regulated by a series of signaling cascades and transcriptional controls, ensuring the formation of a highly resistant endospore.Sporulation is triggered by unfavorable conditions, such as nutrient depletion, and is governed by a phosphorelay system. One of the sensor kinases, such as...
00:58Symbiosis
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
02:33Combinatorial Gene Control
Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
01:30General Transcription Factors
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...