Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Understanding the Development of Compensatory Pathways in a Mutant Malaria Parasite Harbouring Hypomorphic Allele of Plant-Like Kinases
09:13

Understanding the Development of Compensatory Pathways in a Mutant Malaria Parasite Harbouring Hypomorphic Allele of Plant-Like Kinases

Published on: November 22, 2024

Structural basis for parasite-specific functions of the divergent profilin of Plasmodium falciparum

Inari Kursula1, Petri Kursula, Markus Ganter

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Oulu, 90570 Oulu, Finland. inari.kursula@oulu.fi

Structure (London, England : 1993)
|November 13, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Malaria parasite profilin, essential for blood stages, has a unique structure. This research reveals its structural basis, aiding understanding of its function in Plasmodium falciparum.

Area of Science:

  • Structural biology
  • Parasitology
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • Profilins regulate actin dynamics, crucial for cell functions.
  • Apicomplexan parasites, including malaria parasites, have unique actin regulators.
  • Understanding these regulators is key to targeting parasite invasion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the crystal structure of Plasmodium falciparum profilin.
  • To elucidate the structural basis of profilin function in malaria parasites.
  • To investigate the essentiality of profilin in parasite invasive stages.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray crystallography was used to determine the structure of Plasmodium falciparum profilin.
  • Complex formation with a polyproline ligand peptide was analyzed.
  • Reverse genetics in Plasmodium berghei models was employed to assess essentiality.

Main Results:

  • The first crystal structure of an apicomplexan profilin was solved.
  • Plasmodium profilin possesses a unique minidomain with a beta-hairpin extension and an acidic loop.
  • Profilin is essential for the invasive blood stages of the malaria parasite.

Conclusions:

  • The unique structure of Plasmodium profilin provides insights into its function.
  • Profilin is a critical factor for malaria parasite survival and invasion.
  • This study lays the groundwork for developing new anti-malarial strategies targeting profilin.

More Related Videos

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum10:22

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum

Published on: December 4, 2015

A Simple Protocol for Platelet-mediated Clumping of Plasmodium falciparum-infected Erythrocytes in a Resource Poor Setting07:27

A Simple Protocol for Platelet-mediated Clumping of Plasmodium falciparum-infected Erythrocytes in a Resource Poor Setting

Published on: May 16, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Malaria01:29

Malaria

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...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation01:39

Mechanism of Filopodia Formation

Filopodia are thin, actin-rich cellular protrusions that play an important role in many fundamental cellular functions. They vary in their occurrence, length, and positioning in different cell types, suggesting their diverse roles.
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...
Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins01:09

Cytoskeletal Linker Proteins - Plakins

Plakins are large proteins with binding domains for microtubules, microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and membrane-associated protein complexes at cell junctions. Plakin functions are evolutionarily conserved and are primarily involved in organizing the different components of the cytoskeleton by crosslinking them to each other and connecting them to the cell-matrix and cell adhesion complexes. They are also known to interact with signal transducers, serve as scaffolds for signaling...
Anthelminthic Agents01:15

Anthelminthic Agents

Anthelmintic drugs differ significantly from antiparasitic therapies targeting protozoa, primarily due to differences in parasite biology. Whereas most protozoal treatments act on proliferating cells, anthelmintics are typically directed against mature, nonproliferative helminths. The therapeutic approach considers the helminth's reliance on neuromuscular coordination, glucose metabolism, and microtubular integrity for survival, reproduction, and localization within the host. Most anthelmintics...
Overview of Protists01:27

Overview of Protists

Protists are diverse eukaryotic microorganisms that lack the specialized tissues of plants and animals and the chitinous cell walls of fungi. Their early divergence within Eukarya resulted in structural, functional, and ecological diversity. They are classified into supergroups such as Archaeplastida, Excavata, Amoebozoa, Rhizaria, Alveolata, and Stramenopiles, determined through genetic analysis and structural similarities.Structural and Functional AdaptationsProtists have various adaptations...