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Plasmodium berghei crystalloids contain multiple LCCL proteins

Sadia Saeed1, Victoria Carter, Annie Z Tremp

  • 1Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.

Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology
|November 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Malaria crystalloids, organelles with unknown function, are linked to the Plasmodium LCCL protein family. Two new LCCL proteins also target crystalloids, suggesting a coordinated function in parasite development.

Area of Science:

  • Malariology
  • Parasitology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Malaria crystalloids are unique organelles found in mosquito stages of the malaria parasite.
  • Their function remains unknown.
  • The Plasmodium LCCL protein family, involved in parasite development, was recently linked to crystalloid formation via the PbSR protein.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the localization of other Plasmodium LCCL protein family members.
  • To determine if these proteins also localize to malaria crystalloids.
  • To provide further evidence for a coordinated function of the LCCL protein family.

Main Methods:

  • Fluorescent protein tagging of Plasmodium berghei LCCL family members.
  • Microscopic analysis to determine protein localization within the parasite.

Main Results:

  • Two additional Plasmodium LCCL protein family members were successfully tagged with fluorescent proteins.
  • These tagged proteins were observed to localize to the malaria crystalloids.
  • The localization pattern was similar to that observed for PbSR.

Conclusions:

  • The findings extend the known similarities among Plasmodium LCCL proteins.
  • This supports the hypothesis that LCCL proteins function collectively.
  • It suggests a shared molecular process involving crystalloid targeting in parasite development.

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