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Updated: May 21, 2026
Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum
Published on: December 4, 2015
Comparison of the absolute and relative efficiencies of electroporation-based transfection protocols for Plasmodium
Sandra Hasenkamp1, Karen T Russell, Paul Horrocks
1Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK.
Background:
Several electroporation protocols exist to transfect exogenous DNA into Plasmodium falciparum. To date, however, only a subjective analysis of their relative efficiencies has been reported.
Methods:
A time-course of luciferase reporter expression is used to provide an objective quantitative analysis of the absolute efficiency of three electroporation techniques; direct electroporation of ring stage infected erythrocytes, preloading of erythrocytes and a novel "double-tap" protocol that combines both approaches.
Results:
Preloading of erythrocytes shows a mean efficiency of 9.59 x 10(-6), some 5-180 fold more efficient than matched experiments utilizing the "double-tap" and direct electroporation of ring stage infected erythrocytes alone, respectively.
Conclusion:
Evidence presented here provides the first quantitative assessment of both the absolute and relative efficiencies of a key molecular tool used to study the biology and pathogenesis of this important human pathogen.
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