Multi-user equipment approved in grant 15/19316-3: flow cytometer

• Grant number: 18/12589-2
• Support Opportunities: Multi-user Equipment Program
• Start date: August 01, 2018
• End date: July 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Mauro Ferreira de Azevedo
• Grantee: Mauro Ferreira de Azevedo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/19316-3 - Regulation of P. falciparum egress from the host cell: identification of new targets, AP.JP
• EMU web page: https://www.unifesp.br/campus/san7/pesquisa/equipamentos-
• Type of equipment: Processos Biológicos - Caracterização - Contagem células (inclui citômetros)
• Manufacturer: Merck
• Model: Guava easyCyte 5 System

Abstract

Despite successful efforts for its control, malaria is still a major public health problem in Brazil and in the World. The genome sequencing of several Plasmodium species as well as high through put transcriptomic and proteomic studies have allowed a better understanding about the parasite biology and its interaction with the host. In addition, thousands of compounds that inhibit parasite development and/or proliferation during in vitro cell culture have been identified, although the targets of most of them remain unknown. In a significantly lower scale, reverse genetics has allowed determining which genes encode for essential proteins for certain parasite stages and eventually to elucidate their function. Transgenic parasite lines have also been applied in the identification of compounds with anti-parasite effect and eventually in getting clues about their targets. In this project, new conditions for conditional gene expression will be evaluated in order to provide lower leakage and thus better regulation of the genes of interest. Parasite transgenic lines that are conditional knockout for protein kinases G or calcium-dependent protein kinase 5, which also express the super bright reporter Nano-Luciferase in the parasitophorous vacuole or in the red blood cell cytosol, will be applied to investigate the role of these kinases in regulating egress and to identify other molecules required for the process. The targets of potential new anti-malarial compounds will be investigated regarding their inhibitory effect on aspects of parasite biology such as protein secretion and export, invasion and egress from the host cell and the function of the new permeation pathway. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

VERDAGUER, I. B.; CRISPIM, M.; ZAFRA, C. A.; SUSSMANN, R. A. C.; BURITICA, N. L.; MELO, H. R.; AZEVEDO, M. F.; ALMEIDA, F. G.; KIMURA, E. A.; KATZIN, A. M.. Exploring Ubiquinone Biosynthesis Inhibition as a Strategy for Improving Atovaquone Efficacy in Malaria. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, v. 65, n. 4, APR 2021. (18/12589-2, 17/22452-1, 15/19316-3)

LIMA, CAROLINE; VERDAGUER, IGNASI B.; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD; KATZIN, ALEJANDRO M.; CRABB, BRENDAN S.; GILSON, PAUL R.; AZEVEDO, MAURO F.. Conditional expression of NanoLuc luciferase through a multimodular system offers rapid detection of antimalarial drug activity. Experimental Parasitology, v. 254, p. 8-pg., 2023-11-01. (15/19316-3, 18/08989-5, 18/12589-2)