Studies on the mode of transcription and expression of surf genes from Plasmodium falciparum

• Grant number: 13/12439-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Gerhard Wunderlich
• Grantee: Tatiane Macedo Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Despite recent sucesses in the combat against malaria, protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium continue a significant problem for the public health in tropical areas of the planet, including areas of the Brazilian Amazon. In order to increase its survival in the red blood cells (RBC) of the human host, Plasmodium developed a sophisticated system for the expression of proteins at the surface of RBCs. In the case of Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the most dangerous form of human malaria, some of these proteins function as transporters while others are ligands of endotelial receptors and considered important virulence factors (e.g. PfEMP1). Besides that, there is a number of parasite-encoded proteins with yet unknown function. Among these, the SURFIN proteins constitute a family of 10 members in the P. falciparum reference strain 3D7 and other parasite lines. In a recent study conducted in our lab, we observed that surf genes may be transcribed in a similar way compared to PfEMP1-encoding var genes with the exception that one allele is constitutively transcribed. In the proposed project, we aim to study the mode of transcription of surf genes in 3D7 parasites selected for determined cytoadherence properties (and thus expressing determined var genes). In parallel, we monitor the transcription of surf genes in a Brazilian parasite isolate. Using a novel, de-stabilizing domain based approach of protein knockdown, we also propose to study the function of the constitutively expressed surf gene.

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)

MACEDO-SILVA, TATIANE; DUQUE ARAUJO, ROSANA BEATRIZ; MEISSNER, KAMILA ANNA; FOTORAN, WESLEY LUZETTI; MEDEIROS, MARCIA MELO; DE AZEVEDO, MAURO FERREIRA; WUNDERLICH, GERHARD. Knockdown of the Plasmodium falciparum SURFIN4.1 antigen leads to an increase of its cognate transcript. PLoS One, v. 12, n. 8, AUG 11 2017. (15/17174-7, 12/23306-5, 13/12439-7, 15/19316-3)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SILVA, Tatiane Macedo. Studies on the mode of transcription and expression of surf genes from Plasmodium falciparum.. 2015. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.