[ad_1]
A group of scientists discovered how the malaria parasite "Plasmodium falciparum" moves from the abadual phase to the badual phase, a conversion necessary for its transmission to the mosquito, thus opening up new possibilities for treatment research.
The research published today by the journal Nature Microbiology has provided important information on the life cycle of the parasite "and will eventually contribute to the design strategies aimed at stopping the transmission of malaria," said the researcher. the Spanish Institute of World Health in Barcelona (ISGlobal) Alfred Cortés
In order to be able to transmit human blood to the mosquito, the malaria parasite must pbad from a phase of abadual reproduction to a badual phase (called a gametocyte). ).
This conversion therefore represents According to the researchers, it is an ideal goal to stop the transmission of the parasite.
However, little is known about the process. or that the parasite stops reproducing abadually and becomes a gametocyte.
The Cortés team used a protein that is only expressed when the cell "decides" to differentiate into a gametocyte. morphologically inseparable from the abadual phase
Using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique, they labeled this protein (called PfAP2-G) with a green fluorochrome and re-examined the hypothesis that, between the differentiation decision and badual conversion, the parasite must go through a replication cycle.
Using a laboratory culture system, the team found that some parasites can be converted directly into gametocytes, without going through an additional cycle of replication. 19659002] "The moment the parasite decides to become a gametocyte can happen sooner than we thought," acknowledged Cortes.
"In fact," he added, "although its cyclical nature or life was described over a hundred years ago, it never ceases to amaze us."
The first author of the study, Cristina Bancells, explained that the research results "indicate that parasites that sufficiently activate PfAP2-G expression at the beginning of the cycle, they opt for the fast track, while the others follow a replication cycle before becoming gametocytes. "
According to Bancells," this fast track could promote the parasite's survival and facilitate its transmission in real-life conditions, such as drug treatment. "
For the authors, these results provide a broader model of early stages of badual differentiation in "Plasmodium falciparum", although they warn that they will be necessary. more studies to establish the frequency at which the parasite uses one pathway or another (conventional versus express) in vivo.
"We must remember that gametocytes are a priority target for public health interventions aimed at reducing or even eliminating malaria transmission," concluded Cortés.
EFE
[ad_2]
Source link
