Transgenic Plasmodium berghei sporozoites expressing beta-galactosidase for quantification of sporozoite transmission.
Malaria transmission occurs during a blood-meal of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Visualization and quantification of sporozoites along the journey from the mosquito midgut, where they develop, to the vertebrate liver, their final target organ, is important for understanding many aspects of sporozoite biology. Here we describe the generation of Plasmodium berghei parasites that express the reporter gene lacZ as a stable transgene, under the control of the sporozoite-specific CSP promoter. Transgenic sporozoites expressing beta-galactosidase can be simply visualized and quantified in an enzymatic assay. In addition, these sporozoites can be used to quantify sporozoites deposited in subcutaneous tissue during natural infection.
Engelmann
Sabine
S
Department of Parasitology, Heidelberg University School of Medicine, INF 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Sinnis
Photini
P
Matuschewski
Kai
K
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008288:Malaria / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission*; D051379:Mice; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D034101:Sporozoites / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C041595:circumsporozoite protein, Protozoan; D001616:beta-Galactosidase