Differential gene expression in the ookinete stage of the malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei.
Plasmodium, the malaria parasite, undergoes a complex developmental program in its mosquito vector. The ookinete is the parasite form which invades the mosquito midgut and is an important stage for genetic mixing. To identify genes expressed during ookinete development and mosquito midgut invasion, purified zygotes and ookinetes of the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei were used to construct a suppression subtractive hybridization cDNA library, enriched in sequences expressed in the ookinete stage. In addition to four genes coding for previously described major ookinete-secreted proteins, we isolated ookinete-expressed sequences representing 18 predicted genes. Their gene products include proteins involved in signal transduction and regulatory processes. For six of these genes our analysis provides the first evidence for expression in the ookinete stage. A majority of the genes are not expressed in the zygote, the preceding developmental stage. Furthermore, four of the genes are also transcribed in sporozoites, and one of these in merozoites, suggesting that they code for proteins with a function common to Plasmodium invasive stages.
Raibaud
Anna
A
Unité de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire des Insectes, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
Brahimi
Karima
K
Roth
Charles W
CW
Brey
Paul T
PT
Faust
Daniela M
DM
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017125:Genes, Protozoan; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D012313:RNA / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012313:RNA