title: Transfection of rodent malaria parasites.
abstract: Gene manipulation is an invaluable tool to investigate and understand the biology of an organism. Although this technology has been applied to both the human and rodent malarial parasites (RMP), Plasmodium berghei in particular offers a more robust system due to a higher and more efficient transformation rate. Here, we describe a comprehensive transfection and selection protocol using P. berghei including a variant negative selection protocol administering 5-fluorocytosine to the animals in drinking water. Additionally, we discuss and assess the latest advances in gene manipulation technologies developed in RMP to gain a better understanding of Plasmodium biology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Immunity Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre, Faculty of Biomedical Life Sciences and Wellcome Trust Center for Molecular Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Nisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orr
authors.forename: Andrew P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Waters
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005437:Flucytosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D010659:Phenylhydrazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012377:Rodentia / Q000469:parasitology*; D052939:Schizonts / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D010659:Phenylhydrazines; C030299:phenylhydrazine; D005437:Flucytosine