title: A female gametocyte-specific ABC transporter plays a role in lipid metabolism in the malaria parasite.
abstract: ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters serve a variety of physiological functions as well as play key roles in drug resistance. The genome of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, encodes multiple members of this family, one of which, gABCG2, is transcribed predominantly in the gametocyte stage. Here we use gene deletion and tagging to investigate the expression, localization and function of gABCG2. The protein is found in a single dot-like lipid-rich structure within female, but not male, gametocytes. gABCG2-knockout cell lines produce more gametocytes of both sexes. By contrast, cholesteryl esters, diacylglycerols and triacylglycerols are significantly reduced in gABCG2-knockout gametocyte stages. We propose a role for gABCG2 in the regulation of gametocyte numbers and in the accumulation of neutral lipids, which are likely important for parasite development in the insect stages of the parasite life cycle.
authors.affiliation: 1] Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia [2] La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Phuong N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Simon H J
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia.
authors.forename: Todd W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Infection Biology, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matuschewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McMillan
authors.affiliation: Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Kiaran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew W A
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexander G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Maier
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics*; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D015800:Protozoan Proteins