title: The apicomplexan parasite Babesia divergens internalizes band 3, glycophorin A and spectrin during invasion of human red blood cells.
abstract: Plasmodium falciparum invades human red blood cells (RBC), while Babesia divergens infects bovine and, occasionally, human RBC. The mammalian RBC is normally unable to endocytose or phagocytose and the events leading to invasion are incompletely understood. Initially, both parasites are surrounded by the RBC plasma membrane-derived parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) that is formed during invasion. In P. falciparum-infected RBC, the PVM persists at least until parasite replication is completed whereas it has been proposed that the B. divergens PVM is disintegrated soon upon invasion. Here, we have used a B. divergens strain adapted to human RBC to investigate the formation and fate of the PVM. Using ultrastructural analysis and whole-mount or on-section immunofluorescence and immunogold labelling, we demonstrate that the initial vacuolar membrane is formed from protein and lipid components of the RBC plasma membrane. Integral membrane proteins band 3 and glycophorin A and the cytoskeletal protein spectrin are associated with the PVM of the B. divergens, but are absent from the PVM of P. falciparum at the ring or the trophozoite stage. Our results provide evidence that the biophysical properties of the RBC cytoskeleton per se do not preclude the internalization of cytoskeletal proteins by invading parasites.
authors: Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindernveien 31, Oslo, 0316, Norway.
authors: Urska
authors: U
authors: Repnik
authors: Department of Parasitology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, Marburg, 35043, Germany.
authors: Preetish
authors: P
authors: Gangopadhyay
authors: Department of Parasitology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, Marburg, 35043, Germany.
authors: Sven
authors: S
authors: Bietz
authors: Department of Parasitology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, Marburg, 35043, Germany.
authors: Jude M
authors: JM
authors: Przyborski
authors: Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindernveien 31, Oslo, 0316, Norway.
authors: Gareth
authors: G
authors: Griffiths
authors: Department of Parasitology, Philipps University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, Marburg, 35043, Germany.
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Lingelbach
mesh_terms: D001457:Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte / Q000378:metabolism*; D001403:Babesia / Q000502:physiology*; D003584:Cytological Techniques; D004705:Endocytosis; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D006021:Glycophorins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D013049:Spectrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D001457:Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte; C409972:GYPA protein, human; D006021:Glycophorins; D013049:Spectrin