title: Changes in lipid composition during sexual development of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The development of differentiated sexual stages (gametocytes) within human red blood cells is essential for the propagation of the malaria parasite, since only mature gametocytes will survive in the mosquito's midgut. Hence gametocytogenesis is a pre-requisite for transmission of the disease. Physiological changes involved in sexual differentiation are still enigmatic. In particular the lipid metabolism-despite being central to cellular regulation and development-is not well explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here the lipid profiles of red blood cells infected with the five different sexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum were analysed by mass spectrometry and compared to those from uninfected and asexual trophozoite infected erythrocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fundamental differences between erythrocytes infected with the different parasite stages were revealed. In mature gametocytes many lipids that decrease in the trophozoite and early gametocyte infected red blood cells are regained. In particular, regulators of membrane fluidity, cholesterol and sphingomyelin, increased significantly during gametocyte maturation. Neutral lipids (serving mainly as caloriometric reserves) increased from 3 % of total lipids in uninfected to 27 % in stage V gametocyte infected red blood cells. The major membrane lipid class (phospholipids) decreased during gametocyte development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lipid profiles of infected erythrocytes are characteristic for the particular parasite life cycle and maturity stages of gametocytes. The obtained lipid profiles are crucial in revealing the lipid metabolism of malaria parasites and identifying targets to interfere with this deadly disease.
authors: Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. p.tran@garvan.org.au.|La Trobe Institute of Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. p.tran@garvan.org.au.
authors: Phuong N
authors: PN
authors: Tran
authors: School of Medicine and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia. simonb@uow.edu.au.
authors: Simon H J
authors: SH
authors: Brown
authors: Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. melanie.rug@anu.edu.au.|Centre for Advanced Microscopy, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. melanie.rug@anu.edu.au.
authors: Melanie
authors: M
authors: Rug
authors: Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. melanie.ridgway@anu.edu.au.
authors: Melanie C
authors: MC
authors: Ridgway
authors: School of Medicine and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia. toddm@uow.edu.au.
authors: Todd W
authors: TW
authors: Mitchell
authors: Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. alex.maier@anu.edu.au.
authors: Alexander G
authors: AG
authors: Maier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D015800:Protozoan Proteins