Maternally supplied S-acyl-transferase is required for crystalloid organelle formation and transmission of the malaria parasite.
Transmission of the malaria parasite from the mammalian host to the mosquito vector requires the formation of adequately adapted parasite forms and stage-specific organelles. Here we show that formation of the crystalloid-a unique and short-lived organelle of the Plasmodium ookinete and oocyst stage required for sporogony-is dependent on the precisely timed expression of the S-acyl-transferase DHHC10. DHHC10, translationally repressed in female Plasmodium berghei gametocytes, is activated translationally during ookinete formation, where the protein is essential for the formation of the crystalloid, the correct targeting of crystalloid-resident protein LAP2, and malaria parasite transmission.
Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
Jorge M
0000-0002-4940-5207
JM
Santos
Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
Neuza
N
Duarte
Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg Medical School, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
Jessica
0000-0001-5084-3485
J
Kehrer
Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands;
Jai
J
Ramesar
Section on Electron Microscopy, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
M Cristina
MC
Avramut
Section on Electron Microscopy, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands;
Abraham J
AJ
Koster
Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom.
Johannes T
JT
Dessens
Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg Medical School, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
Friedrich
F
Frischknecht
Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands;
Séverine
S
Chevalley-Maurel
Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands;
Chris J
CJ
Janse
Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands;
Blandine
B
Franke-Fayard
Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal; Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg Medical School, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; gunnarmair@yahoo.com.
Gunnar R
GR
Mair
D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008288:Malaria / Q000635:transmission; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D033661:Oocysts / Q000502:physiology; D015388:Organelles / Q000502:physiology; D010962:Plasmodium berghei / Q000201:enzymology / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D000217:Acyltransferases
DOZI; crystalloid; malaria; ookinete; palmitoylation