A lncRNA Regulates Sexual Differentiation and Antigenic Variation in Plasmodium falciparum
Gametocytogenesis in Plasmodium falciparum involves a complex regulatory network, with the transcription factor AP2-G playing a central role in sexual commitment. While epigenetic mechanisms, including heterochromatin modifiers like PfHP1 and PfHda2, are known to suppress ap2-g expression, the factors driving its activation remain unclear. Here, we identify a long noncoding antisense RNA (ap2g-asRNA) originating from the 3' downstream region of the ap2-g locus, which positively correlates with gametocyte production. Our findings uncover ap2g-asRNA as a critical epigenetic regulator of sexual differentiation in malaria parasites, offering new insights for transmission-blocking strategies.