A_single_cell_atlas_of_the_Plasmodium_falciparum_journey_through_the_mosquito-sc-6277
A_single_cell_atlas_of_the_Plasmodium_falciparum_journey_through_the_mosquito
single-cell RNA-seq data from Plasmodium falciparum mosquito stages was collected over development This data is part of a pre-publication release. For information on the proper use of pre-publication data shared by the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (including details of any publication moratoria), please see http://www.sanger.ac.uk/datasharing/
Malaria parasites have a complex life cycle featuring diverse developmental strategies, each uniquely adapted to navigate specific host environments. Progression through the life cycle is driven by coordinated changes in gene activity that single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is beginning to capture with unprecedented resolution. Here we use single-cell transcriptomics to shed light on gene usage across the transmission cycle of the most virulent agent of human malaria - Plasmodium falciparum. We reveal developmental trajectories associated with the colonisation of the mosquito midgut and salivary glands and elucidate the transcriptional signatures of each transmissible stage. Additionally, we identify both conserved and non-conserved gene usage between human and rodent parasites, which point to both essential mechanisms in malaria transmission and species-specific adaptations potentially linked to host tropism. Together, the data presented here, which are made freely available via an interactive website, establish the most complete atlas of the P. falciparum transcriptional journey to date. As well as providing new clues into gene function across the transmission cycle, the data will open the door for the identification of novel drug and vaccine targets to stop malaria transmission and prevent disease.