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Wiley Open Access, FASEB Journal, 12(24), p. 5003-5012, 2010

DOI: 10.1096/fj.10.164814

Wiley Open Access, FASEB Journal, 12(24), p. 5003-5012, 2010

DOI: 10.1096/fj.10-164814

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Key factors regulating Plasmodium berghei sporozoite survival and transformation revealed by an automated visual assay

Journal article published in 2010 by Stephan Hegge, Mikhail Kudryashev ORCID, Luis Barniol, Friedrich Frischknecht
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

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Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
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Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Malaria is transmitted to the host when Plasmodium sporozoites are injected by a mosquito vector. Sporozoites eventually enter hepatocytes, where they differentiate into liver-stage parasites. During the first hours after hepatocyte invasion, the crescent-shaped sporozoites transform into spherical intracellular exoerythrocytic parasites. This process, which precedes genome replication, can be mimicked in vitro in the absence of host cells. Here, we developed an automated method to follow transformation and cell death of sporozoites in vitro. This assay provides a rapid tool to test sporozoite survival and to screen for antiparasitic drugs. We found that extracellular bicarbonate and high temperature trigger transformation, whereas physiological serum albumin concentrations and media lacking bicarbonate delayed sporozoite death. Because bicarbonate also triggers ookinete transformation and exflagellation of gametocytes, we suggest that a common molecular mechanism regulates similar aspects of stage conversion in Plasmodium.