Transcriptional heterogeneity and tightly regulated changes in gene expression during Plasmodium berghei sporozoite development.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 118(10)2021 03 09.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33653959
ABSTRACT
Despite the critical role of Plasmodium sporozoites in malaria transmission, we still know little about the mechanisms underlying their development in mosquitoes. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to characterize the gene expression profiles of 16,038 Plasmodium berghei sporozoites isolated throughout their development from midgut oocysts to salivary glands, and from forced salivation experiments. Our results reveal a succession of tightly regulated changes in gene expression occurring during the maturation of sporozoites and highlight candidate genes that could play important roles in oocyst egress, sporozoite motility, and the mechanisms underlying the invasion of mosquito salivary glands and mammalian hepatocytes. In addition, the single-cell data reveal extensive transcriptional heterogeneity among parasites isolated from the same anatomical site, suggesting that Plasmodium development in mosquitoes is asynchronous and regulated by intrinsic as well as environmental factors. Finally, our analyses show a decrease in transcriptional activity preceding the translational repression observed in mature sporozoites and associated with their quiescent state in salivary glands, followed by a rapid reactivation of the transcriptional machinery immediately upon salivation.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
3_ND
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Plasmodium berghei
/
Salivary Glands
/
Transcription, Genetic
/
Gene Expression Regulation
/
Sporozoites
/
Anopheles
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article