Fertilization is a novel attacking site for the transmission blocking of malaria parasites
- PMID: 19665985
- DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2009.08.005
Fertilization is a novel attacking site for the transmission blocking of malaria parasites
Abstract
Malaria parasites perform sexual reproduction in mosquitoes where a pair of gametes fertilizes and differentiates into zygotes, and a single zygote produces several thousands of progeny infectious to next vertebrates. Although the parasite fertilization step has been considered as Achilles' heel of parasite life cycle and thus a critical target for blocking malaria transmission in the mosquito, its molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Previously, we identified that GENERATIVE CELL SPECIFIC 1 (GCS1) is a reproduction factor in angiosperm. Subsequently, it was found that rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei and green algae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii possess GCS1 homologues which also play essential roles in gamete interaction. Moreover, intensive database mining revealed that GCS1-like gene homologues exist in the genomes of various organisms. Thus, it appears that GCS1 is an ancient and highly conserved molecule functioning at gamete interaction. In this mini-review, we describe the mechanisms of gametogenesis and fertilization in malaria parasites, comparing with other eukaryotic reproduction, and also speculate GCS1 functions in gamete interaction. We discuss the possibility of whether malaria GCS1 is a novel type of transmission blocking vaccine, by which anti-malaria GCS1 antibody may halt parasite fertilization and subsequent developments in the mosquitoes.
Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Similar articles
-
Male fertility of malaria parasites is determined by GCS1, a plant-type reproduction factor.Curr Biol. 2008 Apr 22;18(8):607-13. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.03.045. Epub 2008 Apr 10. Curr Biol. 2008. PMID: 18403203
-
Plasmodium berghei HAP2 induces strong malaria transmission-blocking immunity in vivo and in vitro.Vaccine. 2009 Aug 20;27(38):5187-94. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.06.069. Epub 2009 Jul 9. Vaccine. 2009. PMID: 19596419 Review.
-
A central role for P48/45 in malaria parasite male gamete fertility.Cell. 2001 Jan 12;104(1):153-64. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(01)00199-4. Cell. 2001. PMID: 11163248
-
Development of malaria vaccines that block transmission of parasites by mosquito vectors.J Med Invest. 2002 Aug;49(3-4):118-23. J Med Invest. 2002. PMID: 12323000 Review.
-
Functional characterization of a conserved membrane protein, Pbs54, involved in gamete fertilization in Plasmodium berghei.Int J Parasitol. 2024 Feb;54(2):99-107. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.08.003. Epub 2023 Sep 27. Int J Parasitol. 2024. PMID: 37774810 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
Biology and epidemiology of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax gametocyte carriage: Implication for malaria control and elimination.Parasite Epidemiol Control. 2023 Mar 7;21:e00295. doi: 10.1016/j.parepi.2023.e00295. eCollection 2023 May. Parasite Epidemiol Control. 2023. PMID: 36950502 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Plasmodium vivax HAP2/GCS1 gene exhibits limited genetic diversity among parasite isolates from the Greater Mekong Subregion.Parasit Vectors. 2020 Apr 7;13(1):175. doi: 10.1186/s13071-020-04050-0. Parasit Vectors. 2020. PMID: 32264948 Free PMC article.
-
Malaria vaccines: looking back and lessons learnt.Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011 Jan;1(1):74-8. doi: 10.1016/S2221-1691(11)60072-5. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011. PMID: 23569729 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Uncovering an ancestral green ménage à trois: Contributions of Chlamydomonas to the discovery of a broadly conserved triad of plant fertilization proteins.Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2022 Oct;69:102275. doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102275. Epub 2022 Aug 22. Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2022. PMID: 36007296 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Epidemiology and infectivity of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax gametocytes in relation to malaria control and elimination.Clin Microbiol Rev. 2011 Apr;24(2):377-410. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00051-10. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2011. PMID: 21482730 Free PMC article. Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
