A nuclear targeting system in Plasmodium falciparum
Abstract Background The distinct differences in gene control mechanisms acting in the nucleus between Plasmodium falciparum and the human host could lead to new potential drug targets for anti-malarial development. New molecular toolkits are required for dissecting molecular machineries in the P. fa...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ed0179a325b44af2beb8743e7b576981 2023-05-15T15:15:23+02:00 A nuclear targeting system in Plasmodium falciparum Kochakarn Theerarat Songprakhon Pucharee Tinikul Ruchanok Kumpornsin Krittikorn Uthaipibull Chairat Wittayacom Kanjana Chookajorn Thanat 2010-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-9-126 https://doaj.org/article/ed0179a325b44af2beb8743e7b576981 EN eng BMC http://www.malariajournal.com/content/9/1/126 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-9-126 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/ed0179a325b44af2beb8743e7b576981 Malaria Journal, Vol 9, Iss 1, p 126 (2010) Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 article 2010 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-9-126 2022-12-31T02:54:59Z Abstract Background The distinct differences in gene control mechanisms acting in the nucleus between Plasmodium falciparum and the human host could lead to new potential drug targets for anti-malarial development. New molecular toolkits are required for dissecting molecular machineries in the P. falciparum nucleus. One valuable tool commonly used in model organisms is protein targeting to specific sub-cellular locations. Targeting proteins to specified locations allows labeling of organelles for microscopy, or testing of how the protein of interest modulates organelle function. In recent years, this approach has been developed for various malaria organelles, such as the mitochondrion and the apicoplast. A tool for targeting a protein of choice to the P. falciparum nucleus using an exogenous nuclear localization sequence is reported here. Methods To develop a nuclear targeting system, a putative nuclear localization sequence was fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP). The nuclear localization sequence from the yeast transcription factor Gal4 was chosen because of its well-defined nuclear localization signal. A series of truncated Gal4 constructs was also created to narrow down the nuclear localization sequence necessary for P. falciparum nuclear import. Transfected parasites were analysed by fluorescent and laser-scanning confocal microscopy. Results The nuclear localization sequence of Gal4 is functional in P. falciparum . It effectively transported GFP into the nucleus, and the first 74 amino acid residues were sufficient for nuclear localization. Conclusions The Gal4 fusion technique enables specific transport of a protein of choice into the P. falciparum nucleus, and thus provides a tool for labeling nuclei without using DNA-staining dyes. The finding also indicates similarities between the nuclear transport mechanisms of yeast and P. falciparum . Since the nuclear transport system has been thoroughly studied in yeast, this could give clues to research on the same mechanism in P. falciparum . Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Malaria Journal 9 1 126 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Kochakarn Theerarat Songprakhon Pucharee Tinikul Ruchanok Kumpornsin Krittikorn Uthaipibull Chairat Wittayacom Kanjana Chookajorn Thanat A nuclear targeting system in Plasmodium falciparum |
topic_facet |
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
description |
Abstract Background The distinct differences in gene control mechanisms acting in the nucleus between Plasmodium falciparum and the human host could lead to new potential drug targets for anti-malarial development. New molecular toolkits are required for dissecting molecular machineries in the P. falciparum nucleus. One valuable tool commonly used in model organisms is protein targeting to specific sub-cellular locations. Targeting proteins to specified locations allows labeling of organelles for microscopy, or testing of how the protein of interest modulates organelle function. In recent years, this approach has been developed for various malaria organelles, such as the mitochondrion and the apicoplast. A tool for targeting a protein of choice to the P. falciparum nucleus using an exogenous nuclear localization sequence is reported here. Methods To develop a nuclear targeting system, a putative nuclear localization sequence was fused with green fluorescent protein (GFP). The nuclear localization sequence from the yeast transcription factor Gal4 was chosen because of its well-defined nuclear localization signal. A series of truncated Gal4 constructs was also created to narrow down the nuclear localization sequence necessary for P. falciparum nuclear import. Transfected parasites were analysed by fluorescent and laser-scanning confocal microscopy. Results The nuclear localization sequence of Gal4 is functional in P. falciparum . It effectively transported GFP into the nucleus, and the first 74 amino acid residues were sufficient for nuclear localization. Conclusions The Gal4 fusion technique enables specific transport of a protein of choice into the P. falciparum nucleus, and thus provides a tool for labeling nuclei without using DNA-staining dyes. The finding also indicates similarities between the nuclear transport mechanisms of yeast and P. falciparum . Since the nuclear transport system has been thoroughly studied in yeast, this could give clues to research on the same mechanism in P. falciparum . |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kochakarn Theerarat Songprakhon Pucharee Tinikul Ruchanok Kumpornsin Krittikorn Uthaipibull Chairat Wittayacom Kanjana Chookajorn Thanat |
author_facet |
Kochakarn Theerarat Songprakhon Pucharee Tinikul Ruchanok Kumpornsin Krittikorn Uthaipibull Chairat Wittayacom Kanjana Chookajorn Thanat |
author_sort |
Kochakarn Theerarat |
title |
A nuclear targeting system in Plasmodium falciparum |
title_short |
A nuclear targeting system in Plasmodium falciparum |
title_full |
A nuclear targeting system in Plasmodium falciparum |
title_fullStr |
A nuclear targeting system in Plasmodium falciparum |
title_full_unstemmed |
A nuclear targeting system in Plasmodium falciparum |
title_sort |
nuclear targeting system in plasmodium falciparum |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-9-126 https://doaj.org/article/ed0179a325b44af2beb8743e7b576981 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Malaria Journal, Vol 9, Iss 1, p 126 (2010) |
op_relation |
http://www.malariajournal.com/content/9/1/126 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-9-126 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/ed0179a325b44af2beb8743e7b576981 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-9-126 |
container_title |
Malaria Journal |
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9 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
126 |
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1766345748259012608 |