Proteomic analysis of zygote and ookinete stages of the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum delineates the homologous proteomes of the lethal human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Proteomics. 2008 Jun;8(12):2492-9. doi: 10.1002/pmic.200700727.

Abstract

Delineation of the complement of proteins comprising the zygote and ookinete, the early developmental stages of Plasmodium within the mosquito midgut, is fundamental to understand initial molecular parasite-vector interactions. The published proteome of Plasmodium falciparum does not include analysis of the zygote/ookinete stages, nor does that of P. berghei include the zygote stage or secreted proteins. P. gallinaceum zygote, ookinete, and ookinete-secreted/released protein samples were prepared and subjected to Multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT). Peptides of P. gallinaceum zygote, ookinete, and ookinete-secreted proteins were identified by MS/MS, mapped to ORFs (> 50 amino acids) in the extent P. gallinaceum whole genome sequence, and then matched to homologous ORFs in P. falciparum. A total of 966 P. falciparum ORFs encoding orthologous proteins were identified; just over 40% of these predicted proteins were found to be hypothetical. A majority of putative proteins with predicted secretory signal peptides or transmembrane domains were hypothetical proteins. This analysis provides a more comprehensive view of the hitherto unknown proteome of the early mosquito midgut stages of P. falciparum. The results underpin more robust study of Plasmodium-mosquito midgut interactions, fundamental to the development of novel strategies of blocking malaria transmission.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Culicidae
  • Databases, Factual
  • Genome
  • Host-Parasite Interactions
  • Humans
  • Life Cycle Stages*
  • Malaria, Avian / parasitology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides / analysis
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Plasmodium falciparum / genetics
  • Plasmodium falciparum / physiology*
  • Plasmodium gallinaceum / genetics
  • Plasmodium gallinaceum / growth & development*
  • Plasmodium gallinaceum / physiology
  • Protein Sorting Signals
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Protozoan Proteins / analysis*
  • Protozoan Proteins / classification
  • Protozoan Proteins / genetics
  • Protozoan Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Species Specificity
  • Zygote / physiology

Substances

  • Peptides
  • Protein Sorting Signals
  • Protozoan Proteins