scholarly journals Sex ratios in the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi

Parasitology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 127 (5) ◽  
pp. 419-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. REECE ◽  
A. B. DUNCAN ◽  
S. A. WEST ◽  
A. F. READ
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Malaria Parasite ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Plasmodium Chabaudi ◽  
Rodent Malaria Parasite ◽  
Malaria Parasites ◽  
Rodent Malaria ◽  
Sex Ratio Theory

The sex ratios of malaria and related Apicomplexan parasites play a major role in transmission success. Here, we address 2 fundamental issues in the sex ratios of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi. First we test the accuracy of empirical methods for estimating sex ratios in malaria parasites, and show that sex ratios made with standard thin smears may overestimate the proportion of female gametocytes. Secondly, we test whether the mortality rate differs between male and female gametocytes, as assumed by sex ratio theory. Conventional application of sex ratio theory to malaria parasites assumes that the primary sex ratio can be accurately determined from mature gametocytes circulating in the peripheral circulation. We stopped gametocyte production with chloroquine in order to study a cohort of gametocytes in vitro. The mortality rate was significantly higher for female gametocytes, with an average half-life of 8 h for female gametocytes and 16 h for male gametocytes.

scholarly journals A cornucopia of research resources for the fourth rodent malaria parasite species

BMC Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane M. Carlton
Keyword(s):  
Malaria Parasite ◽  
Parasite Species ◽  
First Century ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Rodent Malaria Parasite ◽  
Malaria Parasites ◽  
Rodent Malaria ◽  
Human Malaria ◽  
Plasmodium Vinckei ◽  
Research Resources

AbstractThe study of human malaria caused by species of Plasmodium has undoubtedly been enriched by the use of model systems, such as the rodent malaria parasites originally isolated from African thicket rats. A significant gap in the arsenal of resources of the species that make up the rodent malaria parasites has been the lack of any such tools for the fourth of the species, Plasmodium vinckei. This has recently been rectified by Abhinay Ramaprasad and colleagues, whose pivotal paper published in BMC Biology describes a cornucopia of new P. vinckei ‘omics datasets, mosquito transmission experiments, transfection protocols, and virulence phenotypes, to propel this species firmly into the twenty-first century.

scholarly journals Malaria Parasites Can Develop Stable Resistance to Artemisinin but Lack Mutations in Candidate Genes atp6 (Encoding the Sarcoplasmic and Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ ATPase), tctp, mdr1, and cg10

2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 480-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Afonso ◽  
P. Hunt ◽  
S. Cheesman ◽  
A. C. Alves ◽  
C. V. Cunha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Copy Number ◽  
Malaria Parasite ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Rodent Malaria Parasite ◽  
Malaria Parasites ◽  
Rodent Malaria ◽  
First Time ◽  
Genetic Modulators

ABSTRACT Resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to drugs such as chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine is a major problem in malaria control. Artemisinin (ART) derivatives, particularly in combination with other drugs, are thus increasingly used to treat malaria, reducing the probability that parasites resistant to the components will emerge. Although stable resistance to artemisinin has yet to be reported from laboratory or field studies, its emergence would be disastrous because of the lack of alternative treatments. Here, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, genetically stable and transmissible ART and artesunate (ATN)-resistant malaria parasites. Each of two lines of the rodent malaria parasite Plosmodium chabaudi chabaudi, grown in the presence of increasing concentrations of ART or ATN, showed 15-fold and 6-fold increased resistance to ART and ATN, respectively. Resistance remained stable after cloning, freeze-thawing, after passage in the absence of drug, and transmission through mosquitoes. The nucleotide sequences of the possible genetic modulators of ART resistance (mdr1, cg10, tctp, and atp6) of sensitive and resistant parasites were compared. No mutations in these genes were identified. In addition we investigated whether changes in the copy number of these genes could account for resistance but found that resistant parasites retained the same number of copies as their sensitive progenitors. We believe that this is the first report of a malaria parasite with genetically stable and transmissible resistance to artemisinin or its derivatives.

scholarly journals Plasmodium-specific atypical memory B cells are short-lived activated B cells

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damián Pérez-Mazliah ◽  
Peter J Gardner ◽  
Edina Schweighoffer ◽  
Sarah McLaughlin ◽  
Caroline Hosking ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
B Cells ◽  
Heavy Chain ◽  
Chronic Infection ◽  
Malaria Parasite ◽  
Memory B Cells ◽  
Plasmodium Chabaudi ◽  
Rodent Malaria Parasite ◽  
Chronic Infections ◽  
Rodent Malaria ◽  
Parasite Plasmodium

A subset of atypical memory B cells accumulates in malaria and several infections, autoimmune disorders and aging in both humans and mice. It has been suggested these cells are exhausted long-lived memory B cells, and their accumulation may contribute to poor acquisition of long-lasting immunity to certain chronic infections, such as malaria and HIV. Here, we generated an immunoglobulin heavy chain knock-in mouse with a BCR that recognizes MSP1 of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi. In combination with a mosquito-initiated P. chabaudi infection, we show that Plasmodium-specific atypical memory B cells are short-lived and disappear upon natural resolution of chronic infection. These cells show features of activation, proliferation, DNA replication, and plasmablasts. Our data demonstrate that Plasmodium-specific atypical memory B cells are not a subset of long-lived memory B cells, but rather short-lived activated cells, and part of a physiologic ongoing B-cell response.

scholarly journals Transformation of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 553-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J Spence ◽  
Deirdre Cunningham ◽  
William Jarra ◽  
Jennifer Lawton ◽  
Jean Langhorne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Malaria Parasite ◽  
Plasmodium Chabaudi ◽  
Rodent Malaria Parasite ◽  
Rodent Malaria ◽  
Parasite Plasmodium
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