Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Plasmodium molecular tools

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit

Plasmodium molecular tools are a set of methods for the genetic manipulation of Plasmodium genus of parasites. Plasmodium species have been difficult to scientifically study, partially due to the inability to use many standard biological techniques to genetically manipulate the organism. Recent research has sought to overcome these technical barriers in order to make the parasite more amenable to study. Below is a description of published methods of genetic control within the Plasmodium parasite.

Contents

Transformation

  • Electroporation
  • loaded RBCs

    • Transcription regulation

  • Tet-based transactivator system - ligand inducible control of gene transcription based upon the Tet system (P. falciparum)

    • Integration systems

  • Rep20 mediated
  • Bxb1 integrase - site-specific stable genetic integration into chromosomes mediated by mycobacteriophage Bxb1 integrase (P. falciparum)

    • Recombination systems

  • Flp/FRT - induced site-specific recombination/mutagenesis using the yeast Flp/FRT system (P. berghei)

    • Transposon systems

  • piggyBac - lepidopteran transposable element for random, efficient integration of DNA into genome (P. falciparum)

    • RNA level

  • RNAi
  • antisense
  • self-cleaving ribozyme - A failed attempt to use an inducible self-cleaving ribozyme to control mRNA degradation of fused transcripts(P. falciparum)

    • Protein level

  • FKBP destabilization domain - ligand (Shld1)-regulatable domain to promote degradation of fusion protein (P. falciparum)
  • DHFR destabilization domain - ligand (Trimethoprim)-regulatable domain to promote degradation of fusion protein P. falciparum. By virtue of protein being tagged to a DHFR degradation domain from E. coli, as well as GFP and a HA-tag, protein levels can be regulated, cellular localization of the protein can be determined, and the protein can be purified from cultured parasites.

    • References

    Plasmodium molecular tools Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA