Mutant/mutation
The mutant lacks expression of guanylyl cyclase β (GCß).

Protein (function)
Two different genes with high homology to guanylyl cyclases (GCα and GCβ) have been identified in Plasmodium (guanylyl cyclase alpha: PF11_0395; PB001219.00.0, PB000256.00.0).
Guanylyl cyclase β (GCß) contains a guanylate cyclase domain and an N-terminal P-type ATPase like domain.

Phenotype
The phenotype analyses indicate that the GCß has a crucial role in ookinete motility, resulting in failure of invasion of the midgut epithelium. Mutant ookinetes remained on the surface of the microvilli.
In vitro cultured ookinetes were able to develop in vitro into oocysts and sporozoites indicating that the lack of GCß affects ookinete motility but not later development of the parasites.

Additional information
In the same paper it is reported that repeated attempts were made to disrupt the guanylyl cyclase-α gene (GCα; Guanylyl cyclase alpha: PB001219.00.0, PB000256.00.0; PF11_0395). These attempts were unsuccessful (see RMgm-323), suggesting its essential role in the blood stage parasites (no information is provided on the construct used to disrupt GCα and the sequence of primers used to amplify the target regions).

An independent unsuccessful attempt to disrupt the guanylyl cyclase-α gene is described in RMgm-324.

(Gene models for GCß PB000752.03.0; PB300849.03.0; PB001059)

Other mutants
Other mutants
RMgm-307: An independent mutant lacking expression of GCβ
RMgm-309: A mutant lacking expression of both GCβ and PDEδ (PB000873.01.0; PF14_0672; cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, putative).
RMgm-323 and RMgm-324; Unsuccessful attempts to disrupt GCα; Guanylyl cyclase alpha: PB001219.00.0, PB000256.00.0; PF11_0395