Mutant/mutation
The mutant lacks expression of YOP1

Protein (function)
Rodent-infective and human-infective Plasmodium species encodes three homologs of proteins that induce membrane curvature and form ER tubules in higher eukaryotes, YOP1 (PF3D7_0316700 ), YOP1-like (YOP1L; PF3D7_1358700) and RTN1 (PBANKA_1139900). The primary structures of YOP1, YOP1L and RTN1 are highly conserved amongst rodent and human Plasmodium species (71-73% identity in amino acid sequence).

Phenotype
Reduced growth of asexual blood stages. Pbyop1∆ parasites have a multiplication rate of approximately 7-fold over 24 h compared to 10-fold for 127 WT parasites.
Reduced oocysts and sporozoite loads. Partially (?) explained by reduced growth of blood stages.
(Some) Evidence for reduced liver stage development.

Evidence is presented that:
- YOP1 proteins may play an evolutionarily conserved role in maintaining ER and vacuole morphology

Additional information
IFA analyses showed: In asexual stages, PbYOP1 is present in subcellular structures consistent with the peripheral ER. As observed with yeast and mammalian homologs, PbYOP1 partially co-localizes with a pan-ER marker BiP1, a protein resident in the ER lumen. In sporozoites, PbYOP1’s localization is primarily perinuclear, consistent with ER localization. PbYOP1 was not detectable in liver stages 48 h post infection

Other mutants