RMgmDB - Rodent Malaria genetically modified Parasites

Summary

RMgm-4888
Malaria parasiteP. berghei
Genotype
TaggedGene model (rodent): PBANKA_1105300; Gene model (P.falciparum): PF3D7_0505700; Gene product: conserved Plasmodium membrane protein, unknown function (akratin)
Name tag: GFP
Phenotype Asexual bloodstage; Gametocyte/Gamete; Fertilization and ookinete; Oocyst; Sporozoite;
Last modified: 28 October 2020, 18:19
  *RMgm-4888
Successful modificationThe parasite was generated by the genetic modification
The mutant contains the following genetic modification(s) Gene tagging
Reference (PubMed-PMID number) Not published (yet)
MR4 number
Parent parasite used to introduce the genetic modification
Rodent Malaria ParasiteP. berghei
Parent strain/lineP. berghei ANKA
Name parent line/clone RMgm-4885
Other information parent lineIn this mutant the akarin gene has been deleted. This mutant does not contain a drug selectable marker (SM). The SM has been removed by negative selection
The mutant parasite was generated by
Name PI/ResearcherKehrer J, Frischknecht F
Name Group/DepartmentCenter for Infectious Diseases, Integrative Parasitology
Name InstituteHeidelberg University Medical School
CityHeidelberg
CountryGermany
Name of the mutant parasite
RMgm numberRMgm-4888
Principal nameakratin-GFP
Alternative name
Standardized name
Is the mutant parasite cloned after genetic modificationYes
Phenotype
Asexual blood stageakratin-GFP expression (see below)
Gametocyte/Gameteakratin-GFP expression (see below)
Fertilization and ookineteakratin-GFP expression (see below)
Oocystakratin-GFP expression (see below)
Sporozoiteakratin-GFP expression (see below)
Liver stageNot tested
Additional remarks phenotype

Mutant/mutation
In the mutant the endogenous P. berghei akratin gene has been replaced with a P. berghei akratin gene that is C-terminally GFP-tagged. The GFP-tagged akratin gene has been introduced into the akratin locus of a mutant (see RMgm-4885) in which the akratin gene has been deleted.
Published in bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.09.29.318857.

Protein (function)
PbANKA_1105300 was found to be conserved among Plasmodium spp. It shares 82% identity with its orthologue in P. yoelii, but only 35% and 32% with its orthologues in P. falciparum and P. vivax, respectively. In contrast to P. berghei and P. falciparum, the orthologues in P. yoelii and P. vivax are predicted to contain only two TMDs. Furthermore, the P. falciparum protein contains about two times more amino acids than the P. berghei protein. No orthologue was found outside Plasmodium spp

Phenotype
The following evidence is presented on akratin expression and localisation:
'We next investigated the localization of the fluorescent signal in the blood stage and the extracellular forms of the life cycle. This revealed a mostly diffuse signal with some punctae in blood stages of both parasite lines expressing the P. falciparum (see mutant RMgm-4887) or P. berghei akratin-GFP. In non-activated gametocytes the signal was distributed within the gametocyte cytoplasm but it was much weaker in the P. falciparum akratin-GFP line, where it appeared punctate. No difference between male and female gametocytes could be observed. However, upon activation two distinct populations, most likely males and females could be observed. While in females the protein was distributed in the cytoplasm of the cell, male (determined by a cloudy Hoechst staining) showed one bright spot in addition to a few weak dots at the periphery. Ookinetes showed a vesicular/endomembranous staining with a prominent peripheral staining for the P. berghei akratin-GFP but an exclusively vesicular pattern for the P. falciparum akratin- GFP. Sporozoites isolated from the oocysts or salivary glands showed a similar punctate localization for both lines reminiscent of secretory vesicles but distinct from the strong apical signal seen in GFP-TRAP sporozoites 

Additional information


Other mutants


  Tagged: Mutant parasite with a tagged gene
Details of the target gene
Gene Model of Rodent Parasite PBANKA_1105300
Gene Model P. falciparum ortholog PF3D7_0505700
Gene productconserved Plasmodium membrane protein, unknown function
Gene product: Alternative nameakratin
Details of the genetic modification
Name of the tagGFP
Details of taggingC-terminal
Additional remarks: tagging
Commercial source of tag-antibodies
Type of plasmid/construct(Linear) plasmid double cross-over
PlasmoGEM (Sanger) construct/vector usedNo
Modified PlasmoGEM construct/vector usedNo
Plasmid/construct map
Plasmid/construct sequence
Restriction sites to linearize plasmid
Selectable marker used to select the mutant parasitetgdhfr
Promoter of the selectable markerunknown
Selection (positive) procedurepyrimethamine
Selection (negative) procedureNo
Additional remarks genetic modificationThe 5`UTR together with the entire ORF of PbANKA_1105300 was amplified from wt gDNA using primers JK66 and JK152 and inserted into the pL28 plasmid using KpnI and NdeI leading to the replacement of the selection marker. A TgDHFR selection cassette was amplified using primers JK153 and JK154 and inserted between the GFP and 3`UTR using NotI and EcorV resulting in plasmid pL59.
For transfection of parasites via double cross-over the plasmid was digested with KpnI and SacII
Additional remarks selection procedure
Primer information: Primers used for amplification of the target sequences  Click to view information
Primer information: Primers used for amplification of the target sequences  Click to hide information
Sequence Primer 1
Additional information primer 1
Sequence Primer 2
Additional information primer 2
Sequence Primer 3
Additional information primer 3
Sequence Primer 4
Additional information primer 4
Sequence Primer 5
Additional information primer 5
Sequence Primer 6
Additional information primer 6