Mutant/mutation
The mutant expresses a GFP-tagged form of Actin II. The tagged-gene is introduced as an episome. The actin II gene is under the control of the 5'UTR and 3'UTR regions of actin II and dhfr-ts, respectively.

Protein (function)
Actin, a cytoskeletal protein, has many diverse functions in eukaryotic cells ranging from roles in cell motility, cell division, vesicle trafficking to functions in cell signaling and regulation of transcription. A critical property of actin is its ability to form filamentous polymers (F-actin), and a plethora of proteins are involved in the highly dynamic regulation of F-actin formation . Actins are highly conserved proteins that often exist in multiple isoforms in the eukaryotic cell and their expression is regulated both spatially and temporally during development. The number of conventional actin genes varies among eukaryotic organisms. A few single cell eukaryotes, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Toxoplasma gondii, and Trypanosoma brucei encode a single actin gene, which results in lethality when targeted with gene ablation approaches. Many organisms, however, have several conventional actin genes.Apicomplexan parasites all encode one major actin isoform, here termed Actin I. All apicomplexan parasites also contain a number of actin-related and actin-like proteins. Plasmodium species species stand out in that they all encode a second conventional actin, termed Actin II.
Phenotype analyses of mutants lacking expression of Actin II indicate a major role of Actin II in the formation of male gametes (see mutant RMgm-632).

Phenotype
Phenotype analyses of mutants lacking expression of Actin II indicate a major role of Actin II in the formation of male gametes (see mutant RMgm-632).
Evidence is presented that GFP-tagged Actin II is expressed exclusively in male gametocytes/gametes.

Additional information
Analyses of the blood stages of the mutant indicate  exclusive expression the the male gametocytes/male gametes.  Evidence is presented that the protein is located exclusively in the cytoplasm with no apparent accumulation to subcellular structures. Eight min after male activation the protein was observed in a narrow rim of cytoplasm surrounding the nucleus. In contrast Actin I was detected in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of non-activated gametocytes as shown by staining with an anti Actin I antibody. No specific localization of GFP-Actin II to the axonemes could be detected in double stainings of activated gametocytes/male gametes with an anti-tubulin antibody.
Evidence is presented that in activated males of wild type gametocytes Actin I relocalizes from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. This relocalisation was not observed in male gametes of the mutant lacking expression of Actin II.

Other mutants
RMgm-632: A mutant lacking expression of Actin II
RMgm-634: A mutant  expressing GFP under control of the promoter region of actin II.