1. A versatile Plasmodium falciparum reporter line expressing NanoLuc enables highly sensitive multi-stage drug assays
- Author
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Yukiko Miyazaki, Martijn W. Vos, Fiona J. A. Geurten, Pierre Bigeard, Hans Kroeze, Shohei Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro Arisawa, Daniel Ken Inaoka, Valerie Soulard, Koen J. Dechering, Blandine Franke-Fayard, and Shinya Miyazaki
- Subjects
Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Abstract Transgenic luciferase-expressing Plasmodium falciparum parasites have been widely used for the evaluation of anti-malarial compounds. Here, to screen for anti-malarial drugs effective against multiple stages of the parasite, we generate a P. falciparum reporter parasite that constitutively expresses NanoLuciferase (NanoLuc) throughout its whole life cycle. The NanoLuc-expressing P. falciparum reporter parasite shows a quantitative NanoLuc signal in the asexual blood, gametocyte, mosquito, and liver stages. We also establish assay systems to evaluate the anti-malarial activity of compounds at the asexual blood, gametocyte, and liver stages, and then determine the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of several anti-malarial compounds. Through the development of this robust high-throughput screening system, we identify an anti-malarial compound that kills the asexual blood stage parasites. Our study highlights the utility of the NanoLuc reporter line, which may advance anti-malarial drug development through the improved screening of compounds targeting the human malarial parasite at multiple stages.
- Published
- 2023
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