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Dephospho-CoA kinase, a nuclear-encoded apicoplast protein, remains active and essential after Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast disruption.

Authors :
Swift RP
Rajaram K
Liu HB
Prigge ST
Source :
The EMBO journal [EMBO J] 2021 Aug 16; Vol. 40 (16), pp. e107247. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 May 25.
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

Malaria parasites contain an essential organelle called the apicoplast that houses metabolic pathways for fatty acid, heme, isoprenoid, and iron-sulfur cluster synthesis. Surprisingly, malaria parasites can survive without the apicoplast as long as the isoprenoid precursor isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) is supplemented in the growth medium, making it appear that isoprenoid synthesis is the only essential function of the organelle in blood-stage parasites. In the work described here, we localized an enzyme responsible for coenzyme A synthesis, DPCK, to the apicoplast, but we were unable to delete DPCK, even in the presence of IPP. However, once the endogenous DPCK was complemented with the E. coli DPCK (EcDPCK), we were successful in deleting it. We were then able to show that DPCK activity is required for parasite survival through knockdown of the complemented EcDPCK. Additionally, we showed that DPCK enzyme activity remains functional and essential within the vesicles present after apicoplast disruption. These results demonstrate that while the apicoplast of blood-stage P. falciparum parasites can be disrupted, the resulting vesicles remain biochemically active and are capable of fulfilling essential functions.<br /> (© 2021 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY NC ND 4.0 license.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1460-2075
Volume :
40
Issue :
16
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The EMBO journal
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
34031901
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2020107247