Last Updated: 02/10/2025
Molecular mechanism of organellar replication initiation in Plasmodium falciparum
Objectives
The main aim of this multidisciplinary project is to develop a comprehensive picture of how apicoplast genome duplication occurs by using single particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) along with single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET), focusing specifically on the initial steps of replication.
Plasmodium harbours an essential non-photosynthetic plastid called the apicoplast. Just like mitochondria, apicoplast has its own genome and accurate duplication of the apicoplast DNA is essential for Plasmodium survival. Apicoplast replication is performed by a dedicated replication machinery (replisome), which is divergent from both the eukaryotic and bacterial replisomes. At present we do not know how the apicoplast replisome functions.
This work will have a major impact on our understanding of replication, a fundamental cellular process, and will also inform downstream research geared towards antimalarial drug development for combating multi-drug resistant Plasmodium infection.
Sep 2024 — Sep 2028
Related Resources
