Last Updated: 19/12/2025
Morphological analysis of apicoplast formation in Plasmodium falciparum
Objectives
The aim of this project is to characterize the recombinant Plasmodium enzyme and identify its role in the distribution of organelles, using genetically modified parasites overexpressing the MinD enzyme with a Strep-tag.
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has organelles such as mitochondria and a chloroplast-like compartment called the apicoplast, which are absent in the human host. Interference with the metabolic pathways present in the latter proved to be lethal to the parasite. During schizogony P. falciparum needs to distribute this organelle to newly generated merozoites, which requires the presence of specific proteins. One enzyme, MinD, has already been identified as belonging to Min proteins in plants. The protein is predicted to target the apicoplast and act as a phosphatase. Subsequent mutational modifications in the cell line overexpressing PfMinD will be used to visualize morphological changes in the apicoplast of parasites expressing GFP. The discovery of proteins involved in the distribution of organelles is indicated as a good therapeutic target, since it is restricted to the parasite.
May 2016 — Dec 2019
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