Publications by authors named "J T Dessens"
Article Synopsis
- Plasmodium alveolins are crucial cytoskeletal proteins that contribute to the structure and movement of mosquito-stage forms of the parasite, specifically ookinetes and sporozoites.
- Recent research by Cepeda Diaz et al. and Liu et al. has used inducible knockdown techniques to study the alveolin IMC1g, revealing its significant involvement in the survival of merozoites, the process of schizogony (asexual reproduction), and the development of male gametes.
- These findings highlight the diverse roles of alveolins in the life cycle of Plasmodium, suggesting potential targets for malaria intervention strategies.
Article Synopsis
- LAPs (LCCL lectin domain adhesive-like proteins) are crucial for malaria transmission from mosquitoes to vertebrates and consist of six modular proteins with unique structures.
- There is a widespread conservation of LAP orthologues across eukaryotic life, particularly in apicomplexans, with variations arising from gene loss and duplication.
- The study indicates that LAPs are older than previously believed, predating not just the Apicomplexa but all Alveolata, while being missing in some related groups like dinoflagellates and ciliates.
Plasmodium oocysts develop on the abluminal side of the mosquito midgut in relatively small numbers. Oocysts possess an extracellular cell wall-the capsule-to protect them from the insect's haemolymph environment. To further maximise transmission, each oocyst generates hundreds of sporozoites through an asexual multiplication step called sporogony.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMembrane-located NAD(P) transhydrogenase (NTH) catalyses reversible hydride ion transfer between NAD(H) and NADP(H), simultaneously translocating a proton across the membrane. The enzyme is structurally conserved across prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In heterotrophic bacteria NTH proteins reside in the cytoplasmic membrane, whereas in animals they localise in the mitochondrial inner membrane.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMalaria parasites carry out fatty acid synthesis (FAS) in their apicoplast organelle via a bacterially related (type II) enzymatic pathway. In the vertebrate host, exoerythrocytic Plasmodium stages rely on FAS, whereas intraerythrocytic stages depend on scavenging FA from their environment. In the mosquito, P.
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