Needle-free, spirulina-produced Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite vaccination provides sterile protection against pre-erythrocytic malaria in mice.

Antibodies against the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) can block hepatocyte infection by sporozoites and protect against malaria. Needle-free vaccination strategies are desirable, yet most PfCSP-targeted vaccines like RTS,S require needle-based administration. Here, we evaluated the edible algae, Arthrospira platensis (commonly called 'spirulina') as a malaria vaccine platform.

Gravin-associated kinase signaling networks coordinate γ-tubulin organization at mitotic spindle poles.

Mitogenic signals that regulate cell division often proceed through multienzyme assemblies within defined intracellular compartments. The anchoring protein Gravin restricts the action of mitotic kinases and cell-cycle effectors to defined mitotic structures. In this report we discover that genetic deletion of Gravin disrupts proper accumulation and asymmetric distribution of γ-tubulin during mitosis.