DNA-binding protein PfAP2-P regulates parasite pathogenesis during malaria parasite blood stages.

Malaria-associated pathogenesis such as parasite invasion, egress, host cell remodelling and antigenic variation requires concerted action by many proteins, but the molecular regulation is poorly understood. Here we have characterized an essential Plasmodium-specific Apicomplexan AP2 transcription factor in Plasmodium falciparum (PfAP2-P; pathogenesis) during the blood-stage development with two peaks of expression. An inducible knockout of gene function showed that PfAP2-P is essential for trophozoite development, and critical for var gene regulation, merozoite development and parasite egress.

Evaluating antimalarial efficacy by tracking glycolysis in Plasmodium falciparum using NMR spectroscopy.

Glucose is an essential nutrient for Plasmodium falciparum and robust glycolytic activity is indicative of viable parasites. Using NMR spectroscopy, we show that P. falciparum infected erythrocytes consume ~20 times more glucose, and trophozoites metabolize ~6 times more glucose than ring stage parasites.

An efficient method for the production of isotopically enriched cholesterol for NMR.

(13)C-Cholesterol was produced with high efficiency by a genetically engineered yeast strain. The method produces ∼ 1 mg of cholesterol per gram of glucose using 100 ml of culture medium. Uniform 94% enrichment where the most abundant product is the fully enriched isotopomer (u-(13)C(27)) is obtained using (u-(13)C(6), 99%) glucose medium.

Spectral aliasing: a super zoom for 2D-NMR spectra. Principles and applications.

The NMR methodology based on spectral aliasing developed at the University of Geneva is reviewed. Different approaches aimed at increasing the resolution in the indirect carbon dimension of 2D heteronuclear experiments are presented with their respective advantages. Applications to HSQC, HMBC and other 2D heteronuclear experiments to the study of natural products and synthesis intermediates are shown.