SignificanceProtozoal proteasome is a validated target for antimalarial drug development, but species selectivity of reported inhibitors is suboptimal. Here we identify inhibitors with improved selectivity for malaria proteasome β5 subunit over each active subunit of human proteasomes. These compounds kill the parasite in each stage of its life cycle. They interact synergistically with a β2 inhibitor and with artemisinin. Resistance to the β5 inhibitor arose through a point mutation in the nonproteolytic β6 subunit. The same mutation made the mutant strain more sensitive to a β2 inhibitor and less fit to withstand irradiation. These findings reveal complex interplay among proteasome subunits and introduce the prospect that combined inhibition of β2 and β5 subunits can afford synergy and thwart resistance.

Invasion of hepatocytes by sporozoites is essential for Plasmodium to initiate infection of the mammalian host. The parasite's subsequent intracellular differentiation in the liver is the first developmental step of its mammalian cycle. Despite their biological significance, surprisingly little is known of the signalling pathways required for sporozoite invasion. We report that sporozoite invasion of hepatocytes requires signalling through two second-messengers - cGMP mediated by the parasite's cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), and Ca , mediated by the parasite's calcium-dependent protein kinase 4 (CDPK4). Sporozoites expressing a mutated form of Plasmodium berghei PKG or carrying a deletion of the CDPK4 gene are defective in invasion of hepatocytes. Using specific and potent inhibitors of Plasmodium PKG and CDPK4, we demonstrate that PKG and CDPK4 are required for sporozoite motility, and that PKG regulates the secretion of TRAP, an adhesin that is essential for motility. Chemical inhibition of PKG decreases parasite egress from hepatocytes by inhibiting either the formation or release of merosomes. In contrast, genetic inhibition of CDPK4 does not significantly decrease the number of merosomes. By revealing the requirement for PKG and CDPK4 in Plasmodium sporozoite invasion, our work enables a better understanding of kinase pathways that act in different Plasmodium stages.

Invasion of hepatocytes by Plasmodium sporozoites initiates the pre-erythrocytic step of a malaria infection. Subsequent development of the parasite within hepatocytes and exit from them is essential for starting the disease-causing erythrocytic cycle. Identification of signaling pathways that operate in pre-erythrocytic stages provides insight into a critical step of infection and potential targets for chemoprotection from malaria. We demonstrate that P. berghei homologs of Calcium Dependent Protein Kinase 1 (CDPK1), CDPK4 and CDPK5 play overlapping but distinct roles in sporozoite invasion and parasite egress from hepatocytes. All three kinases are expressed in sporozoites. All three are required for optimal motility of sporozoites and consequently their invasion of hepatocytes. Increased cGMP can compensate for the functional loss of CDPK1 and CDPK5 during sporozoite invasion but cannot overcome loss of CDPK4. CDPK1 and CDPK5 expression is downregulated after sporozoite invasion. CDPK5 reappears in a subset of late stage liver stages and is present in all merosomes. Chemical inhibition of CDPK4 and depletion of CDPK5 in liver stages implicate these kinases in the formation and/or release of merosomes from mature liver stages. Furthermore, depletion of CDPK5 in merosomes significantly delays initiation of the erythrocytic cycle without affecting infectivity of hepatic merozoites. These data suggest that CDPK5 may be required for the rupture of merosomes. Our work provides evidence that sporozoite invasion requires CDPK1 and CDPK5, and suggests that CDPK5 participates in the release of hepatic merozoites.

Babesia microti, an emerging human pathogen, is primarily transmitted through a bite of an infected tick and blood transfusions in human. Stable transfection technique has been reported in many protozoan parasites over the past few years. However, in vivo transient and stable transfection method has not been established for Babesia microti. Here, for the first time, we present a method of transient as well as stable transfection of the Babesia microti (B. microti) in the in vivo conditions. We have identified a novel promoter of B. microti. We also demonstrated that Plasmodium berghei DHFR promoter is recognized and functional in B. microti. We show that BM-CTQ41297 promoter control the expression of two genes, which are present on either side and thus represents a bi-functional promoter in B. microti. The predicted promoter activity values using Promoter 2.0 program is higher for BM- CTQ41297 promoter than strong promoters such as β-actin, ef-1β, and many other promoters. Furthermore, we discovered a non-essential locus for the genetic manipulation of the parasite, allowing us to stably integrate foreign genes; GFP, mCherry, into the B. microti. The transfection using an electroporation method and genetic manipulation of B. microti is now achievable and it is possible to obtain transfected viable parasites under in vivo growing conditions. The growth curve analysis of transfected and WT B. microti are similar indicating no defects in the transgenic parasites. This study will enable other researchers in understanding the B. microti biology, host modulation and diverse parasite developmental stages using reverse genetics and holds great potential to identify novel drug targets and vaccine development.

Malaria is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium, which undergoes a complex life cycle in a human host and a mosquito vector. The parasite’s cyclic GMP (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKG) is essential at multiple steps of the life cycle. Phosphoproteomic studies in Plasmodium falciparum erythrocytic stages and Plasmodium berghei ookinetes have identified proteolysis as a major biological pathway dependent on PKG activity. To further understand PKG’s mechanism of action, we screened a yeast two-hybrid library for P. falciparum proteins that interact with P. falciparum PKG (PfPKG) and tested peptide libraries to identify its phosphorylation site preferences. Our data suggest that PfPKG has a distinct phosphorylation site and that PfPKG directly phosphorylates parasite RPT1, one of six AAA+ ATPases present in the 19S regulatory particle of the proteasome. PfPKG and RPT1 interact in vitro, and the interacting fragment of RPT1 carries a PfPKG consensus phosphorylation site; a peptide carrying this consensus site competes with the RPT1 fragment for binding to PfPKG and is efficiently phosphorylated by PfPKG. These data suggest that PfPKG’s phosphorylation of RPT1 could contribute to its regulation of parasite proteolysis. We demonstrate that proteolysis plays an important role in a biological process known to require Plasmodium PKG: invasion by sporozoites of hepatocytes. A small-molecule inhibitor of proteasomal activity blocks sporozoite invasion in an additive manner when combined with a Plasmodium PKG-specific inhibitor. Mining the previously described parasite PKG-dependent phosphoproteomes using the consensus phosphorylation motif identified additional proteins that are likely to be direct substrates of the enzyme.