<i>Plasmodium knowlesi</i>: a relevant, versatile experimental malaria model

Pasini, Erica M.; Zeeman, Anne‐Marie; Wel, Annemarie Voorberg-van der; Kocken, Clemens H. M.

doi:10.1017/s0031182016002286

Cited by 28 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 119 publications

(165 reference statements)

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“…Downregulation of the SICAvar family also occurs in P. knowlesi in vitro cultures (Lapp et al 2015 ). Thus, long-term cultures are not particularly well suited for SICAvar expression studies, but ex vivo transfection experiments followed by in vivo growth can be useful to test hypotheses (van der Wel et al 1997 ; Kocken et al 2002 ; Kocken et al 2009 ; Pasini et al 2016 ). Curiously, our present culture-adapted line, derived from a line established by Kocken et al ( 2002 ) did not grow when passaged back into rhesus, owl and squirrel monkeys, primate species normally highly susceptible to infection with P. knowlesi (unpublished data); this suggests that changes have occurred in this line over time upon in vitro propagation that now prohibit its successful infection and growth in vivo .…”

Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasmodium knowlesi:a superbin vivononhuman primate model of antigenic variation in malaria

et al. 2017

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SUMMARYAntigenic variation in malaria was discovered in Plasmodium knowlesi studies involving longitudinal infections of rhesus macaques (M. mulatta). The variant proteins, known as the P. knowlesi Schizont Infected Cell Agglutination (SICA) antigens and the P. falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 (PfEMP1) antigens, expressed by the SICAvar and var multigene families, respectively, have been studied for over 30 years. Expression of the SICA antigens in P. knowlesi requires a splenic component, and specific antibodies are necessary for variant antigen switch events in vivo. Outstanding questions revolve around the role of the spleen and the mechanisms by which the expression of these variant antigen families are regulated. Importantly, the longitudinal dynamics and molecular mechanisms that govern variant antigen expression can be studied with P. knowlesi infection of its mammalian and vector hosts. Synchronous infections can be initiated with established clones and studied at multi-omic levels, with the benefit of computational tools from systems biology that permit the integration of datasets and the design of explanatory, predictive mathematical models. Here we provide an historical account of this topic, while highlighting the potential for maximizing the use of P. knowlesi – macaque model systems and summarizing exciting new progress in this area of research.

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Section: Historical Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasmodium knowlesi:a superbin vivononhuman primate model of antigenic variation in malaria

et al. 2017

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“…Plasmodium knowlesi has served as a model parasite for malaria research for over 50 years, as detailed elsewhere in this special issue (Galinski et al 2017 ; Pasini et al 2017 ). Here we stress the importance and value of a well-assembled and annotated genome sequence for the continued benefit of many aspects of this research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

PacBio assembly of aPlasmodium knowlesigenome sequence with Hi-C correction and manual annotation of theSICAvargene family

et al. 2017

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SUMMARYPlasmodium knowlesi has risen in importance as a zoonotic parasite that has been causing regular episodes of malaria throughout South East Asia. The P. knowlesi genome sequence generated in 2008 highlighted and confirmed many similarities and differences in Plasmodium species, including a global view of several multigene families, such as the large SICAvar multigene family encoding the variant antigens known as the schizont-infected cell agglutination proteins. However, repetitive DNA sequences are the bane of any genome project, and this and other Plasmodium genome projects have not been immune to the gaps, rearrangements and other pitfalls created by these genomic features. Today, long-read PacBio and chromatin conformation technologies are overcoming such obstacles. Here, based on the use of these technologies, we present a highly refined de novo P. knowlesi genome sequence of the Pk1(A+) clone. This sequence and annotation, referred to as the ‘MaHPIC Pk genome sequence’, includes manual annotation of the SICAvar gene family with 136 full-length members categorized as type I or II. This sequence provides a framework that will permit a better understanding of the SICAvar repertoire, selective pressures acting on this gene family and mechanisms of antigenic variation in this species and other pathogens.

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“…While methods for effective in vitro cultivation of P. vivax remain unavailable, P. knowlesi cultures in human as well as rhesus macaque red blood cells (RBCs) are useful for a range of experimental studies [9–11]. The full P. knowlesi life cycle can be supported through rhesus macaques and Anopheles mosquitoes in the laboratory, and genetic transformation of P. knowlesi parasites can be achieved in vivo and in vitro [9, 12–14]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of two methods for transformation of Plasmodium knowlesi : Direct schizont electroporation and spontaneous plasmid uptake from plasmid-loaded red blood cells

Barros

Gibson

Kite

et al. 2017

Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology

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Human infections from Plasmodium knowlesi species present challenges to malaria control in Southeast Asia. P. knowlesi also offers a model for other human malaria species including Plasmodium vivax. P. knowlesi parasites can be cultivated in the laboratory, and their transformation is standardly performed by direct electroporation of schizont-infected red blood cells (RBCs) with plasmid DNA. Here we show that the efficiency of direct electroporation is exquisitely dependent on developmental age of the schizonts. Additionally, we show that transformation of P. knowlesi can be achieved without direct electroporation by using the parasite’s ability to invade and take up DNA from plasmid-loaded RBCs. Transformation with plasmid-loaded RBCs does not require labor-intensive preparations of schizont-infected RBCs as for direct electroporation, and parasite damage from high voltage discharge is avoided. Further studies of the mechanism of spontaneous DNA uptake may suggest strategies for improved transformation and provide insights into the transport pathways of apicomplexans.

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Plasmodium knowlesi: a relevant, versatile experimental malaria model

Cited by 28 publications

References 119 publications

Plasmodium knowlesi:a superbin vivononhuman primate model of antigenic variation in malaria

Plasmodium knowlesi:a superbin vivononhuman primate model of antigenic variation in malaria

PacBio assembly of aPlasmodium knowlesigenome sequence with Hi-C correction and manual annotation of theSICAvargene family

Comparison of two methods for transformation of Plasmodium knowlesi : Direct schizont electroporation and spontaneous plasmid uptake from plasmid-loaded red blood cells

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