Deciphering receptor-ligand interplay during rapid motility of Plasmodium sporozoites (01)

• Subject Area: Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
• Term: since 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 240245660

Plasmodium sporozoites form in oocysts at the mosquito midgut wall, the only process along the parasite life cycle that cannot be routinely performed in vitro. We discovered an unexpected elasticity of the oocyst wall during the current funding period, and will now generate synthetic protein capsules as oocysts walls comprising of multiple proteins to mimic the physical features of natural oocysts as well as investigate ookinete differentiation within these capsules. In addition, we will probe the importance of TRP1 cleavage by SERA5 for the onset of parasite movement within and egress from oocysts.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1129: Integrative Analysis of Pathogen – Replication and Spread
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Friedrich Frischknecht; Professor Dr. Joachim P. Spatz