Deciphering the regulation of Plasmodium falciparum replication (18)

• Subject Area: Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 240245660

During P. falciparum replication in the blood, multinucleated cells are formed through asynchronous nuclear division. P. falciparum proliferation is directly related to disease severity. We found that reduced cytoadherence, but not altered replication, underlies lower parasite burdens and milder forms of malaria. Proximity-based proteomic labelling identified novel molecular players around the kinase PfCRK4, expanding ist role in nuclear cycle progression. Combining live-cell imaging and mathematical modelling, we found that parasite replication is affected by a limiting factor and that asynchronous nuclear replication cycles balance limited resources with fast parasite proliferation.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1129: Integrative Analysis of Pathogen – Replication and Spread
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Dr. Markus Ganter; Dr. Silvia Portugal, until 6/2022