Malaria Parasites Produce Volatile Mosquito Attractants
ABSTRACT The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains a nonphotosynthetic plastid organelle that possesses plant-like metabolic pathways. Plants use the plastidial isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway to produce volatile odorants, known as terpenes. In this work, we describe the volatile chemical...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2015-05-01
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| Series: | mBio |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.00235-15 |
| _version_ | 1819011794378686464 |
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| author | Megan Kelly Chih-Ying Su Chad Schaber Jan R. Crowley Fong-Fu Hsu John R. Carlson Audrey R. Odom |
| author_facet | Megan Kelly Chih-Ying Su Chad Schaber Jan R. Crowley Fong-Fu Hsu John R. Carlson Audrey R. Odom |
| author_sort | Megan Kelly |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains a nonphotosynthetic plastid organelle that possesses plant-like metabolic pathways. Plants use the plastidial isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway to produce volatile odorants, known as terpenes. In this work, we describe the volatile chemical profile of cultured malaria parasites. Among the identified compounds are several plant-like terpenes and terpene derivatives, including known mosquito attractants. We establish the molecular identity of the odorant receptors of the malaria mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae, which responds to these compounds. The malaria parasite produces volatile signals that are recognized by mosquitoes and may thereby mediate host attraction and facilitate transmission. IMPORTANCE Malaria is a key global health concern. Mosquitoes that transmit malaria are more attracted to malaria parasite-infected mammalian hosts. These studies aimed to understand the chemical signals produced by malaria parasites; such an understanding may lead to new transmission-blocking strategies or noninvasive malaria diagnostics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T01:33:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3ab001dea6a64358a18135e500cd9175 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-7511 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T01:33:49Z |
| publishDate | 2015-05-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | mBio |
| spelling | doaj.art-3ab001dea6a64358a18135e500cd91752022-12-21T19:20:17ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologymBio2150-75112015-05-016210.1128/mBio.00235-15Malaria Parasites Produce Volatile Mosquito AttractantsMegan Kelly0Chih-Ying Su1Chad Schaber2Jan R. Crowley3Fong-Fu Hsu4John R. Carlson5Audrey R. Odom6Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USADepartment of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USADepartment of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USAMass Spectrometry Resource, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USAMass Spectrometry Resource, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USADepartment of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USADepartment of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USAABSTRACT The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains a nonphotosynthetic plastid organelle that possesses plant-like metabolic pathways. Plants use the plastidial isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway to produce volatile odorants, known as terpenes. In this work, we describe the volatile chemical profile of cultured malaria parasites. Among the identified compounds are several plant-like terpenes and terpene derivatives, including known mosquito attractants. We establish the molecular identity of the odorant receptors of the malaria mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae, which responds to these compounds. The malaria parasite produces volatile signals that are recognized by mosquitoes and may thereby mediate host attraction and facilitate transmission. IMPORTANCE Malaria is a key global health concern. Mosquitoes that transmit malaria are more attracted to malaria parasite-infected mammalian hosts. These studies aimed to understand the chemical signals produced by malaria parasites; such an understanding may lead to new transmission-blocking strategies or noninvasive malaria diagnostics.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.00235-15 |
| spellingShingle | Megan Kelly Chih-Ying Su Chad Schaber Jan R. Crowley Fong-Fu Hsu John R. Carlson Audrey R. Odom Malaria Parasites Produce Volatile Mosquito Attractants mBio |
| title | Malaria Parasites Produce Volatile Mosquito Attractants |
| title_full | Malaria Parasites Produce Volatile Mosquito Attractants |
| title_fullStr | Malaria Parasites Produce Volatile Mosquito Attractants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Malaria Parasites Produce Volatile Mosquito Attractants |
| title_short | Malaria Parasites Produce Volatile Mosquito Attractants |
| title_sort | malaria parasites produce volatile mosquito attractants |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mBio.00235-15 |
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