Using scRNA-seq to Identify Transcriptional Variation in the Malaria Parasite Ookinete Stage
The crossing of the mosquito midgut epithelium by the malaria parasite motile ookinete form represents the most extreme population bottleneck in the parasite life cycle and is a prime target for transmission blocking strategies. However, we have little understanding of the clonal variation that exis...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.604129/full |
| _version_ | 1818416722581913600 |
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| author | Kathrin Witmer Farah Aida Dahalan Tom Metcalf Arthur M. Talman Arthur M. Talman Virginia M. Howick Virginia M. Howick Virginia M. Howick Mara K. N. Lawniczak |
| author_facet | Kathrin Witmer Farah Aida Dahalan Tom Metcalf Arthur M. Talman Arthur M. Talman Virginia M. Howick Virginia M. Howick Virginia M. Howick Mara K. N. Lawniczak |
| author_sort | Kathrin Witmer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The crossing of the mosquito midgut epithelium by the malaria parasite motile ookinete form represents the most extreme population bottleneck in the parasite life cycle and is a prime target for transmission blocking strategies. However, we have little understanding of the clonal variation that exists in a population of ookinetes in the vector, partially because the parasites are difficult to access and are found in low numbers. Within a vector, variation may result as a response to specific environmental cues or may exist independent of those cues as a potential bet-hedging strategy. Here we use single-cell RNA-seq to profile transcriptional variation in Plasmodium berghei ookinetes across different vector species, and between and within individual midguts. We then compare our results to low-input transcriptomes from individual Anopheles coluzzii midguts infected with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Although the vast majority of transcriptional changes in ookinetes are driven by development, we have identified candidate genes that may be responding to environmental cues or are clonally variant within a population. Our results illustrate the value of single-cell and low-input technologies in understanding clonal variation of parasite populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:55:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-88890f7ac9334ac889ae2f04375cb72c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2235-2988 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:55:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-88890f7ac9334ac889ae2f04375cb72c2022-12-21T23:02:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882021-03-011110.3389/fcimb.2021.604129604129Using scRNA-seq to Identify Transcriptional Variation in the Malaria Parasite Ookinete StageKathrin Witmer0Farah Aida Dahalan1Tom Metcalf2Arthur M. Talman3Arthur M. Talman4Virginia M. Howick5Virginia M. Howick6Virginia M. Howick7Mara K. N. Lawniczak8Parasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United KingdomDepartment of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United KingdomParasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United KingdomParasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United KingdomMIVEGEC, IRD, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, FranceParasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United KingdomInstitute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United KingdomWellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United KingdomParasites and Microbes Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, United KingdomThe crossing of the mosquito midgut epithelium by the malaria parasite motile ookinete form represents the most extreme population bottleneck in the parasite life cycle and is a prime target for transmission blocking strategies. However, we have little understanding of the clonal variation that exists in a population of ookinetes in the vector, partially because the parasites are difficult to access and are found in low numbers. Within a vector, variation may result as a response to specific environmental cues or may exist independent of those cues as a potential bet-hedging strategy. Here we use single-cell RNA-seq to profile transcriptional variation in Plasmodium berghei ookinetes across different vector species, and between and within individual midguts. We then compare our results to low-input transcriptomes from individual Anopheles coluzzii midguts infected with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Although the vast majority of transcriptional changes in ookinetes are driven by development, we have identified candidate genes that may be responding to environmental cues or are clonally variant within a population. Our results illustrate the value of single-cell and low-input technologies in understanding clonal variation of parasite populations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.604129/fullookinetePlasmodiumscRNA-seqtranscriptomicsmalariaAnopheles |
| spellingShingle | Kathrin Witmer Farah Aida Dahalan Tom Metcalf Arthur M. Talman Arthur M. Talman Virginia M. Howick Virginia M. Howick Virginia M. Howick Mara K. N. Lawniczak Using scRNA-seq to Identify Transcriptional Variation in the Malaria Parasite Ookinete Stage Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology ookinete Plasmodium scRNA-seq transcriptomics malaria Anopheles |
| title | Using scRNA-seq to Identify Transcriptional Variation in the Malaria Parasite Ookinete Stage |
| title_full | Using scRNA-seq to Identify Transcriptional Variation in the Malaria Parasite Ookinete Stage |
| title_fullStr | Using scRNA-seq to Identify Transcriptional Variation in the Malaria Parasite Ookinete Stage |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using scRNA-seq to Identify Transcriptional Variation in the Malaria Parasite Ookinete Stage |
| title_short | Using scRNA-seq to Identify Transcriptional Variation in the Malaria Parasite Ookinete Stage |
| title_sort | using scrna seq to identify transcriptional variation in the malaria parasite ookinete stage |
| topic | ookinete Plasmodium scRNA-seq transcriptomics malaria Anopheles |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.604129/full |
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