Epigenetic regulation of Plasmodium falciparum clonally variant gene expression during development in Anopheles gambiae

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 40655
• Main Authors: Gómez-Díaz, Elena, Yerbanga, Rakiswendé S., Lefèvre, Thierry, Cohuet, Anna, Rowley, M. Jordan, Ouedraogo, Jean Bosco, Corces, Victor G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 16-01-2017; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 38/43; 38/90; 631/208/177; 631/337/100; Antisense RNA; Aquatic insects; Binding sites; Biochemistry, Molecular Biology; Chromatin; Gene expression; Gene silencing; Genomics; Humanities and Social Sciences; Life Sciences; Microbiology and Parasitology; Mosquitoes; multidisciplinary; Non-coding RNA; Parasites; Parasitology; Phenotypic plasticity; Plasmodium falciparum; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sporozoites; Transcription factors; Var gene
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep40655

P. falciparum
phenotypic plasticity is linked to the variant expression of clonal multigene families such as the
var
genes. We have examined changes in transcription and histone modifications that occur during sporogonic development of
P. falciparum
in the mosquito host. All
var
genes are silenced or transcribed at low levels in blood stages (gametocyte/ring) of the parasite in the human host. After infection of mosquitoes, a single
var
gene is selected for expression in the oocyst, and transcription of this gene increases dramatically in the sporozoite. The same PF3D7_1255200
var
gene was activated in 4 different experimental infections. Transcription of this
var
gene during parasite development in the mosquito correlates with the presence of low levels of H3K9me3 at the binding site for the PF3D7_1466400 AP2 transcription factor. This chromatin state in the sporozoite also correlates with the expression of an antisense long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that has previously been shown to promote
var
gene transcription during the intraerythrocytic cycle
in vitro
. Expression of both the sense protein-coding transcript and the antisense lncRNA increase dramatically in sporozoites. The findings suggest a complex process for the activation of a single particular
var
gene that involves AP2 transcription factors and lncRNAs.