Trafficking and Association of <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> MC-2TM with the Maurer’s Clefts

• Main Authors: Raghavendra Yadavalli, John W. Peterson, Judith A. Drazba, Tobili Y. Sam-Yellowe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Pathogens
• Subjects: <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i>; Maurer’s clefts; PfMC-2TM; protein trafficking; clinical biomarker; <i>Plasmodium</i> membrane proteins
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/4/431

In this study, we investigated stage specific expression, trafficking, solubility and topology of endogenous PfMC-2TM in <i>P. falciparum</i> (3D7) infected erythrocytes. Following Brefeldin A (BFA) treatment of parasites, PfMC-2TM traffic was evaluated using immunofluorescence with antibodies reactive with PfMC-2TM. PfMC-2TM is sensitive to BFA treatment and permeabilization of infected erythrocytes with streptolysin O (SLO) and saponin, showed that the N and C-termini of PfMC-2TM are exposed to the erythrocyte cytoplasm with the central portion of the protein protected in the MC membranes. PfMC-2TM was expressed as early as 4 h post invasion (hpi), was tightly colocalized with REX-1 and trafficked to the erythrocyte membrane without a change in solubility. PfMC-2TM associated with the MC and infected erythrocyte membrane and was resistant to extraction with alkaline sodium carbonate, suggestive of protein-lipid interactions with membranes of the MC and erythrocyte. PfMC-2TM is an additional marker of the nascent MCs.