Functional identification of the Plasmodium centromere and generation of a Plasmodium artificial chromosome.

Journal article

The artificial chromosome represents a useful tool for gene transfer, both as cloning vectors and in chromosome biology research. To generate a Plasmodium artificial chromosome (PAC), we had to first functionally identify and characterize the parasite's centromere. A putative centromere (pbcen5) was cloned from chromosome 5 of the rodent parasite P. berghei based on a Plasmodium gene-synteny map. Plasmids containing pbcen5 were stably maintained in parasites during a blood-stage infection with high segregation efficiency, without drug pressure. pbcen5-containing plasmids were also stably maintained during parasite meiosis and mitosis in the mosquito. A linear PAC (L-PAC) was generated by integrating pbcen5 and telomere into a plasmid. The L-PAC segregated with a high efficiency and was stably maintained throughout the parasite's life cycle, as either one or two copies. These results suggest that L-PAC behaves like a Plasmodium chromosome, which can be exploited as an experimental research tool.

Authors: Iwanaga, S; Khan, S; Kaneko, I; Christodoulou, Z; Newbold, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Cell host and microbe
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 245-255
• Publication date: 2010-03-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2010.02.010
• EISSN: 1934-6069
• ISSN: 1931-3128
• Language: English
• Keywords: Chromosomes, Artificial; Plasmodium berghei; Centromere; Cloning, Molecular; Genetic Engineering; Genetics, Microbial; Genetic Vectors; Chromosomes