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Previously we have used the Plasmodium dihydrofolate reductase thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) selectable marker to generate Plasmodium berghei TRAP null mutant parasites. These TRAP null mutants do not glide and they showed a great reduction in their ability to infect mosquito salivary glands and the hepatocytes of the vertebrate host. Thus far, complementation of these knockout parasites was not possible due to the lack of additional selectable markers. Recently, a new selectable marker, based on the human dihydrofolate reductase (hDHFR) gene, has been developed which confers resistance to the antifolate drug WR99210. This drug has been found to be highly active against pyrimethamine-sensitive and -resistant strains of P. berghei. In this study, we have used the hDHFR gene as a second selectable marker for the complementation of P. berghei TRAP null mutant parasites. Restoration of the TRAP null mutant parasites to the wild-type phenotype was achieved in this study via autonomously replicating episomes bearing a wild-type copy of the TRAP gene. This is the first report of complementation of a mutant phenotype in malaria parasites.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/s0166-6851(01)00209-2

Type

Journal article

Journal

Mol Biochem Parasitol

Publication Date

03/2001

Volume

113

Pages

151 - 156

Keywords

Animals, Folic Acid Antagonists, Genetic Markers, Humans, Mutation, Plasmodium berghei, Protozoan Proteins, Sensitivity and Specificity, Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase, Transfection