PfERC knockdown inhibits PVM breakdown. Representative TEM images of PfERC-glmS (PfERC tagged with the inducible version of the ribozyme gene, glmSn; 2 biological replicates) and PfERC-M9 (inactive version of the ribozyme, M9; n=2 biological replicates) schizonts incubated with compound 1 as described for panel A. Bar, 800 nm. PVM is marked by black arrowheads. Results show that the PfERC-M9 schizonts were able to break down the PVM within 30 min after removal of C1 whereas the PfERC-glmS mutants failed to rupture the PVM. Overall, these data demonstrate that PfERC function was critical for the breakdown of the PVM.

Fierro MA, Asady B, Brooks CF, Cobb DW, Villegas A, Moreno SNJ, Muralidharan V. An Endoplasmic Reticulum CREC Family Protein Regulates the Egress Proteolytic Cascade in Malaria Parasites. mBio. 2020 Feb 25;11(1). pii: e03078-19