Expression and localisation of PfMAP-2 in NF54/MAP-2GFPDD parasites. (a) Expression and localisation of PfMAP-2 in late schizonts (40–48 hpi) and stage V gametocytes assessed by live cell fluorescence imaging and Western blot. Representative live cell fluorescence images are shown. Scale bar = 5 μm. To determine the stage-specific expression of PfMAP-2GFPDD, we performed live cell fluorescence imaging and Western blot analysis on both asexual parasites and gametocytes under protein-stabilizing (+ Shield-1) conditions. Western blot analysis revealed expression of PfMAP-2 in stage V gametocytes. In contrast, we did not observe PfMAP-2 expression in trophozoite and schizont stage parasites (a). (b) Expression and localisation of PfMAP-2 in stage I to stage V gametocytes by live cell fluorescence imaging. Representative live cell fluorescence images are shown. Scale bar = 5 μm. Peak expression of PfMAP-2 in stage IV and V gametocytes (b). Whereas a weak PfMAP-2GFPDD signal was detected in stage III gametocytes, the PfMAP-2 protein was not identified in gametocyte stages I and II (b). With regard to subcellular localization, the PfMAP-2 protein was detected in the parasite cytoplasm and nucleus in both stage IV and V gametocytes (b). (c) Representative images of the expression of PfMAP-2GFPDD and PfG377 in stage V male and female gametocytes assessed by IFA. Scale bar = 5 μm. All gametocytes positively labelled for PfMAP-2GFPDD expression were identified as PfG377-negative and similarly PfG377-positive gametocytes were found to be GFP-negative c.

Hitz E, Balestra AC, Brochet M, Voss TS. PfMAP-2 is essential for male

gametogenesis in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Sci Rep. 2020 10(1):11930. PMID: 32681115