PEXEL motifs are present and cleaved in the N-termini of the rhoptry proteins RON11 and PMIX. A) Schematic of full-length RON11. Dark bars represent either the signal peptide or transmembrane domains. B) Schematic of reporter construct containing residues 1-70 of RON11 with either the WT PEXEL motif (1), an R51A (2) or F54A (3) PEXEL mutation, followed by representative live microscopy of parasites expressing the reporter. C) Western blot of RON11 reporter constructs. Arrows indicate bands corresponding to the expected molecular weights shown in the schematic in (B) associated with the presence or absence of PEXEL cleavage. D) Schematic of full-length PMIX. Dark red bar represents the recessed signal peptide. E) Schematic of reporter construct containing residues 1-71 of PMIX with either the WT PEXEL motif (1) or an was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. R46A mutation (2) followed by representative live microscopy of parasites expressing the reporter. F) Western blot of PMIX reporter constructs. Arrows indicate bands corresponding to the expected molecular weights shown in the schematic in (E) associated with the presence or absence of PEXEL cleavage. Scale bar: 5µm.

Fierro MA, Muheljic A, Sha J, Wohlschlegel JA, Beck JR. PEXEL is a proteolytic maturation site for both exported and non-exported Plasmodium proteins. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Jul 12:2023.07.12.548774. PMID: 37503245;