PfASP shows a dual localisation to both the tight junction and merozoite apex during erythrocyte invasion. Widefield 3D imaging of ASP-HA merozoites labeled with anti-HA, anti-PfRON4 and DAPI showing early invasion events (A) and two classes of mid/late invasion (B, C) distributions seen during invasion. Scale bar = 5 mm. 3D reconstruction with 0.2 mm grid intervals. In apically attached parasites, PfASP-HA was located at the apical tip of the merozoite at the same point as PfRON4 (A, Early), consistent with its localisation by IEM to the rhoptry neck in intracellular parasites. Mid invasion, however, when PfRON4 labeling expands to form a ring around invading parasites at the tight junction, PfASPHA was found either predominantly retained at the apical tip of the merozoite or associated with the tight junction (B, C).

Zuccala ES, Gout AM, Dekiwadia C, Marapana DS, Angrisano F, Turnbull L, Riglar DT, Rogers KL, Whitchurch CB, Ralph SA, Speed TP, Baum J. Subcompartmentalisation of Proteins in the Rhoptries Correlates with Ordered Events of Erythrocyte Invasion by the Blood Stage Malaria Parasite. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e46160.