Intracellular localization of PfPI3K and its trafficking to the host. (A) IFA was performed for localizing PfPI3K, FCP (i) and VARC (ii). FCP (red) is located inside the food vacuole of mature trophozoites. PfPI3K (green) exhibits “vesicular” staining on PVM/PM (black arrows) and the host erythrocyte (white arrows) and in the food vacuole, which can be identified by the presence of black hemozoin. (ii) PfPI3K colocalizes with VARC at the erythrocyte surface. PfPI3K localization. Lower row: Early trophozoites on thin blood smears were used for IFA to assess the localization of PfPI3K (green). The parasite nuclei (blue) are stained with DAPI. The arrows indicate PfPI3K near the host RBC membrane.

Vaid A, Ranjan R, Smythe WA, Hoppe HC, Sharma P. PfPI3K, a phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase from Plasmodium falciparum, is exported to the host erythrocyte and is involved in hemoglobin trafficking. Blood. 2010 115:2500-2507.