Subcellular location of mutant proline constructs. Epifluorescent images of live P. falciparum erythrocytic-stage parasites expressing GFP fused to proline mutants of the ACP leader peptide. The parasites were stained with mitotracker to identify mitochondria and DAPI to identify nuclei. GFP fluorescence in the ΔT construct is associated with the parasite periphery and compartments in the erythrocyte cytosol. For the WT construct and all proline mutant TP constructs, ring and early trophozoite-stage parasites show point-like GFP fluorescence as expected for apicoplast localization. Late trophozoite-stage parasites show a branched structure labeled by GFP which is distinct from the mitochondria, consistent with apicoplast localization. Image z-stacks were deconvoluted and then presented as a single combined image. Scale bar = 2 μm.

Gallagher JR, Matthews KA, Prigge ST. Plasmodium falciparum apicoplast transit peptides are unstructured in vitro and during apicoplast import. Traffic. 2011 Sep;12(9):1124-38.