Influential Parameters for the Analysis of Intracellular Parasite Metabolomics

• DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00097-18
• Publication Date: 2018-04-17T09:54:03Z
• Authors: Maureen A. Carey; Vincent Covelli; Audrey Brown; Gregory L. Medlock; Mareike Haaren; Jessica G. Cooper; Jason A. Papin; Jennifer L. Guler
• Keywords: Intracellular parasite

Molecular characterization of pathogens such as the malaria parasite can lead to improved biological understanding and novel treatment strategies. However, distinctive biology Plasmodium parasite, including its repetitive genome requirement for growth within a host cell, hinders progress toward these goals. Untargeted metabolomics is promising approach learn about pathogen biology. By measuring many small molecules in at once, we gain better important pathways that contribute parasite’s response perturbations drug treatment. Although increasingly popular, approaches intracellular subsequent analysis are not well explored. The findings presented this report emphasize critical need improvements areas limit misinterpretation due metabolites standardize interpretation. Such will aid both basic investigations clinical efforts understand pathogens.