A5040157156- Malaria Research and Control
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Parasitic Infections and Diagnostics
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Complement system in diseases
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Trypanosoma species research and implications
- Travel-related health issues
- Parasites and Host Interactions
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Microbial infections and disease research
- Phosphodiesterase function and regulation
- Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Protection
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
- Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Vibrio bacteria research studies
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Toxoplasma gondii Research Studies
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Medicinal Plants and Neuroprotection
Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle
2008-2025
Université de Montpellier
2020-2025
Inserm
2020-2025
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
2020-2025
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
2016-2025
MRC Unit the Gambia
2016-2025
University of London
2016-2025
Radboud University Medical Center
2023-2024
Radboud University Nijmegen
2023-2024
University Medical Center
2024
The most polymorphic gene family in P. falciparum is the ∼60 var genes distributed across parasite chromosomes, both subtelomeres and internal regions. They encode hypervariable surface proteins known as erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) that are critical for pathogenesis immune evasion Plasmodium falciparum. How sequence diversity generated not currently completely understood. To address this, we constructed large clone trees performed whole genome analysis to study generation of...
MalariaGEN is a data-sharing network that enables groups around the world to work together on genomic epidemiology of malaria. Here we describe new release curated genome variation data 7,000 Plasmodium falciparum samples from partner studies in 28 malaria-endemic countries. High-quality genotype calls 3 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and short indels were produced using standardised analysis pipeline. Copy number variants associated with drug resistance structural cause...
<ns3:p>We describe the MalariaGEN Pf7 data resource, seventh release of <ns3:italic>Plasmodium falciparum</ns3:italic> genome variation from network. It comprises over 20,000 samples 82 partner studies in 33 countries, including several malaria endemic regions that were previously underrepresented. For first time we include dried blood spot sequenced after selective whole amplification, necessitating new methods to genotype copy number variations. We identify a large newly emerging...
Cerebral malaria is the most deadly manifestation of infection with Plasmodium falciparum . The pathology cerebral characterized by accumulation infected erythrocytes (IEs) in microvasculature brain caused parasite adhesins on surface IEs binding to human receptors microvascular endothelial cells. and host molecules involved this interaction are unknown. We selected three P. strains (HB3, 3D7, IT/FCR3) for a cell line (HBEC-5i). whole transcriptome isogenic pairs unselected parasites was...
Background: Although thousands of clinical isolates Plasmodium falciparum are being sequenced and analysed by short read technology, the data do not resolve highly variable subtelomeric regions genomes that contain polymorphic gene families involved in immune evasion pathogenesis. There is also no current standard definition boundaries these regions. Methods: Using long-read sequence (Pacific Biosciences SMRT technology), we assembled annotated 15 P. isolates, ten which newly cultured...
For reasons that remain unknown, the Plasmodium falciparum genome has an exceptionally high AT content compared to other species and eukaryotes in general - nearly 80% coding regions approaching 90% non-coding regions. Here, we examine how this phenomenon relates genome-wide patterns of de novo mutation. Mutation accumulation experiments were performed by sequential cloning six P. isolates growing human erythrocytes vitro for 4 years, with 279 clones sampled whole sequencing at different...
Abstract Background Chronic carriage of asymptomatic low-density Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia in the dry season may support maintenance acquired immunity that protects against clinical malaria. However, relationship between chronic infections and subsequent risk malaria episodes remains unclear. Methods In a 2-years study (December 2014 to December 2016) eastern Gambia, nine cross-sectional surveys using molecular parasite detection were performed wet season. During 2016 transmission...
Abstract The significance of multiplication rate variation in malaria parasites needs to be determined, particularly for Plasmodium falciparum , the species that causes most virulent infections. To investigate this, from cases presenting hospital Gambia and local community infections were culture-established then tested under exponential growth conditions a standardised six-day assay. distribution was lower than seen previously clinical isolates another area West Africa where infection is...
Abstract Cultured human pathogens may differ significantly from source populations. To investigate the genetic basis of laboratory adaptation in malaria parasites, clinical Plasmodium falciparum isolates were sampled patients and cultured vitro for up to three months. Genome sequence analysis was performed on multiple culture time point samples six monoclonal isolates, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants emerging over detected. Out a total five positively selected SNPs, four...
Sequence diversity in pathogen antigens is an obstacle to the development of interventions against many infectious diseases. In malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, PfEMP1 family variant surface encoded var genes are adhesion molecules that play a pivotal role pathogenesis and clinical disease. major target protective immunity, however, drugs or vaccines based on problematic due extensive sequence within family. Here we identified variants transcribed P. falciparum strains selected for...
<ns3:p>MalariaGEN is a data-sharing network that enables groups around the world to work together on genomic epidemiology of malaria. Here we describe new release curated genome variation data 7,000 <ns3:italic>Plasmodium falciparum</ns3:italic> samples from MalariaGEN partner studies in 28 malaria-endemic countries. High-quality genotype calls 3 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and short indels were produced using standardised analysis pipeline. Copy number variants associated...
Abstract Background In areas where Plasmodium falciparum malaria is seasonal, a dry season reservoir of blood-stage infection essential for initiating transmission during the following wet season. Methods The Gambia, cohort 42 individuals with quantitative polymerase chain reaction-positive P infections at end (December) were followed monthly until (May) to evaluate persistence. influence human host and parasitological factors was investigated. Results A large proportion infected had...
Guanine-rich nucleic acid sequences are capable of folding into an intramolecular four-stranded structure called a G-quadruplex. When found in gene promoter regions, G-quadruplexes can downregulate expression, possibly by blocking the transcriptional machinery. Here we have used genome-wide bioinformatic approach to identify Putative G-Quadruplex Sequences (PQS) Plasmodium falciparum genome, along with biophysical techniques examine physiological stability P. PQS vitro. We identified 63...
In Plasmodium falciparum-infected patients treated with artemisinins, parasitemia declines through so-called pitting, an innate splenic process that transforms infected red blood cells (iRBCs) into once-infected RBCs (O-iRBCs). We measured pitting in 83 French travelers and 42 Malian children for malaria artesunate. travelers, O-iRBCs peaked at 107.7% initial parasitemia. aged 1.5-4 years, higher concentrations than 9-13 years (91.60% vs 31.95%; P = .0097). The parasite clearance time older...
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has evolved an unusual genome structure. majority of the is relatively stable, with mutation rates similar to most eukaryotic species. However, some regions are very unstable high recombination rates, driving generation new immune evasion-associated var genes. molecular factors controlling inconsistent stability this not known. Here we studied roles two putative RecQ helicases in P. falciparum, PfBLM and PfWRN. When PfWRN was knocked down, increased...
Malaria control relies on passive case detection, and this strategy fails detecting asymptomatic infections. In addition, infections in endemic areas harbor multiple parasite genotypes that could affect management malaria epidemiology.
The urgent need for new antimalarial therapies arises from the alarming spread of malaria parasite resistance to existing drugs. A promising candidate, UA2239, an acyclic nucleoside phosphonate with a guanine as nucleobase, demonstrates rapid and irreversible cytotoxic effects on Plasmodium parasites, both in vitro animal model. It blocks active exit process, named egress, merozoites gametes infected erythrocytes. Interestingly, while mutations cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) were...
Understanding the genetic diversity and transmission dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum , causative agent malaria, is crucial for effective control elimination efforts. In some endemic regions, malaria highly seasonal with no or little during up to 8 months, yet known about how seasonality affects parasite population genetics. Here we conducted a longitudinal study over 2.5 years on 1516 participants in Upper River Region The Gambia. With 425 P. barcodes genotyped from asymptomatic...
Background. In Africa, the clearance time for Plasmodium falciparum severe malaria varies significantly, likely due to complexity of P. infections and sequestration phenomenon exhibited by this parasite. This study aims evaluate different methods intra-host dynamics polyclonal during parasite under antimalarial treatment. Additionally, it seeks determine association between rate following artesunate or quinine treatment genetic in Beninese children with malaria. Methods. Sixty-five...
Abstract Of 250 Plasmodium species, 6 infect humans, with P. falciparum causing over 95% of 600,000 annual malaria-related deaths. Its pathology arises from host cell remodelling driven by 400 exported parasite proteins, including the FIKK kinase family. About one million years ago, a bird-infecting species crossed into great apes and single non-exported gained an export element. This led to rapid expansion 15–21 atypical, Ser/Thr effector kinases. Here, using genomic proteomic analyses, we...
Pathogen genome sequencing directly from clinical samples is quickly gaining importance in genetic and medical research studies. However, low DNA yield blood-borne pathogens often a limiting factor. The problem worsens extremely base-biased genomes such as the AT-rich Plasmodium falciparum. We present strategy for whole-genome amplification (WGA) of low-yield P. falciparum prior to short-read sequencing. have developed WGA conditions that incorporate tetramethylammonium chloride improved...