Role of small heat shock protein 20 in intra-dermal migration of malaria parasite transmission stage

GEORGINA N. MONTAGNA; CARLOS A BUSCAGLIA; SILVIA MÜNTER; CHRISTIAN GOOSMANN; FRIEDRICH FRISCHKNECHT1; VOLKER BRINKMANN; KAI MATUSCHEWSKI

Congreso; XLVIII Reunión de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; 2012

Substrate-dependent motility in eukaryotic cells depends onregulated turnover of microfilaments. The sporozoiteis a highly motile single cell eukaryote that employs its ownactin/myosin-based motor machinery for gliding locomotion,penetration of cellular barriers, and invasion. Suggestive evidencehas accumulated over the years that small heat shock proteins(sHSPs) contribute to modulation of microfilaments, although theirpotential role in actin-based motility has largely been ignored.In our study, we asked whether of the malarial parasiteregulates motility of the extracellular stages of the parasite lifecycle. Using experimental genetics we observed that lack ofprofoundly affects the turnover of sporozoite-substrate adhesionsites. This defect translates into aberrant cellular speed andtrajectories Loss of function profoundly impairedmalaria transmission to the mammalian host bymosquitoes. Bypassing the dermis by intravenous injection ofsporozoites fully restored parasite life cycle progression.Apparently, colonization of the liver and productive invasion of thetarget cell, occurs normally in the absence of , highlighting aspecific role for extracellular motility.Our data provide the first genetic evidence for a role of small heatshock proteins in eukaryotic cell traction and migration.