Featured
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Article
| Open Access
The PfRCR complex bridges malaria parasite and erythrocyte during invasion
Structural studies show how the PfRCR complex of Plasmodium falciparum forms a bridge between erythrocyte and parasite membranes, and how PfCyRPA-binding antibodies neutralize invasion through a steric mechanism, opening the way to new approaches in rational vaccine design.
- Brendan Farrell
- , Nawsad Alam
- & Matthew K. Higgins
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Nature Podcast |
Cat parasite Toxoplasma tricked to grow in a dish
Cat-only life-cycle stage cultured in vitro, and the mysterious giant proteins that might turn bacteria into killers.
- Nick Petrić Howe
- & Shamini Bundell
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Article
| Open Access
In vitro production of cat-restricted Toxoplasma pre-sexual stages
A study describes the molecular basis of sexual development of Toxoplasma gondii entirely in vitro, demonstrating the role and interaction of AP2XII-1 and AP2XI-2 in the developmental program of this protozoan parasite.
- Ana Vera Antunes
- , Martina Shahinas
- & Mohamed-Ali Hakimi
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Outlook |
Tropical diseases move north
As Earth warms, the creatures that spread neglected tropical diseases are gaining a foothold in Europe. Wealthy countries must prepare themselves for more cases.
- Claire Ainsworth
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News |
Blood-sucking fish had flesh-eating ancestors
Two ‘superbly preserved’ fossil lampreys from the Jurassic period help piece together the past of the unusual jawless fish.
- Xiaoying You
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Article |
Leishmania genetic exchange is mediated by IgM natural antibodies
Genetic exchange of Leishmania parasites in the sand fly host is mediated by natural IgM antibodies, providing insights that will help generate reproducible and increased recovery of backcrosses for research purposes.
- Tiago D. Serafim
- , Eva Iniguez
- & Jesus G. Valenzuela
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Outlook |
In search of a vaccine for leishmaniasis
Researchers hope that immunization will provide much needed protection against the neglected parasitic disease in conflict zones.
- Anthony King
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Outlook |
The next frontier for malaria vaccination
Hot on the heels of the first approved vaccine for malaria, researchers are racing to develop even better shots that tackle the parasite at every stage of its life cycle.
- Cassandra Willyard
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Outlook |
Malaria: highlights from research
A mosquito hibernation mystery solved, parasites grown in dishes for the first time, and other studies and trials.
- Laura Vargas-Parada
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Outlook |
In search of a vaccine for Plasmodium vivax malaria
Vaccinologist Arturo Reyes-Sandoval explains how researchers are edging closer to a much-needed vaccine.
- Laura Vargas-Parada
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Career Q&A |
Opening doors: how I crafted career opportunities abroad
Kokouvi Kassegne moved from Togo to China to pursue his passion for parasitology.
- Nikki Forrester
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News & Views |
From the archive: celebrating Faraday, and an appreciation of parasites
Snippets from Nature’s past.
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Article |
Short tRNA anticodon stem and mutant eRF1 allow stop codon reassignment
Analyses of in-frame stop codons in protein-coding genes of Blastocrithidia nonstop with all three stop codons reassigned reveal a mechanism for UGA reassignment in eukaryotes involving shortening of the tRNA anticodon stem and a mutant eRF1 release factor.
- Ambar Kachale
- , Zuzana Pavlíková
- & Julius Lukeš
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Article |
In vitro production of infectious Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites
Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites produced in vitro recapitulate the P. falciparum life cycle from gametocyte to gametocyte without mosquitoes or primates.
- Abraham G. Eappen
- , Tao Li
- & Stephen L. Hoffman
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Article
| Open Access
A transcriptional switch controls sex determination in Plasmodium falciparum
A non-genetic mechanism of sex determination in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is described, and the male development 1 gene is identified as a potential target for interventions that block malaria transmission.
- A. R. Gomes
- , A. Marin-Menendez
- & A. M. Talman
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News |
Parasite gives wolves what it takes to be pack leaders
Study is one of the few to show the behavioural effects of Toxoplasma gondii in wild animals.
- Emma Marris
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Research Briefing |
Host–parasite dynamics in the liver stage of malaria
Gene expression was assessed in individual liver cells from mice that were infected with the rodent-specific form of the malaria parasite. This revealed that infections of cells in the inner zones of the lobule units that make up the liver are more likely to succeed than are infections in the outer zones.
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News Round-Up |
Parasite names, mouse rejuvenation and toxic sunscreen
The latest science news, in brief.
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News |
My family and other parasites: more worm species are named for loved ones
Analysis also finds that parasites named after scientists tend to honour male rather than female researchers.
- Freda Kreier
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Article |
N6-methyladenosine in poly(A) tails stabilize VSG transcripts
N6-methyladenosine is enriched in poly(A) tails of VSG transcripts in Trypanosoma brucei, and when lacking result in mRNA degradation.
- Idálio J. Viegas
- , Juan Pereira de Macedo
- & Luisa M. Figueiredo
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Where I Work |
Close-up with a parasite that can blind
At the Pasteur Institute of Montevideo, María Eugenia Francia tackles a cause of vision problems in babies.
- Chris Woolston
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Article |
An invariant Trypanosoma vivax vaccine antigen induces protective immunity
Systemic genome-led vaccinology and a mouse model of Trypanosoma vivax infection identify protective invariant subunit vaccine antigens, and demonstrate the possibility of generating effective vaccines that induce long-lasting protection against trypanosome infections.
- Delphine Autheman
- , Cécile Crosnier
- & Gavin J. Wright
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Article |
Structural basis for RIFIN-mediated activation of LILRB1 in malaria
The structure of a RIFIN–LILRB1 complex reveals that a subset of RIFINs of Plasmodium falciparum mimics the binding mode of the natural ligand of human LILRB1 and suppress the function of natural killer cells in humans.
- Thomas E. Harrison
- , Alexander M. Mørch
- & Matthew K. Higgins
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Article |
Anti-PfGARP activates programmed cell death of parasites and reduces severe malaria
Antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum glutamic-acid-rich protein (PfGARP), an antigen expressed on the surface of infected red blood cells, kill P. falciparum parasites by inducing programmed cell death and reduce the risk of severe malaria.
- Dipak K. Raj
- , Alok Das Mohapatra
- & Jonathan D. Kurtis
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Article |
A sensory appendage protein protects malaria vectors from pyrethroids
The leg-enriched sensory appendage protein, SAP2, confers pyrethroid resistance to Anopheles gambiae, through high-affinity binding of pyrethroid insecticides; an observed selective sweep in field mosquitoes mirrors the increasing resistance reported in Africa.
- Victoria A. Ingham
- , Amalia Anthousi
- & Hilary Ranson
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Outlook |
Only vaccines can eradicate parasitic worms
Microbiologist Jeffrey Bethony details progress in efforts to protect people from hookworms and schistosomiasis.
- Anthony King
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Outlook |
Building a better malaria vaccine
As the first vaccine against the malaria parasite begins to roll out, scientists are working on a wide variety of alternatives that they hope will provide more protection.
- Anthony King
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Article |
Structure and drug resistance of the Plasmodium falciparum transporter PfCRT
Structural, functional and in silico analyses of the chloroquine-resistance transporter PfCRT of Plasmodium falciparum suggest that distinct mechanistic features mediate the resistance to chloroquine and piperaquine in drug-resistant parasites.
- Jonathan Kim
- , Yong Zi Tan
- & Filippo Mancia
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Letter |
A widespread coral-infecting apicomplexan with chlorophyll biosynthesis genes
A newly identified lineage of apicomplexans, named corallicolids, are intracellular symbionts of many coral species, and possesses a plastid that retains genes for chlorophyll biosynthesis despite lacking photosystem genes.
- Waldan K. Kwong
- , Javier del Campo
- & Patrick J. Keeling
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Letter |
Exposing Anopheles mosquitoes to antimalarials blocks Plasmodium parasite transmission
Treatment of female Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes with atovaquone causes arrest of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite in the midgut, and this holds promise for malaria eradication in areas with insecticide-resistant mosquito populations.
- Douglas G. Paton
- , Lauren M. Childs
- & Flaminia Catteruccia
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News & Views |
Chromatin clues to the trypanosome parasite’s uniform coat
The parasite Trypanosoma brucei causes sleeping sickness. It evades human defences by changing the version of a protein that coats its surface. Analysis of its genome and nuclear structure clarifies this variation process.
- Steve Kelly
- & Mark Carrington
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Letter
| Open Access
Genome organization and DNA accessibility control antigenic variation in trypanosomes
Long-read sequencing allows the assembly of antigen-gene arrays in Trypanosoma brucei and, coupled with deletion experiments, demonstrates that histone variants act as a molecular link between genome architecture, chromatin conformation and antigen variation.
- Laura S. M. Müller
- , Raúl O. Cosentino
- & T. Nicolai Siegel
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Research Highlight |
Tapeworm DNA hints at discomforts of life in a medieval trading hub
Samples from ancient latrines pinpoint the squirming parasites that infested residents’ guts.
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Article |
Malaria parasite translocon structure and mechanism of effector export
Cryo-electron microscopy analysis of the purified Plasmodium translocon of exported proteins (PTEX) reveals two distinct resolved states, suggesting a mechanism by which Plasmodium falciparum exports malarial effector proteins into erythrocytes.
- Chi-Min Ho
- , Josh R. Beck
- & Z. Hong Zhou
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Letter |
Cryo-EM structure of an essential Plasmodium vivax invasion complex
Structural studies show that conserved residues in Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte-binding protein 2b determine interactions with transferrin receptor 1 that are essential for host invasion, suggesting avenues for designing vaccines that work across P. vivax strains.
- Jakub Gruszczyk
- , Rick K. Huang
- & Wai-Hong Tham
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Letter |
Immune evasion of Plasmodium falciparum by RIFIN via inhibitory receptors
Proteins expressed on the surfaces of erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium falciparum help the parasite to evade the host immune system by acting as ligands for immune inhibitory receptors and thereby downregulating the immune response.
- Fumiji Saito
- , Kouyuki Hirayasu
- & Hisashi Arase
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Outlook |
Egypt: The flatworm's revenge
How Egyptian men swapped one type of bladder cancer for another.
- Louise Sarant
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News |
Sleeping sickness can now be cured with pills
Researchers seek approval from regulators for this quicker, easier treatment.
- Amy Maxmen
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Letter |
Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals a signature of sexual commitment in malaria parasites
Highly parallel single-cell transcriptome profiling of Plasmodium falciparum blood stages provides insight into the role AP2-G plays in early sexual development of this eukaryotic pathogen.
- Asaf Poran
- , Christopher Nötzel
- & Björn F. C. Kafsack
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Letter |
Nutrient sensing modulates malaria parasite virulence
Malaria parasites use a sensing mechanism to moderate their growth in response to the nutrient content of their host.
- Liliana Mancio-Silva
- , Ksenija Slavic
- & Maria M. Mota
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Article |
A Cryptosporidium PI(4)K inhibitor is a drug candidate for cryptosporidiosis
The establishment of a drug-discovery screening pipeline for cryptosporidiosis, and identification of pyrazolopyridines as selective ATP-competitive inhibitors of the Cryptosporidium lipid kinase PI(4)K.
- Ujjini H. Manjunatha
- , Sumiti Vinayak
- & Thierry T. Diagana
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Technology Feature |
Pocket laboratories
Mobile phones are helping to take conventional laboratory-based science into the field, the classroom and the clinic.
- Jeffrey M. Perkel
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News |
Global coalition chips away at neglected tropical diseases
Partnerships see some success in eliminating illnesses, but challenges, such as access to treatments, remain.
- Amy Maxmen
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Outlook |
Dogs: The riddle of resistance
In the southern United States, heartworm parasites are acquiring resistance to preventives that once offered complete protection, raising concerns for dog owners.
- Michael Eisenstein
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Outlook |
Parasites: Kitty carriers
A pathogen spread by domestic cats threatens the health of humans and livestock. Could a solution as simple as taking better care of cats help to combat the infection?
- Sarah DeWeerdt
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Outlook |
Environment: Hothouse of disease
Dogs and cats in temperate regions are encountering pathogens that once thrived only in the tropics. As the climate warms and pests migrate north, animals, and some humans, are facing new health risks.
- Emily Sohn
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News |
Zika mosquito genome mapped – at last
‘Breakthrough’ technique used to piece together genome sequence of Zika vector, Aedes aegypti, 10 years after publication of draft sequence.
- Cassandra Willyard
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Letter |
Editing and methylation at a single site by functionally interdependent activities
The C-to-U deamination at position 32 of tRNAThr in Trypanosoma brucei requires two enzymatic activities and proceeds via formation of a 3-methylcytosine intermediate, supporting the notion of a coupled modification system.
- Mary Anne T. Rubio
- , Kirk W. Gaston
- & Juan D. Alfonzo
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News |
Gene drives thwarted by emergence of resistant organisms
Until this obstacle is overcome, the technology is unlikely to succeed in the wild.
- Ewen Callaway
How ignorance and gender inequality thwart treatment of a widespread illness