Project description
A closer look at FIKK kinases in malaria parasites
Malaria is a life-threatening infection. Its most severe form is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The main contributors are cytoadhesion of infected red blood cells (iRBC) to host endothelium, and iRBC rigidification obstructing iRBC clearance in the spleen and promoting parasite survival. The parasite has to balance between preventing its own clearance through sufficiently strong cytoadhesion and control of rigidity and killing the host. Strong evidence indicates that the parasite can rapidly regulate its cytopathy properties through the FIKK kinases, making it important to understand FIKK function. The EU-funded VirulenceControl project will apply advanced approaches to identify the role of FIKK kinases and their molecular underpinnings in controlling cytoadhesion and rigidity in conditions frequently found in the human host.
Objective
The most severe form of malaria in humans is caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Cytoadhesion of infected red blood cells (iRBCs) to host endothelium and iRBC rigidification are the major contributors to pathology. Cytoadhesion is mediated by transport of a protein called PfEMP1 onto the surface of the iRBC. It prevents clearance of iRBCs in the spleen and promotes parasite survival, but can cause the obstruction of blood vessels leading to pathology. Thus, the parasite has to strike a fine balance between preventing its own clearance through sufficiently strong cytoadhesion and control of rigidity, and killing the host. The paradigm in the field is that the strength of cytoadhesion is dominated by expression of PfEMP1 variants with different affinities for host cell receptors. We now have strong evidence that the parasite can rapidly regulate its cytoadhesive properties using a family of atypical kinases (the FIKK kinases) it exports into the host cell. This gives the parasite a yet unrecognized ability to respond to conditions encountered in the host, such as fever or hypoxia in areas of high parasite sequestration, and influence disease outcome. This is important: Of the 6 human infecting Plasmodium species only P. falciparum exports FIKK kinases into the host cell. As this species is responsible for ~95% of all fatal human malaria cases, it is paramount to understand FIKK- function in pathogenesis. We will use cutting edge approaches to: (1) identify the function of FIKK kinases in controlling cytoadhesion and rigidity in conditions frequently encountered in the human host and determine RBC remodelling in samples from patients. (2) Identify the molecular underpinnings of FIKK function in controlling cytoadhesion and (3) perform a thorough biochemical characterisation of the atypical FIKK kinase family. In summary we aim to answer the paramount question about the functional role and the evolution of the FIKK kinases and the pathogenesis of P. falciparum malaria.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
ERC - Support for frontier research (ERC)Host institution
1067-001 LISBOA
Portugal