Final Activity Report Summary - MALISTA (Malaria liver stages: characterization of essential genes for novel intervention strategies.)
The aim of this project was to characterise genes involved during LS development. We identified a plasmodium protein, termed SLARP, which was specifically expressed in sporozoites and LS. In the absence of SLARP, sporozoites invaded host cells normally but were then completely arrested at a very early stage of LS development. Our results indicated that SLARP functioned as a specific regulator of the expression of genes involved in LS replication. Interestingly, early arrested SLARP-deficient parasites conferred only limited protection in immunised mice, suggesting a requirement of parasite maturation to induce optimal protective immune responses against LS. Our study provided new insights into gene expression regulation during the complex life cycle of the malaria parasite and had important implications for the design of vaccines targeting plasmodium liver stages.