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Malaria Vaccines pp 257–286Cite as

Generation of Transgenic Rodent Malaria Parasites Expressing Human Malaria Parasite Proteins

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1325))

Abstract

We describe methods for the rapid generation of transgenic rodent Plasmodium berghei (Pb) parasites that express human malaria parasite (HMP) proteins, using the recently developed GIMO-based transfection methodology. Three different genetic modifications are described resulting in three types of transgenic parasites. (1) Additional Gene (AG) mutants. In these mutants the HMP gene is introduced as an “additional gene” into a silent/neutral locus of the Pb genome under the control of either a constitutive or stage-specific Pb promoter. This method uses the GIMO-transfection protocol and AG mutants are generated by replacing the positive–negative selection marker (SM) hdhfr::yfcu cassette in a neutral locus of a standard GIMO mother line with the HMP gene expression cassette, resulting in SM free transgenic parasites. (2) Double-step Replacement (DsR) mutants. In these mutants the coding sequence (CDS) of the Pb gene is replaced with the CDS of the HMP ortholog in a two-step GIMO-transfection procedure. This process involves first the replacement of the Pb CDS with the hdhfr::yfcu SM, followed by insertion of the HMP ortholog at the same locus thereby replacing hdhfr::yfcu with the HMP CDS. These steps use the GIMO-transfection protocol, which exploits both positive selection for Pb orthologous gene-deletion and negative selection for HMP gene-insertion, resulting in SM free transgenic parasites. (3) Double-step Insertion (DsI) mutants. When a Pb gene is essential for blood stage development the DsR strategy is not possible. In these mutants the HMP expression cassette is first introduced into the neutral locus in a standard GIMO mother line as described for AG mutants but under the control elements of the Pb orthologous gene; subsequently, the Pb ortholog CDS is targeted for deletion through replacement of the Pb CDS with the hdhfr::yfcu SM, resulting in transgenic parasites with a new GIMO locus permissive for additional gene-insertion modifications.

The different types of transgenic parasites can be exploited to examine interactions of drugs/inhibitors or immune factors with HMP molecules in vivo. Mice either immunized with HMP-vaccines or treated with specific drugs can be infected/challenged with these transgenic mutants to evaluate drug or vaccine efficacy in vivo.

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Acknowledgements

Ahmed M. Salman was supported by EVIMalaR’s (FP7) PhD Programme, Catherin Marin Mogollon by Colciencias Ph.D. fellowship (Call 568 from 2012 Resolution 01218 Bogotá, Colombia), and Jing-wen Lin by a MRC (UK) career development fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leiden Malaria Research Group, Department of Parasitology, LUMC, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Ahmed M. Salman, Catherin Marin Mogollon, Jing-wen Lin, Fiona J. A. van Pul, Chris J. Janse & Shahid M. Khan

  2. The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Ahmed M. Salman

  3. Division of Parasitology, MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK

    Jing-wen Lin

Authors
  1. Ahmed M. Salman
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  2. Catherin Marin Mogollon
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  3. Jing-wen Lin
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  4. Fiona J. A. van Pul
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  5. Chris J. Janse
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  6. Shahid M. Khan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shahid M. Khan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Ashley Vaughan

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Salman, A.M., Mogollon, C.M., Lin, Jw., van Pul, F.J.A., Janse, C.J., Khan, S.M. (2015). Generation of Transgenic Rodent Malaria Parasites Expressing Human Malaria Parasite Proteins. In: Vaughan, A. (eds) Malaria Vaccines. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1325. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2815-6_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2815-6_21

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2814-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2815-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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