Variable microtubule architecture in the malaria parasite

Josie L. Ferreira, Vojtěch Pražák, Daven Vasishtan, Marc Siggel, Franziska Hentzschel, Annika M. Binder, Emma Pietsch, Jan Kosinski, Friedrich Frischknecht, Tim W. Gilberger and Kay Grünewald ()
Additional contact information
Josie L. Ferreira: Centre for Structural Systems Biology
Vojtěch Pražák: Centre for Structural Systems Biology
Daven Vasishtan: Centre for Structural Systems Biology
Marc Siggel: Centre for Structural Systems Biology
Franziska Hentzschel: Heidelberg University Medical School
Annika M. Binder: Heidelberg University Medical School
Emma Pietsch: Centre for Structural Systems Biology
Jan Kosinski: Centre for Structural Systems Biology
Friedrich Frischknecht: Heidelberg University Medical School
Tim W. Gilberger: Centre for Structural Systems Biology
Kay Grünewald: Centre for Structural Systems Biology

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Abstract Microtubules are a ubiquitous eukaryotic cytoskeletal element typically consisting of 13 protofilaments arranged in a hollow cylinder. This arrangement is considered the canonical form and is adopted by most organisms, with rare exceptions. Here, we use in situ electron cryo-tomography and subvolume averaging to analyse the changing microtubule cytoskeleton of Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, throughout its life cycle. Unexpectedly, different parasite forms have distinct microtubule structures coordinated by unique organising centres. In merozoites, the most widely studied form, we observe canonical microtubules. In migrating mosquito forms, the 13 protofilament structure is further reinforced by interrupted luminal helices. Surprisingly, gametocytes contain a wide distribution of microtubule structures ranging from 13 to 18 protofilaments, doublets and triplets. Such a diversity of microtubule structures has not been observed in any other organism to date and is likely evidence of a distinct role in each life cycle form. This data provides a unique view into an unusual microtubule cytoskeleton of a relevant human pathogen.

Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36627-5 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-36627-5

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36627-5

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().