A study towards establishing a cell line depleted of mitochondrial DNA in malaria parasites

• Project/Area Number: 17K15676
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Parasitology (including sanitary zoology)
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Hikosaka Kenji 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 講師 (30456933)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
• Keywords: マラリア原虫 / ミトコンドリアDNA / rho0細胞 / 組換え原虫 / mtDNA組換え / ミトコンドリアゲノム / 組換え / マラリア / Plasmodium / ミトコンドリア / 人工ミトコンドリアDNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In malaria parasites, transcriptional and translational mechanisms of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) remain unclear. To elucidate these mechanisms, we tried to generate a cell depleted of mtDNA using ethidium bromide (EtBr) in malaria parasites.
Our study showed that the human malaria parasite has higher sensitivity to EtBr compared with a rodent malaria parasite. These findings would provide a valuable information to a study towards establishing a cell line depleted of mitochondrial DNA in malaria parasites.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の継続によりマラリア原虫のミトコンドリアDNA（mtDNA）の転写・翻訳機構が明らかとなれば、その機序はヒトのものとは大きく異なることが期待されるため、新規抗マラリア薬の有用な標的となり得る。また、マラリア原虫でmtDNAを消失させた細胞であるrho0細胞作出技術が確立されれば、同じ生物群に属する寄生生原虫であるトキソプラズマ、コクシジウム、ピロプラズマなどにも応用が効くことが予想され、生物学的に新たな知見が多く得られることが期待できる。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Genetic polymorphisms in malaria vaccine candidate Plasmodium falciparum reticulocyte-binding protein homologue-5 among populations in Lagos, Nigeria. (2020)
  • Author(s): Ajibaye O, Osuntoki AA, Balogun EO, Olukosi YA, Iwalokun BA, Oyebola KM, Hikosaka K, Watanabe YI, Ebiloma GU, Kita K, Amambua-Ngwa A.
  • Journal Title: Malar J. Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Pages: 6-6
  • DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-3096-0
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Hypericum erectum alcoholic extract inhibits Toxoplasma growth and Entamoeba encystation: an exploratory study on the anti-protozoan potential. (2020)
  • Author(s): Shinjyo N, Nakayama H, Ishimaru K, Hikosaka K, Mi-Ichi F, Norose K, Yoshida H.
  • Journal Title: J Nat Med Volume: 74 Issue: 1 Pages: 294-305
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11418-019-01369-6
  • NAID: 40022130373
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] The complete mitochondrial genome of Sarcoptes scabiei var. nyctereutis from the Japanese raccoon dog: Prediction and detection of two transfer RNAs (tRNA-A and tRNA-Y) (2018)
  • Author(s): Ueda T, Tarui H, Kido N, Imaizumi K, Hikosaka K, Abe T, Minegishi D, Tada Y, Nakagawa M, Tanaka S, Omiya T, Morikaku K, Kawahara M, Kikuchi-Ueda T, Akuta T, Ono Y
  • Journal Title: Genomics Volume: - Issue: 6 Pages: 1183-1191
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.09.002
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Utility of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis using PCR. (2017)
  • Author(s): Feng X, Norose K, Li K, Hikosaka K.
  • Journal Title: J Microbiol Methods. Volume: 141 Pages: 82-86
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2017.08.001
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] ディープシーケンスによるマラリア原虫のアトバコン耐性に関わる変異の解析 (2018)
  • Author(s): 彦坂健児、馮雪、本間一、松崎素道、元岡大佑、中村昇太、野呂瀬一美、北潔
  • Organizer: 第87回日本寄生虫学会大会