RNA-Seq Analysis Illuminates the Early Stages of <i>Plasmodium</i> Liver Infection
Maria Toro-Moreno, Kayla Sylvester, Tamanna Srivastava, Dora Posfai, Emily R. Derbyshire
Abstract
The LS of Plasmodium infection is an asymptomatic yet necessary stage for producing blood-infective parasites, the causative agents of malaria. Blocking the liver stage of the life cycle can prevent clinical malaria, but relatively less is known about the parasite’s biology at this stage. Using the rodent model P. berghei , we investigated whole-transcriptome changes occurring as early as 2 hpi of hepatocytes. The transcriptional profiles of early time points (2, 4, 12, and 18 hpi) have not been accessible before due to the technical challenges associated with liver-stage infections. Our data now provide insights into these early parasite fluxes that may facilitate establishment of infection, transformation, and replication in the liver.