An essential feature of the life cycles of malaria parasites is sexual reproduction, especially when it comes to mosquito transmission. In addition to its relevance in relation to malaria, it provides a special eukaryotic model for investigating the evolution of sexual processes. Through the deliberate mutagenesis of each sex of Plasmodium berghei using barcoded vectors, our extensive genetic screenings Preprint have revealed new information. 401 gene activities linked to sex and transmission have been found, providing insight into the functioning of many unidentified fertility genes.
It is becoming clearer how malaria parasites decide on their gender when they go from asexual to sexual reproduction. A recent genetic screen Russel et al. 2023 provides insight into the function of a transcription factor in coordinating this transition and producing parasites that are both male and female.
The PlasmoGEM screen is Stanway et al. 2023 here. By examining over 1300 mutants across the lifecycle, we've identified numerous parasite genes crucial during the liver stage and developed a specialized model of metabolism for this specific stage.