Molecular machinery of signal transduction and cell cycle regulation in Plasmodium

    Authors

    F. C. Koyama; D. Chakrabarti;C. R. S. Garcia

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Mol. Biochem. Parasitol.

    Keywords

    Plasmodium; Malaria; Serpentine receptor; Calcium; Kinases; DEPENDENT PROTEIN-KINASE; FALCIPARUM MALARIA PARASITES; FUNCTIONAL-CHARACTERIZATION; GAMETOCYTE FORMATION; CDC2-RELATED KINASE; ERYTHROCYTIC STAGES; COUPLED RECEPTOR; GAMETE FORMATION; CA2+ RELEASE; CALCIUM; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Parasitology

    Abstract

    The regulation of the Plasmodium cell cycle is not understood. Although the Plasmodium falciparum genome is completely sequenced, about 60% of the predicted proteins share little or no sequence similarity with other eukaryotes. This feature impairs the identification of important proteins participating in the regulation of the cell cycle. There are several open questions that concern cell cycle progression in malaria parasites, including the mechanism by which multiple nuclear divisions is controlled and how the cell cycle is managed in all phases of their complex life cycle. Cell cycle synchrony of the parasite population within the host, as well as the circadian rhythm of proliferation, are striking features of some Plasmodium species, the molecular basis of which remains to be elucidated, In this review we discuss the role of indole-related molecules as signals that modulate the cell cycle in Plasmodium and other eukaryotes, and we also consider the possible role of kinases in the signal transduction and in the responses it triggers. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology

    Volume

    165

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2009

    Document Type

    Review

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1

    Last Page

    7

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000264514600001

    ISSN

    0166-6851

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