Host SNARE Proteins Mediate Lysosome and PVM Fusion to Support Plasmodium Liver Infection - PubMed
5 hours ago
- #malaria
- #membrane fusion
- #SNARE proteins
- Plasmodium parasites exploit host SNARE proteins to facilitate lysosome and PVM fusion for nutrient uptake during liver-stage infection.
- Specific SNAREs like VAMP7, VAMP8, Vti1B, and Stx7 are recruited to the PVM with distinct temporal profiles: VAMP7 and Vti1B early (within 30 min) and VAMP8 and Stx7 later (around 24 hpi).
- Combinatorial SNARE knockouts, especially involving VAMP7-VAMP8 or VAMP7-Vti1B, significantly reduce parasite infection and growth, with Vti1B playing a dominant role.
- SNARE depletion impairs lysosome-PVM association and recruitment of LAMP1-positive vesicles, highlighting their critical redundancy in this pathway.
- Targeting Vti1B-containing complexes disrupts this fusion process without host cell toxicity, offering a promising host-directed antimalarial strategy.